The Bigbird Fund

BOSTON, MA EIN: 45-4072533

The Bigbird Fund is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a human services-focused foundation with tax-exempt status since June 2014. Donations to the organization are tax-deductible.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$247K

-67.8% YoY

Grant Count

22

+15.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$11K

-72.2% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grant-making priorities include:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services
  • Arts and Creative Writing
  • Historic Buildings
  • Journalism
  • Community and School Gardens

Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation operates primarily in Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding region.

Grant Distribution by State

12states
+4 more states

Cities

AUSTINBELMONTBOSTONBROOKLINEBROOKLYNCAMBRIDGECHELSEAGLENMOORELAGRANGELINCOLNMIDDLETOWNNEEDHAMNEW YORKNEWPORTNEWTONNORTONNORWOODPORTLANDROSLINDALEROXBURY

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2024):

  • Total Assets: $105,234
  • Total Giving: $246,875

Earlier Financial Data (2023):

  • Revenue: $142,000
  • Expenses: $785,000
  • Total Assets: $244,000
  • Total Liabilities: $0

The foundation's financial position shows a significant decline in assets between 2023 and 2024, with expenses exceeding revenue in 2023.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$283K$566K$850K$1M23 grants202020 grants202118 grants202219 grants202322 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPA…$40KARBOR BROTHERS INC$25KPHOENIX CHARTER ACADEMY$25KTHE ODYSSEY SCHOOL$25KPIONEER INSTITUTE$20KINSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORAR…$13KMASSART - MASSACHUSETTS …$12KAQUIDNECK LAND TRUST$10KDANA-FARBER CANCER INSTI…$10KSEAL LEGACY FOUNDATION$10K

Grant Size Distribution

102 grants across all recorded years

91<$50K6$50–100K2$100–250K1$250–500K2$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Huntington Theatre Company Inc ($40,000), Arbor Brothers Inc ($25,000), Phoenix Charter Academy ($25,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$1,500
AQUIDNECK LAND TRUST MIDDLETOWN, RIGENERAL SUPPORT$10,000
ARBOR BROTHERS INC NEW YORK, NYGENERAL SUPPORT$25,000
BOSTON ART REVIEW BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$5,000
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$10,000
FRIENDS OF DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$5,000
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$4,750
HEALTHY WALTHAM WALTHAM, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$5,000
HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY INC BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$40,000
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART BOSTON, MAGENERAL SUPPORT$13,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
WILLIAM P MCQUILLANTRUSTEE2
LINDA M CRINITITRUSTEE2

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Bigbird Fund fund?

The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and Creative Writing • Historic Buildings • Journalism • Community and School Gardens

How do I apply for a grant from The Bigbird Fund?

**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $500 to $966,960. **Recent Giving Activity:** According to the most recent available data, the foundation distributed $246,875 in total giving.

Where does The Bigbird Fund make grants?

The foundation operates primarily in Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding region.

What size grants does The Bigbird Fund award?

In 2024, The Bigbird Fund awarded 22 grants totaling $247K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is The Bigbird Fund's EIN?

The Bigbird Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4072533. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in The Bigbird Fund's focus areas in our free grants database

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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