The Bromley Charitable Trust
The Bromley Charitable Trust is a private family foundation established in 1994 in Massachusetts. Based in Westwood, MA, the foundation operates as a family-governed entity with minimal staff, relying on family trustees to personally vet and determine all grant requests. The trust has grown to become a significant grantmaker with substantial assets and an active giving program focused on education, conservation, and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.8M
-2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.7M
+150.1% YoY
Grant Count
26
+18.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$257K
+111.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bromley Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $430K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking across three primary areas:
- Education — Supporting educational initiatives and institutions
- Conservation & Wildlife — Emphasizing land preservation and species protection, with particular focus on jaguar conservation in Central and South America
- Human Services — Supporting community-based services in the Boston area
The McFarlands, who established the foundation, have demonstrated particular passion for jaguar conservation, committing $1 million to Panthera and Rainforest Trust to protect jaguar habitat in Brazil. The foundation also supports land trusts including Conservation Land Trust, Land Trust Alliance, and Northeast Wilderness Trust.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 33 grants in 2024, including:
Grant Range
s & Amounts:**
Average Grant
amount: approximately $121,471 (2023)
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic priorities include:
- Massachusetts (primary focus, particularly the Boston community)
- Vermont
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- National and international funding (particularly for conservation initiatives)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $13,798,871
- Total revenues: $6,828,428
- Total expenses: $7,215,893
- Total giving: $6,683,466
Assets & Giving (2023):
- Total assets: $14,161,593
- Annual giving: $2,672,366
- Number of grants: 22 awards
- Average grant: $121,471
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $6,512,521
- Investment income and dividends: $162,249
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $153,658
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,798,871 | $14,161,593 | $12,529,972 |
| Revenue | $6,828,428 | $4,619,285 | $682,837 |
| Expenses | $7,215,893 | $2,984,947 | $4,000,615 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,916,205 | $2,853,496 | $3,782,156 |
| Net Investment Income | $798,457 | $425,673 | $47,660 |
| Distributable Amount | $429,547 | $379,318 | $400,649 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hale Education Inc ($2,500,000), Wild ($1,400,000), St Mark's of Ephesus ($429,046).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BEDROCK GARDENS LEE, NH | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| BRIDGE BOSTON CHARTER SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | GENERAL | $200,000 |
| BOSTON HIGHER GROUND BOSTON, MA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| BUCKLAND CEMETARY MANCHESTER, CT | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY BOSTON, MA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| HALE EDUCATION INC WESTWOOD, MA | GENERAL | $2,500,000 |
| HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS BOSTON, MA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| HUNTINGDON VALLEY CEMETERY & CHAPEL CO NORTH WALES, PA | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| INSTITUTE FOR MUSICAL ARTS GOSHEN, MA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| MANOMET PLYMOUTH, MA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Trustees:
- Duncan McFarland — Trustee and founder; former Chairman and CEO of Wellington Management Company, where he worked for four decades before retiring in 2004
- Ellen B. McFarland — Trustee and co-founder
- Nancy E. Dempze — Trustee
The foundation operates with one employee and is governed by family trustees who personally manage all grant decisions.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DUNCAN MCFARLAND | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELLEN B MCFARLAND | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NANCY E DEMPZE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALICE FARMER | TRUSTEE | 1 | $121,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Bromley Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking across three primary areas: • **Education** — Supporting educational initiatives and institutions • **Conservation & Wildlife** — Emphasizing land preservation and species protection, with particular focus on jaguar conservation in Central and South America • **Human Services** — Supporting community-based services in the Boston area The McFarlands, who established the foundation, have demonstrated particular passion for jaguar conservation, committin…
How do I apply for a grant from The Bromley Charitable Trust?
**Grant Ranges & Amounts:** • Typical grant range: $100,000–$850,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $121,471 (2023) • Total annual giving: approximately $2.7 million (2023) **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 33 grants in 2024, including: • $2,500,000 to Hale Education • $400,000 to Panthera • $250,000 to Round the Bend Farm In 2023, the foundation made 22 awards with total giving of $2,672,366. **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Pro…
Where does The Bromley Charitable Trust make grants?
The foundation's geographic priorities include: • Massachusetts (primary focus, particularly the Boston community) • Vermont • Pennsylvania • New York • National and international funding (particularly for conservation initiatives)
What size grants does The Bromley Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, The Bromley Charitable Trust awarded 26 grants totaling $6.7M — an average of about $257K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Bromley Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Bromley Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $430K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Bromley Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Bromley Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3237138. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bromley Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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