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
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
No grants recorded for .
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 |
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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