The Butler Foundation
The Butler Foundation is a private foundation based in Springfield, New Hampshire. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in areas including medical research, conservation, education, and community needs, as well as scholarship support.
The Butler Foundation at a glance
In short: The Butler Foundation gave $2.5M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $206K), mostly in Massachusetts. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,477,344
- +360.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $206,445
- +245.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $7,359,839
- +20.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (5 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Butler Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing describes an application process for scholarships only. Applicants submit an application to the board of trustees and must provide an essay, high school grades, and other information. U.S. applicants are limited to children of NES Labs employees. For a scholarship for an Indigenous child from Ecuador, the filing says the child must come from a poorer community within certain areas of Ecuador; Earth University Foundation conducts the selection process.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states there is no formal submission deadline for scholarship applications.
- Deadline
- The filing states there is no formal submission deadline for scholarship applications.
- Contact
Application contact: The Butler Foundation Cynthia Wentw
Mailing address: PO Box 430, Springfield, NH 03284
Phone: (603) 369-7224
Email: cynthia@almasjuntas.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Butler Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mass Eye & Ear Associates ($1.7M). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 57 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (67%), Maryland (14%), Washington (8%), Vermont (5%), and New Hampshire (3%). These figures reflect recipient states; one grant’s stated purpose concerned projects in Ecuador.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Butler Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 12 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $320K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 949% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 520% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $236K (2022) to $2.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Eye & Ear Associates Boston, MA | Upgrade of the Ogi's High Performance Compute Cluster | $1,667,000 |
| Jocotoco Conservation Foundation Baltimore, MD | Grant for parques condor infrastructure maintenancepurchase of 132 hectares for buenaventura preserve in ecuadorgrant for parque condor for bird acquision, telemetry and connection and conference | $340,349 |
| Capital Land Trust Lacey, WA | Infrastructure of Bay Shore Preserve | $100,000 |
| Norwich Grange Hall Norwich, VT | Charitable | $70,000 |
| The Phoenix Conservancy Pullman, WA | Foxhole forest construction in madagascar and monarch habitat restoration at pullman school in wa | $66,624 |
| Society for the Protection of NH Forests Concord, NH | Purchase of Land - Black Mountain | $50,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy in NH Arlington, VA | Acquistion of Land on Fall Mountain | $50,000 |
| Vermont Institute of Natural Science Quechee, VT | Early Childhood Exhibit | $45,885 |
| Iglesia Evangelica Jesus De Nazaret | Grant to evangelical church in huaycopungo ecuador for purchase of chairs and tables | $37,630 |
| NH Audubon Concord, NH | 10,000 toward aerial insectivore study and 6,000 for cliff swallow study | $29,240 |
Ready to take the next step with The Butler Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,359,839 | $3,883,453 | $2,654,008 | $2,477,344 | 12 | $2,603,141 | $529,628 | $500,848 |
| 2024 | $6,108,561 | $269,459 | $724,319 | $538,495 | 9 | $666,487 | $277,365 | $495,635 |
| 2023 | $6,563,501 | $651,661 | $674,750 | $522,039 | 14 | $628,697 | $640,453 | $487,987 |
| 2022 | $6,590,009 | $274,133 | $406,169 | $236,221 | 9 | $359,572 | $263,217 | $500,823 |
| 2021 | $6,723,611 | $208,467 | $769,323 | $615,745 | 13 | $724,765 | $231,304 | $485,058 |
| 2020 | $7,289,325 | $188,287 | $578,193 | $427,707 | 11 | — | $255,784 | $470,382 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Butler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $501K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for a medical research computing cluster, land and habitat projects, an early childhood exhibit, and hospital equipment.
One recipient, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, describes its mission as motivating individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research, and avian wildlife rehabilitation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $2,477,344. Grants ranged from $316 to $1,667,000, with a median of $50,000.
The largest reported grants included $1,667,000 to Mass Eye & Ear Associates for an upgrade to the OGI’s high-performance compute cluster; $340,349 to Jocotoco Conservation Foundation for projects in Ecuador; and $100,000 to Capital Land Trust for infrastructure at Bay Shore Preserve. Other recipients included Norwich Grange Hall ($70,000), The Phoenix Conservancy ($66,624), Society for the Protection of NH Forests ($50,000), and Vermont Institute of Natural Science ($45,885).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cynthia Wentworth as executive director. Trustees listed are Barbara Butler, Bonnie Bunning, Marjorie Butler, Jessie Bunning, and Caitlin Bunning.
The Butler Foundation is led by Cynthia Wentworth, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cynthia Wentworth
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$101K (2020) → $101K (2025)
Barbara Butler
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie Bunning
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caitlin Bunning
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessie Bunning
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Butler
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Clara Butler (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Graham McSwiney (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Steven Albrecht (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $101K, to Cynthia Wentworth (Executive DIR.).
Frequently asked questions about The Butler Foundation
How much does The Butler Foundation give each year?
The Butler Foundation gave $2.5M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $538K across 9 grants.
What is The Butler Foundation's typical grant size?
The Butler Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $206,445, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Butler Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does The Butler Foundation give grants?
The Butler Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maryland (14%) and Washington (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Concord, NH (2 grants).
Does The Butler Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Butler Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Butler Foundation's largest grantees?
The Butler Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mass Eye & Ear Associates ($1,667,000), Jocotoco Conservation Foundation ($340,349) and Capital Land Trust ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Butler Foundation?
The Butler Foundation reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $501K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Butler Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for a medical research computing cluster, land and habitat projects, an early childhood exhibit, and hospital equipment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Butler Foundation?
The filing describes an application process for scholarships only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Butler Foundation's EIN?
The Butler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2701588. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Butler Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-butler-foundation-morg_7b3a98f742cf4db783ec031186dbb557
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222701588_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Butler Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-butler-foundation-morg_7b3a98f742cf4db783ec031186dbb557},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Butler Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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