The Butterfield Foundation
The Butterfield Foundation is a private foundation, based in Boston, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $143K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $9K. Net investment income was $16K.
The Butterfield Foundation at a glance
In short: The Butterfield Foundation gave $9K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,200
- +37.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,300
- +37.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,300
- Total assets
- $142,745
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Butterfield Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Butterfield Scholarship FD Cape Cod Regional Technical High School ($4K). Together the top 4 received $9K.
Grant Size Distribution
18 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 18 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Butterfield Foundation gives
- Giving grew 58% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 135% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2022) to $9K (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $9K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Butterfield Scholarship FD Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Harwich, MA | Scholarship Fund | $3,976 |
| Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Harwich, MA | To Purchase New Equipment | $3,976 |
| Butterfield Scholarship FD Nauset Regional High School North Eastham, MA | Scholarship Fund | $624 |
| Cape Cod Hospital Hyannis, MA | In Memory of John Faxon Butterfield | $624 |
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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 | $142,745 | $18,065 | $16,880 | $9,200 | 4 | $15,044 | $16,229 | $11,154 |
| 2024 | $141,560 | $19,868 | $9,636 | $6,673 | 4 | $7,879 | $18,111 | $10,406 |
| 2023 | $131,328 | $5,378 | $12,145 | $7,290 | 4 | $10,455 | $3,688 | $9,838 |
| 2022 | $138,095 | $2,575 | $9,933 | $5,821 | 4 | $8,503 | $1,145 | $9,972 |
| 2021 | $145,453 | $1,839 | $14,796 | $7,126 | 2 | $11,847 | — | $10,543 |
| 2020 | $158,410 | $44,456 | $5,270 | — | — | — | $43,352 | $14,302 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Butterfield Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Butterfield Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen M. Harrington
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$912 (2020) → $0 (2025)
Matthew J. Leonard
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$912 (2020) → $0 (2025)
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
Frequently asked questions about The Butterfield Foundation
How much does The Butterfield Foundation give each year?
The Butterfield Foundation gave $9K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7K across 4 grants.
What is The Butterfield Foundation's typical grant size?
The Butterfield Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,300, and its average grant was $2,300, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Butterfield Foundation give grants?
The Butterfield Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Harwich, MA (2 grants).
Does The Butterfield Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on The Butterfield Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is The Butterfield Foundation?
The Butterfield Foundation reported $143K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $15K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Butterfield Foundation's EIN?
The Butterfield Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3545762. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)
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