The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W
The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation is a private foundation established in 1986 through the merger of two separate foundations: the Victor W. Farris Foundation (established in 1952 in New Jersey) and the Celia Lipton Farris Foundation (established in Florida). The foundation is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and operates as a family foundation with a concentrated focus on improving health and well-being in its service regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$80.8M
+1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.4M
-9.0% YoY
Grant Count
60
-1.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
-7.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities in the geographic regions where the foundation serves.
The foundation funds programs that:
- Stimulate innovation
- Build cultures of respect, collaboration, and learning
- Demonstrate sustainable impact on participants
- Help underserved communities
- Address racial and economic inequities
- Give individuals opportunities for better lives
- Promote leadership development
The foundation has identified mental and behavioral health as a concentrated focus area, determined through family board reflection in 2011. Additional priority areas include healthcare and homeless services.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 61 grants in 2024 and 86 grants in 2023. Recent grantees include Community Foundation of Broward ($525,000), Santa Fe Community Foundation ($520,000), and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin County. Since receiving significant assets in 2012, the foundation has awarded more than $31 million in grants.
Grant Range
$5,000 - $859,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves the following regions:
- Palm Beach County, Florida
- Broward County, Florida
- Erie County, New York
- Northern New Jersey
- Northern Maine
- Santa Fe County, New Mexico
- Watauga County, North Carolina
Approximately 65% of the foundation's grants budget is allocated through community foundations in these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $80,770,626
- Total Revenue: $5,753,563
- Total Expenses: $5,172,627
- Annual Giving: $4.8 million
- Giving Rate: 6.3%
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $79,274,702
- Total Revenue: $1,714,117
- Total Expenses: $5,703,913
- Total Giving: $5,113,977
The foundation operates with 1 employee and maintains a lean administrative structure.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $80,770,626 | $79,274,702 | $83,231,329 |
| Revenue | $5,753,563 | $1,714,117 | $7,839,800 |
| Expenses | $5,172,627 | $5,703,913 | $6,633,254 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,667,132 | $5,113,977 | $5,998,660 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,127,488 | $1,537,648 | $6,418,903 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,594,808 | $4,336,798 | $5,376,160 |
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
221 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Foundation of Broward ($525,000), Santa Fe Community Foundation ($520,000), Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties Inc ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME SANTA FE, NM | A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME - GROWING CAPACITY | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CAREGIVING YOUTH INC BOCA RATON, FL | KNOWLEDGE AND KNOW HOW (KKH) | $25,000 |
| AROOSTOOK MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PRESQUE ISLE, ME | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE PLANNING PARTICIPATION GRANT | $5,000 |
| BANGOR REGION YMCA BANGOR, ME | BUILDING CAPACITY TO CREATE MENTAL WELLNESS EQUITY AMONG MAINE CHILDREN THROUGH THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND PHASED PROGRAM EXPANSION | $50,000 |
| BEWELL CO PALM HEALTH FOUNDATION WEST PALM BEACH, FL | RALLY FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH | $5,000 |
| BROWARD PARTNERSHIP FOR THE HOMELESS INC FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE PLANNING PARTICIPATION GRANT | $105,000 |
| CASA FIRST JUDICIAL SANTA FE, NM | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE PLANNING PARTICIPATION GRANT | $5,000 |
| CASA MILAGRO SANTA FE, NM | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE PLANNING PARTICIPATION GRANT | $5,000 |
| CENTER FOR CHILD COUNSELING PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE PLANNING PARTICIPATION GRANT | $5,000 |
| CHAINLESS CHANGE INC LAUDERHILL, FL | OUTFITS - A MOBILE OUTREACH PROJECT FOR JUSTICE-INVOLVED COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Brent G Hagey II - President (10 hours/week, $95,000 compensation)
- Cecile Victoria Farris - Vice President (1 hour/week)
- Marian Farris - Vice President (1 hour/week, $20,000 compensation)
- Andrew Farris - Treasurer (2 hours/week)
- Jamie Retterer - Secretary (1 hour/week, $20,000 compensation)
- Sukyin Agnes Farris - Non-Voting Trustee (1 hour/week)
Contact:
- Address: Farris Foundation c/o GMA Foundations, 2 Liberty Square, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02109
- Phone: 617-391-3094
- Email: adoggett@gmafoundations.com
- Website: https://farrisfdn.org
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRENT G HAGEY II | PRESIDENT | 10 | $95,000 |
| CECILE VICTORIA FARRIS | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARIAN FARRIS | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | $20,000 |
| ANDREW FARRIS | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| JAMIE RETTERER | SECRETARY | 1 | $20,000 |
| SUKYIN AGNES FARRIS | NON-VOTING TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W fund?
**Mission:** To improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities in the geographic regions where the foundation serves. The foundation funds programs that: • Stimulate innovation • Build cultures of respect, collaboration, and learning • Demonstrate sustainable impact on participants • Help underserved communities • Address racial and economic inequities • Give individuals opportunities for better lives • Promote leadership development The foundation has identified mental and be…
How do I apply for a grant from The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 - $859,000 • Median grant amount: $50,000 • Application type: Invitation only • Grant application portal: www.grantinterface.com (for invited organizations only) **Grant Programs:** • **Behavioral Health Initiative Planning Program**: Average $8,000, 15 recipients (last awarded 2023) • **General Operating Grant**: Average $495,125, 8 recipients (last awarded 2022) • **General Operating Support**: Average $452,500, 6 recipients (last awarded 2023)…
Where does The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W make grants?
The foundation serves the following regions: • Palm Beach County, Florida • Broward County, Florida • Erie County, New York • Northern New Jersey • Northern Maine • Santa Fe County, New Mexico • Watauga County, North Carolina Approximately 65% of the foundation's grants budget is allocated through community foundations in these regions.
What size grants does The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W award?
In 2024, The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W awarded 60 grants totaling $4.4M — an average of about $73K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W reported a distributable amount of $4.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W's EIN?
The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-2667398. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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