The Ceres Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2000 and granted charitable status in May 2002. Based in Groton, Massachusetts, the foundation is dedicated to strengthening communities and improving life outcomes for historically underserved youth and their families through dynamic partnerships with innovative nonprofits.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$169.6M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.9M
+16.7% YoY
Grant Count
64
+1.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$123K
+14.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ceres Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $9.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting programs that change individual lives by expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth and vulnerable families to develop and make full use of their potential. The foundation favors programs that are:
- Holistic, making a commitment to each individual to provide all services needed for success
- Goal-oriented, setting high goals for clients relative to their circumstances and potential
- Measurement-focused, using multiple measures to assess client situations at entry and exit
- Impact-focused, tracking and assisting clients for a year or more after program completion
Primary Funding Priorities
College Access & Success — Support for programs helping students graduate from high school, prepare for and enroll in college, and secure post-secondary degrees.
Career Pathways — Education, training, work-experience, or job placement programs leading to rewarding and sustainable careers.
Family Strengthening — Programs working simultaneously with parents and children to promote healthy parenting and build resilient, stable families.
Capacity Building Focus
Approximately 77% of the foundation's funding is focused on capacity building—investments that bring nonprofits to the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity. The foundation views capacity building as a continuous improvement strategy toward creating sustainable and impactful organizations, not a one-time effort.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $5,000 to $2,000,000
Average Grant
ee remaining in their portfolio for 7 years.
Review Cycle
s annually
Grant Types
How to Apply
** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. Prospective grantees should contact the foundation directly for application guidelines.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's funding is concentrated in three geographic areas where the majority of family members and staff live:
- Washington, DC
- Los Angeles and Orange County, California
- Western Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $173.6 million (2023)
Annual Giving: $7.3 million (2023)
Total Revenue: $6.67 million (2023)
Total Expenses: $7.95 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $169,555,715 | $173,580,774 | $175,242,197 |
| Revenue | $5,329,879 | $6,671,209 | $68,094,919 |
| Expenses | $9,354,938 | $7,947,838 | $7,196,073 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,546,413 | $7,302,336 | $4,431,564 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,645,497 | $5,929,789 | $66,005,811 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,011,608 | $8,153,455 | $6,208,576 |
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
184 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Ceres Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Thrive Scholars ($2,000,000), Friendship Shelter Inc ($360,000), Schoolhouse Connection Inc ($275,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THRIVE SCHOLARS LOS ANGELES, CA | SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE THRIVE SCHOLARS' LOS ANGELES AND BOSTON PROGRAMS | $2,000,000 |
| FRIENDSHIP SHELTER INC LAGUNA BEACH, CA | SUPPORT THE HOME FOR GOOD INITIATIVE AND HENDERSON HOUSE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM | $360,000 |
| SCHOOLHOUSE CONNECTION INC WASHINGTON, DC | SUPPORT THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOUTH HAVING EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS | $275,000 |
| COMMUNITY ADOLESCENT RESOURCES AND EDUCATION CENTER INC HOLYOKE, MA | SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE BARD MICROCOLLEGE PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN | $250,000 |
| FUTURE LINK INC ROCKVILLE, MD | SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF PROGRAMMATIC MODEL TO EXPAND CAREER COACHING, INTERNSHIP, AND MENTORING | $200,000 |
| LIFT INC WASHINGTON, DC | SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF FINANCIAL COACHING MODEL FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN LOS ANGELES AND WASHINGTON D.C. | $200,000 |
| STEM ADVANTAGE HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | SUPPORT PROGRAM EXPANSION TO MENTOR, PREPARE, AND INSPIRE PRIMARILY FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES FOR CAREERS IN S.T.E.M. | $200,000 |
| MORE THAN WORDS INC WALTHAM, MA | SUPPORT ADVOCACY WORK ROLLOUT OF ITS EXPANDED MODEL TO ADDRESS SYSTEMATIC BARRIERS FOR VULNERABLE MASSACHUSETTS YOUTH | $160,000 |
| CORPORATION OF THE WASHINGTON LATIN SCHOOL WASHINGTON, DC | SUPPORT CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE CLASSICAL LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION, EMPHASIZING THE SOCRATIC MEHOD, FOR AN ADDITIONAL 750 STUDENTS | $150,000 |
| MONUMENT ACADEMY INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR | $150,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Dan Milder, President
- Don Milder, Treasurer
- Terri Milder, Secretary
- Ryan Bradley, Member at Large
- Emily Milder, Member at Large
- Zach Milder, Member at Large
Staff:
- Amanda Northrop, Executive Director (joined 2021; previously spent twenty years at the State Street Foundation)
- Adena Klem, Director of Learning and Impact
- Diana D Diaz, Senior Program Associate
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL C MILDER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DONALD B MILDER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| TERRI L MILDER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| EMILY B MILDER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RYAN F BRADLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ZACHARY D MILDER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ceres Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission centers on supporting programs that change individual lives by expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth and vulnerable families to develop and make full use of their potential. The foundation favors programs that are: • **Holistic**, making a commitment to each individual to provide all services needed for success • **Goal-oriented**, setting high goals for clients relative to their circumstances and potential • **Measurement-focused**, using multiple measures to…
How do I apply for a grant from The Ceres Foundation Inc?
**Grant Range:** $5,000 to $2,000,000 **Median Grant:** $90,000 to $100,000 **Annual Giving:** $7.3 million (2023) **Grant Types:** The foundation provides primarily general operating support and capacity building grants, with multi-year awards often granted. The foundation generally provides one grant per calendar year per organization. **Application Process:** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. Prospective grantees should contact the foundation directly f…
Where does The Ceres Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's funding is concentrated in three geographic areas where the majority of family members and staff live: • **Washington, DC** • **Los Angeles and Orange County, California** • **Western Massachusetts**
What size grants does The Ceres Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Ceres Foundation Inc awarded 64 grants totaling $7.9M — an average of about $123K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ceres Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Ceres Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $9.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ceres Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Ceres Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2170962. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ceres Foundation Inc'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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