The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham
The Chickering Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports programs and organizations addressing the needs of women and children in crisis, with the goal of helping them gain health, safety, independence, and self-sufficiency.
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham at a glance
In short: The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham gave $213K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in Massachusetts. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $212,653
- +4.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,265
- +4.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $22,500
- Total assets
- $2,255,277
- +1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (94% 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 Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists a letter of inquiry as the application material, no deadline, and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Amy Beckwith
Mailing address: 2 Wampatuck Road, Dedham, MA 02026
Phone: (617) 482-5270
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham
Who The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Respond Inc ($23K). Together the top 10 received $213K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 51 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 6% to a recipient in Ohio. The foundation’s grant-program description identifies Eastern Massachusetts as a priority for community-based resources.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 121% 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 $139K (2020) to $213K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $213K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Respond Inc Somerville, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Family Nurturing Center Boston, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Project Place Crew Program Boston, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Second Step Newtonville, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Parents Helping Parents Watertown, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Justice for Housing Boston, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| On the Rise Cambridge, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Families for Justice as Healing Roxbury, MA | General Purposes | $22,500 |
| Partakers Inc Auburndale, MA | General Purposes | $20,000 |
| Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Cincinnati, OH | General Purposes | $12,653 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham?
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 | $2,255,277 | $269,801 | $241,729 | $212,653 | 10 | $214,258 | $158,833 | $176,846 |
| 2024 | $2,227,205 | $146,049 | $235,127 | $203,768 | 10 | $205,273 | $89,184 | $168,897 |
| 2023 | $2,316,283 | $191,081 | $201,013 | $175,000 | 10 | $176,495 | $150,720 | $152,825 |
| 2022 | $2,326,215 | $68,379 | $212,000 | $180,000 | 10 | $181,425 | $23,652 | $157,001 |
| 2021 | $2,469,836 | $316,626 | $222,425 | $194,000 | 11 | $195,440 | $219,072 | $172,290 |
| 2020 | $2,375,635 | $103,308 | $165,364 | $139,000 | 9 | — | $46,129 | $149,450 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham reported a distributable amount of $177K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to honor Hannah B. Chickering, who dedicated her life in the 19th century to female prisoners and their children. It provides financial support to programs and organizations addressing the needs of women and children in crisis.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. RESPOND says it works to end domestic violence through prevention, intervention, education, and housing solutions. Families for Justice as Healing describes itself as an organization by and for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls that works to end women’s incarceration. On the Rise says it supports people experiencing homelessness, including through long-term relationships that foster safety and belonging. Justice for Housing says it works to end housing discrimination and homelessness and to support and educate justice-involved people. Partakers says it advances incarcerated people’s education and bridges the divide between people inside and outside prison.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $212,653. Grants ranged from $12,653 to $22,500, with a median grant of $22,500. The largest grants included $22,500 each to RESPOND Inc, Family Nurturing Center, Project Place Crew Program, Second Step, Parents Helping Parents, Justice for Housing, On the Rise, and Families for Justice as Healing. Partakers Inc received $20,000, and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund received $12,653.
Frequently asked questions about The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham
How much does The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham give each year?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham gave $213K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $204K across 10 grants.
What is The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's typical grant size?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's median grant in 2025 was $22,500, and its average grant was $21,265, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham give grants?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham gives mostly in Massachusetts: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's largest grantees?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's largest 2025 grantees include Respond Inc ($22,500), Family Nurturing Center ($22,500) and Project Place Crew Program ($22,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $214K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $177K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to honor Hannah B. Chickering, who dedicated her life in the 19th century to female prisoners and their children. It provides financial support to programs and organizations addressing the needs of women and children in crisis. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's EIN?
The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6012767. 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 September 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 May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chickering-foundation-formerly-dedham-morg_cf2758d966d844d888ffa088f9b0dfd2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046012767_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chickering-foundation-formerly-dedham-morg_cf2758d966d844d888ffa088f9b0dfd2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Chickering Foundation (Formerly Dedham'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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