The Clifford Family Foundation
The Clifford Family Foundation Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1989 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since March 1990. The foundation supports educational, philanthropic, and human services initiatives across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.8M
+4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.5M
+99.5% YoY
Grant Count
34
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$161K
+87.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking supports the following areas:
- Education: Early childhood, K-12, and higher education
- Higher Education: Including support for colleges and universities
- Philanthropy and Nonprofits: Support for philanthropic infrastructure
- Human Services: Including youth development and youth services
- Environment: Environmental conservation and land trust organizations
- Health: Health-related organizations and initiatives
The foundation does not appear to maintain formal, publicly stated focus areas or grant programs, and lacks a dedicated website or significant internet presence.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding. Networking with the family is noted as the most viable approach for prospective grantees.
Grant Range
$380
Average Grant
$380
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across numerous U.S. states and cities, including:
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- New York, New York
- Additional states: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming
The family has ties to both Boston and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $32,827,665
- Total revenues: $6,568,467
- Total expenses: $5,763,842
Prior Year (2023):
- Total assets: $31,292,703
- Total revenues: $10,402,233
- Total expenses: $3,052,096
Liabilities: $0 (2023)
The foundation has no employees and operates with trustee leadership serving without compensation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,827,665 | $31,292,703 | $27,466,166 |
| Revenue | $6,568,467 | $10,402,233 | $731,570 |
| Expenses | $5,763,842 | $3,052,096 | $2,260,379 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,462,695 | $2,737,534 | $2,025,069 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,528,199 | $6,516,112 | $151,048 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,776,966 | $1,551,049 | $1,535,963 |
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
174 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- J. Christopher Clifford – Trustee (serves without compensation); Founder of Berkshire Partners
- Daniel Carbonneau – Trustee (serves without compensation)
The foundation was founded by J. Christopher Clifford and his wife A. Keena Clifford.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL CARBONNEAU | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| J CHRISTOPHER CLIFFORD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking activity, with recent grants supporting organizations focused on early childhood education (Jumpstart for Young Children), environmental conservation (Activate Global), health services (Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), and higher education (Colgate University). Environmental grantees have included Prime Coalition, Environmental Defense Fund, Indian River Land Trust, Environmental Learning Center, and Yampa Valley Land Trust. Education grantees have included Teach for America, Bowdoin College, College For Every Student, and Dana Hall School.
The Clif Family Foundation Joins The Conservation AllianceRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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