The Couch Family Foundation
The Couch Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2001 by Richard (Dick) and Barbara Couch, founders of Hypertherm, Inc., a manufacturer of industrial cutting systems. The foundation was created when the Couches transitioned Hypertherm to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), reflecting their philosophy of sharing rewards with employees. Based in Hanover, New Hampshire, with an additional office in Boston, Massachusetts, the foundation works to improve the lives of children and families across New England.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$123.4M
-0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+3.2% YoY
Grant Count
106
-34.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$58K
+57.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Couch Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: To be a catalyst for change in the lives of children and their families by creating quality and equitable opportunities to help them learn, thrive, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
Guiding Principles:
- Commit to diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of work
- Treat grantees as valued partners, and those they serve with dignity and respect
- Collaborate with community partners to create sustainable, positive change
- Build statewide awareness and support for more effective and equitable public policy
- Encourage creative thinking and risk taking to foster innovation
- Use research and community engagement to inform work
Strategic Priorities:
Statewide Early Care and Education — Supporting high-quality early care and education (ECE) systems in New Hampshire
Cherished Communities — Enhancing the well-being of children, families, and communities in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont, and in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** $1,000 to $500,000, with first-time grantees typically receiving $10,000 or less
Average Grant
amount: $33,000
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding regions:
- Upper Valley (New Hampshire and Vermont)
- Martha's Vineyard (Massachusetts)
- Statewide New Hampshire for Early Care and Education initiatives
The foundation primarily supports organizations in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, which account for 90% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across nine states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $124.5 million
- Annual Giving: $5.9 million
- Total Revenue: $1.33 million
- Total Expenses: $9.02 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $3.5 million in 2011 to $123.4 million in 2024
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $123,397,096 | $124,483,118 | $132,171,183 |
| Revenue | $8,345,979 | $1,327,479 | $59,437,546 |
| Expenses | $9,432,000 | $9,015,544 | $7,314,043 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,706,199 | $6,911,893 | $6,100,399 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,161,027 | $1,606,735 | $44,817,677 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,223,481 | $7,577,121 | $6,753,482 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Couch Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Early Care and Education Association - Ecea ($605,000), Carsey School of Public Policy University System ($536,500), Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning (fuel) ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASSET FUNDERS NETWORK EVANSTON, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| BARNARTS CENTER FOR THE ARTS COMPANY BARNARD, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS HYANNIS, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PORTSMOUTH, NH | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BUILD BRIGHT FUTURES STATE COUNCIL INC WILLISTON, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CAMP JABBERWOCKY- MARTHAS VINEYARD CEREBRAL PALSY CAMP VINEYARD HAVEN, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CAPE AND ISLANDS UNITED WAY HYANNIS, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CARSEY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY UNIVERSITY SYSTEM DURHAM, NH | GENERAL SUPPORT | $536,500 |
| CENTRAL VERMONT ADULT BASIC EDUCATION INC BARRE, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CHANGING PERSPECTIVES BRADFORD, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Brooke Freeland — Managing Director
- Richard (Dick) Couch — Founder
- Barbara Couch — Founder
- Mott Philanthropic — Principal Officer
The foundation employs 5 people and is governed by 3 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD W COUCH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARBARA J COUCH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARA VECCHIOTTI | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $272,539 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation published an in-depth case study titled "Collaboration as a Catalyst for Change: The Success of the Early Care & Education Association," illustrating the foundation's philanthropic approach to supporting early care and education initiatives
Dick and Barbara Couch received City Year's Lifetime of Service award
Q1 2025: Fueling Change, Protecting Beauty: J.W. Couch Foundation AwardsThe foundation has been instrumental in supporting the NH Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, which appointed its first Executive Director
Dartmouth Health's medical-legal partnership program secured foundation funding for the next two years
Dartmouth Health\u2019s medical-legal partnership program secures funding\The foundation maintains an active newsletter, "Connections," which updates grantees and communities on foundation work and grantee stories
Q1 2025: Fueling Change, Protecting Beauty: J.W. Couch Foundation AwardsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Couch Family Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** To be a catalyst for change in the lives of children and their families by creating quality and equitable opportunities to help them learn, thrive, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. **Guiding Principles:** • Commit to diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of work • Treat grantees as valued partners, and those they serve with dignity and respect • Collaborate with community partners to create sustainable, positive change • Build statewide awareness and support f…
How do I apply for a grant from The Couch Family Foundation?
**Grant Ranges:** $1,000 to $500,000, with first-time grantees typically receiving $10,000 or less **Grant Types:** General operating support, project funding, and capital support **Recent Activity:** • Made 162 awards in 2023 • Total giving of approximately $5.9 million annually • Average grant amount: $33,000 • Median grant: $15,000 • Has supported 236 unique organizations with 502 grants totaling $16.2 million **Application Process:** • Applications submitted through GrantInterface portal at…
Where does The Couch Family Foundation make grants?
Primary funding regions: • Upper Valley (New Hampshire and Vermont) • Martha's Vineyard (Massachusetts) • Statewide New Hampshire for Early Care and Education initiatives The foundation primarily supports organizations in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, which account for 90% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across nine states.
What size grants does The Couch Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Couch Family Foundation awarded 106 grants totaling $6.1M — an average of about $58K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Couch Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Couch Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Couch Family Foundation's EIN?
The Couch Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 10-0000573. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Couch Family Foundation'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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