The Croll Foundation
The Croll Foundation is a private foundation based in Needham Heights, Massachusetts. In 2024, it made 56 grants totaling $851,873 to charitable organizations, including Massachusetts and Connecticut nonprofits, educational institutions, and cultural organizations.
The Croll Foundation at a glance
In short: The Croll Foundation gave $852K across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in Massachusetts. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $851,873
- -38.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,212
- -46.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,840,719
- -1.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (18 of 48, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Croll Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Morris Morris Pc 32 Kearn, Needham Heights, MA 02494
Phone: (617) 570-1391
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Croll Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mass Audubon Society ($111K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $540K.
Grant Size Distribution
264 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 226 grants of 264 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 16% to Connecticut, 4% to New York, 3% to Ohio, and 1% to Rhode Island.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Croll Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 48 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 27% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 164% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $852K (2024) to $1.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $852K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Audubon Society Lincoln, MA | Support for Current Programs | $100,000 |
| Boston Childrens Hospital Boston, MA | 4TH Installment of Pledge | $50,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Boston Boston, MA | Support for Current Programs | $50,000 |
| Cornell University Riverside, CT | Support for Lab of Ornithology Annual Fund | $50,000 |
| Greenwich County Day School Greenwich, CT | Support for GCDS First | $50,000 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston Boston, MA | Support for Presidents Circle | $50,000 |
| The Trustees of Reservations Boston, MA | Support for Millborn Farm | $50,000 |
| Reach Prep Inc Stamford, CT | Support for Current Programs | $30,000 |
| Boston Childrens Hospital Boston, MA | Annual Fund | $25,000 |
| Catholic Schools Foundation Inc Boston, MA | Support for Current Programs | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Croll Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,840,719 | $833,914 | $962,266 | $851,873 | 56 | $851,873 | $727,256 | $518,932 |
| 2023 | $9,969,071 | $274,261 | $1,537,192 | $1,380,770 | 49 | $1,380,770 | $321,973 | $615,036 |
| 2022 | $11,232,002 | $2,307,880 | $1,512,930 | $1,443,475 | 49 | $1,443,475 | $2,214,410 | $547,742 |
| 2021 | $10,437,052 | $900,586 | $1,318,280 | $1,160,029 | 53 | — | $784,644 | $659,054 |
| 2020 | $11,024,498 | $333,270 | $1,711,974 | $1,588,125 | 57 | — | $2,302,922 | $611,150 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Croll Foundation reported a distributable amount of $519K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including conservation and preservation, education, health care, arts and culture, youth programs, and journalism.
The grantees describe their own work in varied ways. The Trustees of Reservations says it is a conservation and preservation nonprofit; Catholic Schools Foundation says it helps families with demonstrated financial need access Catholic education; and New Bedford Light says it provides in-depth, fact-based journalism and a platform for diverse community voices. These are descriptions of the grantees, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 56 grants totaling $851,873. Grants ranged from $273 to $100,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among the largest grants were $100,000 to Mass Audubon Society for current programs; $50,000 each to Boston Children’s Hospital, Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Cornell University, Greenwich Country Day School, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and The Trustees of Reservations; and $30,000 to Reach Prep Inc. Other 2024 awards included $25,000 to Catholic Schools Foundation and $20,000 to Alma del Mar Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David D. Croll and Victoria B. Croll as trustees.
The Croll Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David D. Croll
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Victoria B. Croll
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Croll Foundation
How much does The Croll Foundation give each year?
The Croll Foundation gave $852K across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 49 grants.
What is The Croll Foundation's typical grant size?
The Croll Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $15,212, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Croll Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Croll Foundation give grants?
The Croll Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Connecticut (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (18 grants), New Bedford, MA (7 grants), Marion, MA (7 grants) and Newton, MA (3 grants).
Does The Croll Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of The Croll Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Support for Current Programs" (32 grants).
Who are The Croll Foundation's largest grantees?
The Croll Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mass Audubon Society ($111,000 across 2 grants), Boston Childrens Hospital ($75,000 across 2 grants) and Greenwich County Day School ($60,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Croll Foundation?
The Croll Foundation reported $9.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $852K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $519K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Croll Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including conservation and preservation, education, health care, arts and culture, youth programs, and journalism. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Croll Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Croll Foundation's EIN?
The Croll Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2946282. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Croll Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Croll Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-croll-foundation-morg_2f85700c086d4988a8c80ef847bb581d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222946282_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Croll Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-croll-foundation-morg_2f85700c086d4988a8c80ef847bb581d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Croll Foundation'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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