The Dennis Family Foundation
The Dennis Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. In filing year 2025, it reported 16 grants totaling $88,000, with the listed grant purposes identified as general purpose.
The Dennis Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Dennis Family Foundation gave $88K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state New York. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $88,000
- -31.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- -30.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,500
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $2,664,870
- +8.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (7 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (37% 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 Dennis Family 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Choate Llp PO Box 961019, Boston, MA 02196
Phone: (617) 248-4760
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Dennis Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Americans For Oxford Inc ($19K). Together the top 10 received $79K.
Grant Size Distribution
119 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 119 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York 37%, California 24%, Massachusetts 14%, Nevada 11%, and Texas 8%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Dennis Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 16 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $88K (2025) to $135K (2022). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $88K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Americans For Oxford Inc New York, NY | General Purpose | $19,000 |
| Catalytic Impact Foundation Hingham, MA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Ensaaf Inc Sacramento, CA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Gold Mind Mt Charleston, NV | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| The Philanthropy Workshop Inc New York, NY | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Dowagiac Arts Inc Los Angeles, CA | General Purpose | $7,500 |
| Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust Erlanger, KY | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Blue Star Families Encinitas, CA | General Purpose | $2,500 |
| Homes for Our Troops Taunton, MA | General Purpose | $2,500 |
| Patriot Paws Service Dogs Rockwall, TX | General Purpose | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Dennis Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,664,870 | $513,936 | $112,704 | $88,000 | 16 | $91,453 | $494,596 | $119,511 |
| 2024 | $2,459,165 | $133,254 | $149,637 | $127,500 | 23 | $130,788 | $114,605 | $117,937 |
| 2023 | $2,130,274 | $15,251 | $147,135 | $125,500 | 26 | $128,629 | $37,253 | $109,366 |
| 2022 | $2,101,273 | $138,546 | $158,198 | $134,500 | 32 | $137,781 | $119,386 | $121,845 |
| 2021 | $2,861,363 | $169,143 | $141,944 | $118,000 | 22 | — | $148,636 | $135,489 |
| 2020 | $2,537,572 | $98,723 | $132,100 | $109,000 | 21 | — | $79,544 | $121,308 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dennis Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $120K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose own stated work includes education, justice for crimes against humanity in India, life sciences and healthcare innovation, support for military families and veterans, and animal rescue and care. For example, Americans for Oxford Inc says it primarily supports educational programs, institutions, and posts at Oxford and elsewhere; Ensaaf says it works to end impunity and achieve justice for crimes against humanity in India, with a focus on Punjab; and Catalytic Impact Foundation says it supports and accelerates innovation in life sciences and healthcare.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $88,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $19,000, with a median of $2,500. Among the largest grants were $19,000 to Americans for Oxford Inc; $10,000 each to Catalytic Impact Foundation, Ensaaf, Gold Mind, and The Philanthropy Workshop Inc; and $7,500 to Dowagiac Arts Inc. Other listed grants included $5,000 to Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust and $2,500 each to Blue Star Families, Homes for Our Troops, and Patriot Paws Service Dogs.
The grantees describe varied work: Homes for Our Troops says it builds and donates specially adapted homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, while Patriot Paws Service Dogs says it trains and provides service dogs at no cost to disabled American veterans and others with mobility disabilities. Brooklyn Animal Action describes itself as an all-volunteer team helping rescue, spay or neuter, and rehome animals in Brooklyn.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ellen F Dennis and Brian M Monnich as trustees.
The Dennis Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian M Monnich
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen F Dennis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Dennis Family Foundation
How much does The Dennis Family Foundation give each year?
The Dennis Family Foundation gave $88K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $128K across 23 grants.
What is The Dennis Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Dennis Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $5,500, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Dennis Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Dennis Family Foundation give grants?
The Dennis Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (24%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Dennis Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Dennis Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Dennis Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Dennis Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Americans For Oxford Inc ($19,000), Catalytic Impact Foundation ($10,000) and Ensaaf Inc ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Dennis Family Foundation?
The Dennis Family Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $91K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $120K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Dennis Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose own stated work includes education, justice for crimes against humanity in India, life sciences and healthcare innovation, support for military families and veterans, and animal rescue and care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Dennis Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Dennis Family Foundation's EIN?
The Dennis Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6119803. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Dennis Family 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work The Dennis Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Dennis Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Dennis Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-dennis-family-foundation-morg_e06bc01fb51d4ff8906f6b3c57f8b763
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046119803_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Dennis Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-dennis-family-foundation-morg_e06bc01fb51d4ff8906f6b3c57f8b763},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Dennis Family 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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