The Ferris Family Foundation
The Ferris Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Franconia, New Hampshire. In 2024, it made grants to organizations for purposes including education, youth services, healthcare and homelessness, and general support.
The Ferris Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ferris Family Foundation gave $626K across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in District of Columbia. 26% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $625,985
- +2.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- +2.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,904
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,750
- Total assets
- $7,993,288
- -0.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (11 of 42, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (71% 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 Ferris Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Karen Beardsley. No specific format is required, and there are no deadlines or restrictions on awards. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Beardsley
Mailing address: PO Box 726, Francocia, NH 03580
Phone: (301) 922-2700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ferris Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington INC(BGCGW) ($344K). Together the top 10 received $559K.
Grant Size Distribution
224 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 224 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (71%), Maryland (15%), Virginia (6%), Connecticut (5%), and California (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ferris Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 42 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $507K (2020) to $663K (2021). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $626K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington INC(BGCGW) Washington, DC | General Purposes | $344,279 |
| Trinity College Hartford, CT | Education | $26,000 |
| Noyes Childrens Library Foundation Kensington, MD | General Purposes | $25,500 |
| A Wider Circle Silver Spring, MD | General Purposes | $25,000 |
| Center for Inspired Teaching Washington, DC | Educational | $25,000 |
| Community of Hope Washington, DC | Healthcare/Homelessness | $25,000 |
| Public Charter School Washington, DC | Education | $25,000 |
| Second Story Vienna, VA | Youth Services | $25,000 |
| St Ignatious Loyola Academy Baltimore, MD | Education | $25,000 |
| Saint James School Hagerstown, MD | General Purposes | $13,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ferris 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,993,288 | $733,129 | $704,886 | $625,985 | 42 | $625,985 | $720,568 | $694,692 |
| 2023 | $8,018,875 | $1,276,795 | $722,129 | $610,000 | 41 | $610,000 | $1,267,145 | $610,186 |
| 2022 | $7,433,209 | $1,387,535 | $706,462 | $636,950 | 55 | $636,950 | $1,366,258 | $633,682 |
| 2021 | $6,792,266 | $508,953 | $743,045 | $663,250 | 47 | $663,250 | $403,047 | $643,334 |
| 2020 | $7,042,382 | $419,243 | $563,460 | $506,684 | 39 | — | $349,007 | $515,751 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ferris Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $695K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions and programs, youth services, healthcare and homelessness work, and organizations receiving general-purpose grants. For example, Community of Hope describes its mission as improving health and ending homelessness in Washington, DC; Center for Inspired Teaching describes its mission as transforming education through innovative teacher training; and Second Story received a grant for youth services.
Other grantees describe a range of work. A Wider Circle says it advances equity in the Greater Washington, DC region through exchanges of goods, skills, and connections and advocacy addressing poverty. Martha’s Table says it works to strengthen children, families, and communities through education programs, healthy food, and family supports.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $625,985 through 42 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $344,279, with a median of $1,750. Its largest 2024 grant was $344,279 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington for general purposes. Other grants included $26,000 to Trinity College for education; $25,500 to Noyes Children’s Library Foundation for general purposes; and $25,000 each to A Wider Circle for general purposes, Center for Inspired Teaching for educational purposes, Community of Hope for healthcare/homelessness, Public Charter School for education, and Second Story for youth services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Karen Beardsley and WB Ferris as trustees.
The Ferris Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Karen Beardsley
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wb Ferris
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/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 Ferris Family Foundation
How much does The Ferris Family Foundation give each year?
The Ferris Family Foundation gave $626K across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $610K across 41 grants.
What is The Ferris Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ferris Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,750, and its average grant was $14,904, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ferris Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Ferris Family Foundation give grants?
The Ferris Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maryland (15%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (15 grants) and New York, NY (5 grants).
Does The Ferris Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of The Ferris Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (7 grants).
Who are The Ferris Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ferris Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington INC(BGCGW) ($344,279), Trinity College ($26,000) and Noyes Childrens Library Foundation ($25,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ferris Family Foundation?
The Ferris Family Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $626K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $695K (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 Ferris Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions and programs, youth services, healthcare and homelessness work, and organizations receiving general-purpose grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ferris Family Foundation?
Contact Karen Beardsley. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ferris Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ferris Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1774631. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 Ferris Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ferris-family-foundation-morg_48f8d5e2ec3d477c94fc60c7b37d2f00
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521774631_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ferris Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ferris-family-foundation-morg_48f8d5e2ec3d477c94fc60c7b37d2f00},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Ferris 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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