The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation
The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation is a family foundation incorporated in 1949 in Massachusetts. Based in Worcester, MA, the foundation was founded by three brothers—Fred Harold Daniels, Dwight Clark Daniels, and Clarence White Daniels—who were sons of Fred Harris Daniels, a prominent Worcester engineer, corporate director, and co-founder of the Norton Company. The three founders were well-educated engineers who spent their careers in major Worcester industrial companies and maintained considerable personal and philanthropic interests in the city's institutions.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.1M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+3.8% YoY
Grant Count
65
+16.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
-10.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation reported a distributable amount of $968K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support sustainable, creative solutions to Worcester, Massachusetts' most pressing societal challenges by funding programs and institutions that help people become more self-reliant in their lives and communities.
The foundation operates three primary grant programs:
Program and Operating Grants — Support for ongoing charitable work and specific projects by organizations in the Worcester area.
Capital Grants — Funding for building construction or building improvements only; program operations or program improvements are not funded through this program. Grant payments are typically spread over three years.
Strategic Grants — An invitation-only program focused on supporting programs benefiting girls ages 10-14.
The foundation emphasizes arts, culture, education, and social services, prioritizing projects that offer creative solutions to Worcester's most pressing societal challenges.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
of approximately $7,500 to $8,000.
How to Apply
** Capital grant requests are reviewed quarterly. Organizations should consult the foundation's website for specific application procedures.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is legally restricted to "primarily" the Worcester, MA service area. The current Board maintains that 100% of giving should benefit Worcester and the surrounding area.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: Approximately $16.1 million (as of fiscal year ending October 2025)
Annual Giving: Approximately $923,250 to $1,015,500 (recent fiscal years)
Total Revenues: $1,526,791 (FYE October 2025)
Total Expenses: $1,299,920 (FYE October 2025)
EIN: 04-6014333
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,123,405 | $15,896,534 | $15,888,847 |
| Revenue | $1,526,791 | $1,305,023 | $1,231,228 |
| Expenses | $1,299,920 | $1,297,336 | $1,240,668 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,045,620 | $1,011,330 | $954,610 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,307,008 | $1,060,170 | $997,642 |
| Distributable Amount | $968,310 | $890,563 | $850,455 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation
Fred Harris Daniels Foundation: Capital Grants
THE FRED HARRIS DANIELS FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Fred Harris Daniels Foundation: Investing In Girls Strategic Grants
THE FRED HARRIS DANIELS FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $40,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Fred Harris Daniels Foundation: Program And Operating Grants
THE FRED HARRIS DANIELS FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include United Way of Central Massachusetts Inc ($160,000), Boys and Girls Club of Worcester ($50,000), Community Harvest Project ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABBY KELLEY FOSTER HOUSE INC WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ALBANY INST OF HISTORY AND ART ALBANY, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ANNA MARIA COLLEGE PAXTON, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| ARTS WORCESTER WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| BERNARD FAMILY COMMUNITY KITCHEN WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS CENTRAL MASSMETROWEST INC WORCESTER, MA | WORCESTER AREA COLLEGE MENTOR PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CASA PROJECT WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CENTER FOR HEALTH IMPACT WORCESTER, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Fred H Daniels II — President
David A Nicholson — Vice-President
Barre Hardy — Treasurer
James T Morse — Clerk/Director
Sarah D Morse — Director
William O Pettit III — Director
Wendy Andrews — Director
Carlos La Hoz Daniels — Director
Laura Rutkiewicz — Director
Emily Daignault-Salvaggio — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID A NICHOLSON | VICE-PRESIDENT | 3 | $6,300 |
| FRED H DANIELS II | PRESIDENT | 3 | $13,500 |
| SARAH D MORSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $1,400 |
| JAMES T MORSE | CLERK/DIRECTOR | 2 | $4,700 |
| WILLIAM O PETTIT III | DIRECTOR | 1 | $1,400 |
| WENDY ANDREWS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $12,200 |
| CARLOS LA HOZ DANIELS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $4,600 |
| LAURA RUTKIEWICZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,600 |
| BARRE HARDY | TREASURER | 3 | $10,000 |
| EMILY DAIGNAULT-SALVAGGIO | DIRECTOR | 1 | $4,300 |
| DWIGHT CBLAKE JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,600 |
| ASHLEY GABRENAS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $4,300 |
| TIMOTHY MORSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $4,100 |
| ROBERT PETTIT | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,300 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant recipients have included United Way of Central Massachusetts ($160,000 for general support), Psi Chi at Worcester State University ($67,500 for general support), and YWCA Central Massachusetts ($60,000 for general support). The foundation also awarded $150,000 to Legendary Legacies for a workforce program employing previously incarcerated individuals.
Legendary Legacies awarded $150K for workforce program ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to support sustainable, creative solutions to Worcester, Massachusetts' most pressing societal challenges by funding programs and institutions that help people become more self-reliant in their lives and communities. The foundation operates three primary grant programs: **Program and Operating Grants** — Support for ongoing charitable work and specific projects by organizations in the Worcester area. **Capital Grants** — Funding for building construction or building …
How do I apply for a grant from The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $160,000, with a median grant size of approximately $7,500 to $8,000. **Annual Activity:** The foundation makes approximately 56-67 grants annually, distributing roughly $900,000 to $1 million per year. **Decision Timeline:** Grant decisions are made quarterly, with a typical decision time of 1-3 months. **Application Process:** Capital grant requests are reviewed quarterly. Organizations should consult the foundation's website for specific…
Where does The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation make grants?
The foundation's giving is legally restricted to "primarily" the Worcester, MA service area. The current Board maintains that 100% of giving should benefit Worcester and the surrounding area.
What size grants does The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation award?
In 2025, The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation reported a distributable amount of $968K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation's EIN?
The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6014333. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fred Harris Daniels 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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