The Frisbie Family Foundation
The Frisbie Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2024, it reported 25 grants totaling $589,000, with the largest grant supporting Massachusetts General Hospital.
Key facts about The Frisbie Family Foundation
In short: The Frisbie Family Foundation gave $589K across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), mostly in Massachusetts. 12% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 04-3558239
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $589,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- Average grant
- $23,560
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (3 of 25, 2024)
- Total assets
- $16,963,898
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.0M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$589K
-56.3% YoY
Grant Count
25
-10.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-51.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Frisbie Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $813K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Frisbie Family Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 25 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 72% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 72% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 72% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of activities: Harvard Varsity Club says it works to preserve the traditions and advance the interests of Harvard athletics; Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum says it engages communities with New Bedford’s history and cultural understanding; and Buzzards Bay Coalition says it works to protect and restore Buzzards Bay and its watershed.
Other grantees describe work in health care and community services. Jupiter Medical Center Foundation says it secures resources to sustain clinical excellence and quality of care, while Jupiter Island Medical Clinic says it provides medical services regardless of ability to pay. American Promise Education Fund describes its work as educating and empowering Americans about constitutional amendments and the role of money in the political process.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $589,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $376,500, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $376,500 to Massachusetts General Hospital, $30,000 to Harvard Varsity Club, and $25,000 each to Basic Fund and Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. The listed grants were for general support.
How to Apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Frisbie Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 5% to Florida, 4% to California, and 3% to Virginia. The filing also reports 0% for New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $589K (2024) to $2.1M (2021). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $589K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Massachusetts General Hospital ($377K). Together the top 10 received $529K.
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 124 grants of 138 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | General Support | $376,500 |
| Harvard Varsity Club Cambridge, MA | General Support | $30,000 |
| Basic Fund Oakland, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Cure Alzheimers Fund Wellesley Hills, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Harvard Lacrosse Cambridge, MA | General Support | $20,000 |
| Raymond F Kravis Center for the Performing Arts West Palm Beach, FL | General Support | $12,500 |
| American Promise Education Fund Concord, MA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Boch Center Boston, MA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Find the Cause Breast Cancer Foundation Framingham, MA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Harvard Football Cambridge, MA | General Support | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,963,898 | $911,266 | $738,789 | $589,000 |
| 2023 | $15,663,960 | $2,997,984 | $1,541,421 | $1,347,918 |
| 2022 | $13,074,058 | $179,734 | $2,016,574 | $1,889,950 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,963,898 | $15,663,960 | $13,074,058 |
| Revenue | $911,266 | $2,997,984 | $179,734 |
| Expenses | $738,789 | $1,541,421 | $2,016,574 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $589,512 | $1,356,685 | $1,889,950 |
| Net Investment Income | $750,340 | $2,765,239 | $283,891 |
| Distributable Amount | $813,285 | $736,424 | $806,173 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard Frisbie and John O’Connor as trustees.
The Frisbie Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John O'Connor
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Frisbie
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 260 Franklin Street Suite 1510, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 948-3800
Frequently asked questions about The Frisbie Family Foundation
How much does The Frisbie Family Foundation give each year?
The Frisbie Family Foundation gave $589K across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 28 grants.
What is The Frisbie Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Frisbie Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $23,560, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Frisbie Family Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Frisbie Family Foundation give grants?
The Frisbie Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants), Hobe Sound, FL (4 grants), Cambridge, MA (3 grants) and New Bedford, MA (3 grants).
Does The Frisbie Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Frisbie Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Frisbie Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Frisbie Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Massachusetts General Hospital ($376,500), Harvard Varsity Club ($30,000) and Basic Fund ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Frisbie Family Foundation?
The Frisbie Family Foundation reported $17.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $590K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $813K (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 Frisbie Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Frisbie Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Frisbie Family Foundation's EIN?
The Frisbie Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3558239. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Frisbie 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.
Here's the math on researching The Frisbie Family Foundation by hand.
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