The Frisbie Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 04-3558239

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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

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.

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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

11states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.

Cities

Hobe SoundBostonCambridgeNew BedfordWest Palm BeachFraminghamNew YorkWellesley HillsBeverlyStuartTallahasseeArlingtonPortlandWashingtonChestnut HillConcordJupiterAlexandriaChicagoIndependence

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M30 grants2020 28 grants2021 27 grants2022 28 grants2023 25 grants2024

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

Massachusetts General Hospital: $377KMassachusetts General Hospital$377KHarvard Varsity Club: $30KHarvard Varsity Club$30KBasic Fund: $25KBasic Fund$25KCure Alzheimers Fund: $25KCure Alzheimers Fund$25KHarvard Lacrosse: $20KHarvard Lacrosse$20KRaymond F Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: $13KRaymond F Kravis Center forthe Performing Arts$13KAmerican Promise Education Fund: $10KAmerican Promise EducationFund$10KBoch Center: $10KBoch Center$10KFind the Cause Breast Cancer Foundation: $10KFind the Cause Breast CancerFoundation$10KHarvard Football: $10KHarvard Football$10K

The largest 2024 recipient was Massachusetts General Hospital ($377K). Together the top 10 received $529K.

Grant Size Distribution

138 grants across all recorded years

124<$50K4$50–100K4$100–250K2$250–500K$500K–1M4$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 124 grants of 138 (90%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MAGeneral Support$376,500
Harvard Varsity Club Cambridge, MAGeneral Support$30,000
Basic Fund Oakland, CAGeneral Support$25,000
Cure Alzheimers Fund Wellesley Hills, MAGeneral Support$25,000
Harvard Lacrosse Cambridge, MAGeneral Support$20,000
Raymond F Kravis Center for the Performing Arts West Palm Beach, FLGeneral Support$12,500
American Promise Education Fund Concord, MAGeneral Support$10,000
Boch Center Boston, MAGeneral Support$10,000
Find the Cause Breast Cancer Foundation Framingham, MAGeneral Support$10,000
Harvard Football Cambridge, MAGeneral 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
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
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

  1. 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.

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