The George S Bissell Charitable
The George S Bissell Charitable is a private foundation based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports 16 grants totaling $768,754 to charitable organizations, including schools, colleges, and other organizations.
The George S Bissell Charitable at a glance
In short: The George S Bissell Charitable gave $769K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $48K), mostly in Massachusetts. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $768,754
- +361.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +45.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $48,047
- +217.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $21,238
- Total assets
- $12,795,585
- +0.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (64% 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 George S Bissell Charitable
- 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 128 Suffolk Rd, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 431-2636
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The George S Bissell Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Anatolia College ($207K). Together the top 10 received $739K.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 67 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (64%), Ohio (14%), California (13%), Washington, DC (3%), and Maine (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The George S Bissell Charitable open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) 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 $7K; repeat grants $72K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $76K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 278% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $110K (2019) to $769K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $769K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Anatolia College Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $206,666 |
| Hiram College Hiram, OH | Unrestricted | $105,000 |
| Camfed USA San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Partners in Health Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Brimmer and May School Chestnut Hill, MA | Unrestricted | $93,334 |
| Tenacre Country Day School Wellesley, MA | Unrestricted | $58,334 |
| Global Giving Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $23,654 |
| Partners in Island Education Vinalhaven, ME | Unrestricted | $22,475 |
| Wellesley Village Church Wellesley, MA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Project of Easton Inc Easton, PA | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The George S Bissell Charitable?
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 | $12,795,585 | $1,015,654 | $972,828 | $768,754 | 16 | $775,440 | $838,266 | $990,044 |
| 2024 | $12,752,759 | $9,688,036 | $282,590 | $166,500 | 11 | $169,668 | $1,356,726 | $779,387 |
| 2023 | $3,347,313 | $1,913,556 | $203,858 | $162,010 | 12 | $166,040 | $30,421 | $168,813 |
| 2022 | $1,637,615 | $268,962 | $243,485 | $203,520 | 13 | $207,319 | $233,607 | $175,182 |
| 2021 | $1,612,138 | $162,448 | $203,777 | $160,500 | 15 | $164,785 | $125,002 | $197,875 |
| 2020 | $1,653,467 | $141,793 | $150,164 | $117,500 | 14 | — | $112,521 | $160,304 |
| 2019 | $1,661,838 | $40,399 | $139,074 | $110,000 | 14 | — | $14,420 | $126,403 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The George S Bissell Charitable reported a distributable amount of $990K 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 stated missions include education and student development. For example, Hiram College describes its mission as fostering intellectual excellence and social responsibility, while Brimmer and May School describes itself as a pre-K–grade 12 school focused on high academic standards and developing engaged, ethical citizens and leaders. Tenacre Country Day School says it nurtures and challenges children.
Other 2025 recipients describe a range of work: Partners in Island Education supports educational opportunities and scholarships at Vinalhaven School; Project of Easton provides education, workforce preparation, and safety-net programs; and OneGoal supports underserved students pursuing postsecondary degrees. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $768,754. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $206,666, with a median of $21,238. The listed grants were designated unrestricted.
The largest reported grants included $206,666 to Anatolia College, $105,000 to Hiram College, $100,000 each to CAMFED USA and Partners in Health, $93,334 to Brimmer and May School, and $58,334 to Tenacre Country Day School. Other listed grants included $23,654 to Global Giving, $22,475 to Partners in Island Education, and $20,000 to Wellesley Village Church.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kenyon B Grogan and William C Bissell as trustees.
The George S Bissell Charitable's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenyon B. Grogan
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
William C. Bissell
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 George S Bissell Charitable
How much does The George S Bissell Charitable give each year?
The George S Bissell Charitable gave $769K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $167K across 11 grants.
What is The George S Bissell Charitable's typical grant size?
The George S Bissell Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $21,238, and its average grant was $48,047, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The George S Bissell Charitable that year got $7K on average.
Where does The George S Bissell Charitable give grants?
The George S Bissell Charitable gives mostly in Massachusetts: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (14%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants), Wellesley, MA (2 grants) and Easton, PA (2 grants).
Does The George S Bissell Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The George S Bissell Charitable'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 George S Bissell Charitable's largest grantees?
The George S Bissell Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Anatolia College ($206,666), Hiram College ($105,000) and Camfed USA ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The George S Bissell Charitable?
The George S Bissell Charitable reported $12.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $775K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $990K (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 George S Bissell Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include education and student development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The George S Bissell Charitable?
The foundation states that it 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 George S Bissell Charitable's EIN?
The George S Bissell Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2368188. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The George S Bissell Charitable 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 28, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The George S Bissell Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-george-s-bissell-charitable-morg_8ef33259bb8e48939153aaa8e7604214
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042368188_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The George S Bissell Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-george-s-bissell-charitable-morg_8ef33259bb8e48939153aaa8e7604214},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 George S Bissell Charitable'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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