The Gould Charitable Foundation
The Gould Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, created as a memorial to Robert L. Gould. It supports projects at 501(c)(3) charitable organizations in the greater metropolitan areas of Boston and Kansas City, with interests including health care, children’s welfare and education, environmental stewardship, and women’s issues.
The Gould Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Gould Charitable Foundation gave $197K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $20K), mostly in Kansas. 80% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $197,290
- +28.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +100.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,729
- -35.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,750
- Total assets
- $4,540,858
- +6.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 80% first-time grantees (8 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kansas (53% 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 Gould Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website describes a letter-of-inquiry process through an online application system. Its 2024 filing lists a letter of inquiry as the application material and identifies Boston and Kansas City geographic areas as award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- The website says letters of inquiry are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis from January through the annual deadline, and applications are reviewed in October.
- Deadline
- The website says letters of inquiry are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis from January through the annual…
- Next open deadline
- August 1, 2027 (Gould Charitable Foundation Grant)
- Contact
Application contact: Brian Monnich
Mailing address: Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 248-5218
Website: https://www.gouldcharitabletrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Gould Charitable Foundation
Who The Gould Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Community Green Farms ($50K). Together the top 10 received $197K.
Grant Size Distribution
40 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 36 grants of 40 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it serves the greater metropolitan areas of Boston and Kansas City. Its 2024 filing reports grant dollars going to recipients in Kansas (53%), Massachusetts (37%), and Missouri (11%); percentages may not total 100% because of rounding.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Gould Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
80%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 10 grantees (80%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 10% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 $145K (2022) to $208K (2020). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $197K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Green Farms Pittsburg, KS | Johnson County Farm CL | $50,000 |
| Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center Dorchester, MA | Centering the Pregnancy Experience at HSNHC | $40,840 |
| The Table Leaf Foundation Olathe, KS | Olathe Student Care | $33,950 |
| Reconcilliation Services Kansas City, MO | Understanding Aces a New | $21,000 |
| Friendshipsworks Boston, MA | Creating a Bilingual Guide | $16,500 |
| Planned Parenthood Great Plains Overland Park, KS | Enhancing Reproductive Health | $15,000 |
| Reproductive Equity Now Foundation Boston, MA | Targeted Action to Count | $5,000 |
| Strawberry Week Society Merriam, KS | Menstrual Product Distribution | $5,000 |
| Strong Women Strong Girls Boston, MA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Bethel Institute for Community Development Jamaica Plain, MA | Music Program | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Gould Charitable 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 | $4,540,858 | $507,306 | $247,770 | $197,290 | 10 | $218,003 | $476,960 | $253,514 |
| 2023 | $4,281,322 | $185,583 | $191,740 | $153,495 | 5 | $164,176 | $159,064 | $224,741 |
| 2022 | $4,287,479 | $-65,436 | $207,837 | $144,666 | 9 | $164,312 | $43,592 | $229,439 |
| 2021 | $4,560,749 | $712,298 | $223,719 | $178,887 | 7 | $191,475 | $573,142 | $264,238 |
| 2020 | $4,072,169 | $3,892 | $258,974 | $207,857 | 9 | — | $56,271 | $229,010 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gould Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $254K 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
The foundation’s stated mission is to help improve the communities where Robert L. Gould lived and worked—greater Boston and Kansas City—by funding projects at 501(c)(3) organizations whose goals align with its areas of interest.
Its listed areas of interest are elder services, environmental stewardship, health care, preservation of personal rights, training for the disadvantaged, welfare and education of children, and women’s issues. Its 2024 grants included support for Community Green Farms, whose stated mission is to improve community health affected by inadequate nutrition through hands-on education and innovative agricultural production. Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose missions address sexual and reproductive health care and education, reproductive equity, and services for at-risk youth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $197,290. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $15,750. Notable awards included $50,000 to Community Green Farms for “Johnson County Farm Cl,” $40,840 to Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center for its Centering the Pregnancy Experience program, and $33,950 to The Table Leaf Foundation for “Olathe Student Care.” Other awards included $21,000 to Reconciliation Services and $15,000 to Planned Parenthood Great Plains.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Donna Gould, Joel Gould, Karen Courtney, Matthew Gould, Samuel R. Courtney, and Jacob T. Courtney as trustees.
The Gould Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Donna Gould
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joel Gould
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Courtney
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Gould
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob T. Courtney
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Samuel R. Courtney
Trustee
On filings since 2021
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Gould Charitable Foundation
How much does The Gould Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Gould Charitable Foundation gave $197K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $153K across 5 grants.
What is The Gould Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gould Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,750, and its average grant was $19,729, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gould Charitable Foundation that year got $22K on average.
Where does The Gould Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Gould Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Kansas: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (37%) and Missouri (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does The Gould Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of The Gould Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Gould Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gould Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Community Green Farms ($50,000), Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center ($40,840) and The Table Leaf Foundation ($33,950), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Gould Charitable Foundation?
The Gould Charitable Foundation reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $218K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $254K (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 Gould Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to help improve the communities where Robert L. Gould lived and worked—greater Boston and Kansas City—by funding projects at 501(c)(3) organizations whose goals align with its areas of interest. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gould Charitable Foundation?
The foundation’s website describes a letter-of-inquiry process through an online application system. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gould Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Gould Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6444275. 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 Gould Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gould-charitable-foundation-morg_fcf047b90a9c4c9d8fd8074fa414968c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_226444275_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Gould Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gould-charitable-foundation-morg_fcf047b90a9c4c9d8fd8074fa414968c},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. 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 Gould Charitable 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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