The Humane Society of the Commonwealth
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, Massachusetts. It supports qualified Massachusetts-based public charities and governmental units working to prevent accidents, injuries, and deaths primarily on the water.
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth at a glance
In short: The Humane Society of the Commonwealth gave $406K across 44 grants in 2026 (avg $9K), mostly in Nebraska. 50% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $405,579
- +52.6% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 44
- +18.9% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $9,218
- +28.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $4,555,021
- +3.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (56% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Humane Society of the Commonwealth
- How to Apply
-
Applicants submit a one-page concept paper describing the request and its relevance to the Society’s program focus areas. A Grant Review Committee reviews concept papers and identifies applicants to invite to submit a full application; trustees approve grant authorizations. Recipients must report on use of the funds within 12 months. The Society’s stated restrictions generally require applicants to be Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) public charities that are not private foundations, or governmental units applying for charitable purposes. Typical grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 in a single year; larger grants may be considered for multiyear funding.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Kathleen Davis Humane Society Of Th
Mailing address: 51 Grove Street Suite A, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Phone: (617) 232-6242
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 Humane Society of the Commonwealth
Who The Humane Society of the Commonwealth funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Charles Schwab Donor Advised Fund ($228K). Together the top 9 received $300K.
Organizations only. It also paid 34 grants to individuals ($106,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
228 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 225 grants of 228 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Society’s eligibility requirements specify Massachusetts-based organizations. In filing year 2026, its reported grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Nebraska (56%), Massachusetts (43%), and Florida (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Humane Society of the Commonwealth open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) 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 $26K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 10% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 124% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $199K (2022) to $406K (2026). In 2026 it made 44 grants totaling $406K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Schwab Donor Advised Fund Omaha, NE | Fund Future Grant Making | $228,007 |
| Hull Lifesaving Museum Hull, MA | To approve the society making a $20,000 grant to the hull lifesaving museum to support the renovation of the former U.S. coast guard point allerton boathouse. | $20,000 |
| The Samaritans Inc Boston, MA | To support the design and implementation of the enhanced outreach intervention pilot program (EOIPP) with mass. General brigham hospital. | $15,000 |
| Scituate Maritime and Irish Mossing Museum Scituate, MA | In Honor of Honorary Trustee Ross E. Sherbrooke | $12,500 |
| Coast Guard Heritage Museum Barnstable, MA | To support the installation of the united states coast guard mural in the great hall within the Massachusetts state house | $10,000 |
| New Bedford Rowing Center Inc New Bedford, MA | To help nbrc purchase an automated external defibrillator device and to provide first aid, cpr, and aed certification training for nbrc staff and volunteers. | $5,000 |
| 34 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $106,000 |
| Christian Dagley Gloucester, MA | Award for Saving a Life | $5,000 |
| Egan Maritime Institute Nantucket, MA | For instructor fees for continuing the boat Massachusetts safety course | $3,000 |
| Westport Scouting Association Westport, MA | To purchase six lifejackets, four heaving lines, two marine-grade sea scout flags, and one marine-grade American flag. | $822 |
Ready to take the next step with The Humane Society of the Commonwealth?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,555,021 | $493,913 | $542,410 | $405,579 | 44 | $484,077 | $440,696 | $389,009 |
| 2025 | $4,394,027 | $303,197 | $398,775 | $265,786 | 37 | $346,405 | $252,919 | $363,585 |
| 2024 | $4,435,842 | $166,558 | $315,743 | $204,819 | 46 | $275,149 | $121,735 | $316,477 |
| 2023 | $4,585,027 | $103,784 | $440,677 | $322,345 | 51 | $392,327 | $90,914 | $307,291 |
| 2022 | $4,921,920 | $615,137 | $317,027 | $198,991 | 50 | $257,003 | $566,771 | $361,136 |
| 2021 | $4,623,810 | $706,882 | $355,484 | $233,565 | 9 | — | $667,454 | $306,372 |
| 2020 | $4,272,412 | $380,142 | $327,445 | $203,000 | 4 | — | $344,975 | $295,356 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Humane Society of the Commonwealth reported a distributable amount of $389K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Society’s stated program focus is preventing accidents, injuries, and deaths primarily on the waters. Its grants may support public education and training for water safety; coastal community agencies and volunteer services involved in rescue and treatment; research on lifesaving techniques, equipment, and survivability; and health sciences research on treatment and recovery from injuries such as hypothermia, respiratory injuries, and brain injuries from oxygen deprivation.
Eligible applicants must generally be Massachusetts-based organizations recognized as 501(c)(3) public charities and not private foundations. Grants may alternatively go to governmental units for charitable purposes. The Society’s website also describes a Medal Awards Program recognizing civilian rescues or attempted rescues when either the rescuer or the person rescued is a Massachusetts resident.
The Hull Lifesaving Museum, a 2026 grantee, describes its own work as preserving Boston Harbor’s maritime heritage and lifesaving traditions through exhibits, collections, open-rowing programs, and stewardship of a historic site.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the Society reported 44 grants totaling $405,579. The grants ranged from $250 to $228,007, with a median grant of $3,000. The largest grant, $228,007, went to the Charles Schwab Donor Advised Fund for future grantmaking. Other notable grants included $20,000 to the Hull Lifesaving Museum for renovation of the former U.S. Coast Guard Point Allerton Boathouse; $15,000 to The Samaritans Inc. for an enhanced outreach intervention pilot program with Mass. General Brigham Hospital; and $12,500 to the Scituate Maritime and Irish Mossing Museum in honor of an honorary trustee. The Society also reported six $5,000 awards to individual recipients for saving a life.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Kathleen Davis as executive director. Listed officers and directors include G. West Saltonstall, president and trustee; Edward P. Lawrence, first vice president and trustee; David T. Lawrence, clerk and trustee; G. Neal Ryland, treasurer and trustee; and trustees Anthony H. Leness, David Brooks, Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, Henry B. Becton, and Ian H. Gardiner.
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth is led by Kathleen Davis, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Kathleen Davis
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
20 hrs/week
$34K (2024) → $38K (2026)
G. West Saltonstall
President & Trustee
Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2024
Director & Trustee → President & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David T. Lawrence
Clerk & Trustee
2nd Vice President, R Secretary & Trustee → 2nd Vice President, Rec Secretary & Trustee, 2024
2nd Vice President, Rec Secretary & Trustee → Clerk & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward P. Lawrence
1st Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
G. Neal Ryland
Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Henry P Becton Jr.
Director & Trustee
Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian H. Gardiner
Director & Trustee
President & Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld
Director & Trustee
Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Oliver F. Ames Jr.
Cor Secretary & Trustee
Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2024
Director & Trustee → Cor Secretary & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William N Thorndike Jr.
Director & Trustee
Trustee → Director & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Brooks
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anthony H. Leness
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2025
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Newcomb Stillwell
Director & Trustee
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Ross E. Sherbrooke (2020–2025) — Director & Trustee
- Former: Hds Greenway (2020–2024) — Cor Secretary & Trustee
- Former: Robert T. Osteen (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: George Lewis (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Lawrence T Perera (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $38K, to Kathleen Davis (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Humane Society of the Commonwealth
How much does The Humane Society of the Commonwealth give each year?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth gave $406K across 44 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $266K across 37 grants.
What is The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's typical grant size?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's median grant in 2026 was $3,000, and its average grant was $9,218, across 44 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Humane Society of the Commonwealth that year got $26K on average.
Where does The Humane Society of the Commonwealth give grants?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth gives mostly in Nebraska: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (43%). The most frequent recipient cities were Barnstable, MA (2 grants).
Does The Humane Society of the Commonwealth give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Award for Saving a Life" (35 grants).
Who are The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's largest grantees?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's largest 2026 grantees include Charles Schwab Donor Advised Fund ($228,007), Hull Lifesaving Museum ($20,000) and The Samaritans Inc ($15,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 34 grants to individuals ($106,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Humane Society of the Commonwealth?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $484K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $389K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Humane Society of the Commonwealth fund?
The Society’s stated program focus is preventing accidents, injuries, and deaths primarily on the waters. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Humane Society of the Commonwealth?
Applicants submit a one-page concept paper describing the request and its relevance to the Society’s program focus areas. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's EIN?
The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2104291. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Humane Society of the Commonwealth's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Humane Society of the Commonwealth funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-humane-society-of-the-commonwealth-morg_ea0726a16acf4ab0915defd4169c9d15
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042104291_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Humane Society of the Commonwealth funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-humane-society-of-the-commonwealth-morg_ea0726a16acf4ab0915defd4169c9d15},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Humane Society of the Commonwealth'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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