The Louis Foundation
The Louis Foundation is a private foundation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports 13 grants totaling $439,493, including grants to a children’s hospital, educational organizations, and public media.
Key facts about The Louis Foundation
In short: The Louis Foundation gave $439K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Washington. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 42-6660492
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $439,493
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- Average grant
- $33,807
- Median grant
- $4,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,292,207
- Primary geography
- Washington (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Write to the address above.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.3M
-17.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$439K
+168.7% YoY
Grant Count
13
-58.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
+540.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Louis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $177K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Louis Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $75K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 46% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 251% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 mission statement or formal focus areas are provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, WGBH Educational Foundation says its mission is to enrich lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain. Sponsor Inc. describes its mission as empowering, educating, and encouraging partners to support socially positive action. Skidmore College describes its mission as educating predominantly full-time undergraduates and preparing graduates to be informed, responsible citizens.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $439,493. Grant amounts ranged from $160 to $333,333, with a median grant of $4,000. The largest awards were $333,333 to Seattle Children’s Hospital, $29,000 to Johns Hopkins, $25,000 to Boston Children’s Hospital, and $20,000 to Epiphany School. Each was listed with the purpose “CHARITABLE.”
Review Cycle
Write to the address above.
Ready to take the next step with The Louis Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars were reported as going primarily to recipients in Washington (76%), followed by Massachusetts (14%), Maryland (7%), Vermont (2%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 13 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $164K (2024) to $812K (2023). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $439K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Seattle Children's Hospital ($333K). Together the top 10 received $438K.
Grant Size Distribution
186 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 176 grants of 186 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Children's Hospital Seattle, WA | Charitable | $333,333 |
| Johns Hopkins Baltimore, MD | Charitable | $29,000 |
| Boston Childrens Hospital Boston, MA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Epiphany School Boston, MA | Charitable | $20,000 |
| VT Public Colchester, VT | Charitable | $10,000 |
| WGBH Educational Foundation Boston, MA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Mfa Patron Boston, MA | Charitable | $4,000 |
| Sponsor Inc Framingham, MA | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Pine Cay Project Lima, OH | Charitable | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,292,207 | $180,957 | $447,098 | $439,493 | 13 |
| 2024 | $1,558,005 | $125,293 | $170,057 | $163,555 | 31 |
| 2023 | $1,602,765 | $125,854 | $823,064 | $812,445 | 54 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,292,207 | $1,558,005 | $1,602,765 |
| Revenue | $180,957 | $125,293 | $125,854 |
| Expenses | $447,098 | $170,057 | $823,064 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $442,868 | $166,755 | $815,380 |
| Net Investment Income | $176,727 | $121,991 | $118,370 |
| Distributable Amount | $176,588 | $172,224 | $163,736 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Langdon B Wheeler and M Katherine Metcalfe as trustees.
The Louis Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Langdon B. Wheeler
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
M. Katherine Metcalfe
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Langdon B Wheeler
Mailing address: 48 Lake View Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 354-4047
Website: https://louisbrier.com
Frequently asked questions about The Louis Foundation
How much does The Louis Foundation give each year?
The Louis Foundation gave $439K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $164K across 31 grants.
What is The Louis Foundation's typical grant size?
The Louis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $33,807, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Louis Foundation that year got $75K on average.
Where does The Louis Foundation give grants?
The Louis Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (14%) and Maryland (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants).
Does The Louis Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Louis Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (13 grants).
Who are The Louis Foundation's largest grantees?
The Louis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Seattle Children's Hospital ($333,333), Johns Hopkins ($29,000) and Boston Childrens Hospital ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Louis Foundation?
The Louis Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $443K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $177K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Louis Foundation fund?
No mission statement or formal focus areas are provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, WGBH Educational Foundation says its mission is to enrich lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Louis Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Louis Foundation's EIN?
The Louis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6660492. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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