The Mugar Foundation
The Mugar Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its recent grants support educational institutions, community events, health-related organizations, and other community programs, primarily in Massachusetts.
The Mugar Foundation at a glance
In short: The Mugar Foundation gave $848K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $57K), mostly in Massachusetts. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $847,858
- -6.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -21.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $56,524
- +18.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,629
- Total assets
- $9,662,307
- -3.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (3 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (99% 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 Mugar Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists no special application form, no deadlines, and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: The Mugar Foundation Co Mugar Enter
Mailing address: 116 Huntington Avenue Suite 504, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 267-3000
Website: https://mugar.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mugar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Clark University ($250K). Together the top 10 received $816K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 71 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 1% to recipients in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Mugar Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 13 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $79K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $45K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 430% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 176% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $160K (2021) to $903K (2023). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $848K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clark University Worcester, MA | Undergraduate honors program - year 2 of 4 year $1,000,000 pledge | $250,000 |
| Belmont Hill School Belmont, MA | Gift to silen family and mugar family scholarship fund to support the students, faculty, and staff of the school. | $100,000 |
| Belmont Hill School Belmont, MA | Landau Gallery Fund | $100,000 |
| Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation Inc Boston, MA | Gift to fund fireworks on the 4th of july at symphony hall | $100,000 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Brookline, MA | Dana-farber cancer institute to support lung cancer research and patient care. | $100,000 |
| Tufts University Medford, MA | Gift designated for the baseball stadium project to support the construction of the university's newsol gittleman park. | $50,000 |
| Watertown Boys and Girls Club Watertown, MA | Gift to the stephen p. Mugar memorial golf tournament in support of community youth programs. | $40,000 |
| First Night Boston 2024 Boston, MA | Gift to fund the family fireworks display over boston common on december 31, 2024. | $30,629 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $25,000 |
| Epilepsy Foundation New England Lowell, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Mugar 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 | $9,662,307 | $499,457 | $860,822 | $847,858 | 15 | $848,908 | $499,457 | $482,795 |
| 2023 | $10,023,672 | $10,456,163 | $909,798 | $903,119 | 19 | $909,798 | $425,478 | $471,716 |
| 2022 | $477,307 | $1,063 | $598,466 | $598,458 | 20 | $598,458 | $1,063 | $41,868 |
| 2021 | $1,074,710 | $20,582 | $160,057 | $160,000 | 5 | $160,057 | $582 | $58,574 |
| 2020 | $1,214,185 | $1,508 | $676,052 | $675,548 | 12 | — | $1,508 | $77,047 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mugar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $483K 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 own website describes the Mugar family’s commitment to community giving; it does not state a separate foundation mission. Grants in 2024 included support for education, arts programming, fireworks and public celebrations, youth programs, cancer research and patient care, and other organizations.
Among the supported organizations, Belmont Hill School says it educates boys and develops students’ character; the Boston Arts Academy Foundation says it raises funds for a public high school for the arts; and the Watertown Boys and Girls Club says it works to help young people reach their potential. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $847,858. Grant amounts ranged from $2,229 to $250,000, with a median of $30,629.
Largest reported grants included $250,000 to Clark University for year two of a four-year undergraduate honors program pledge; two grants of $100,000 each to Belmont Hill School, for a scholarship fund and the Landau Gallery Fund; $100,000 to Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation for Fourth of July fireworks; and $100,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for lung cancer research and patient care. Other grants included $50,000 to Tufts University for its baseball stadium project and $40,000 to Watertown Boys and Girls Club for community youth programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alan W. Rottenberg as investment committee trustee and Jennifer E. Mugar, Peter S. Mugar, and Jonathan W. G. Mugar as trustees.
The Mugar Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alan W. Rottenberg
Invest. Committee Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer E. Mugar
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Wg Mugar
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter S. Mugar
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: David G. Mugar (2020–2022) — Grantor & Trustee
- Former: David T. Ting (2020–2022) — Invest. Committee Trustee
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 Mugar Foundation
How much does The Mugar Foundation give each year?
The Mugar Foundation gave $848K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $903K across 19 grants.
What is The Mugar Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mugar Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,629, and its average grant was $56,524, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mugar Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does The Mugar Foundation give grants?
The Mugar Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Belmont, MA (3 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Mugar Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 20% of The Mugar Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Mugar Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mugar Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Clark University ($250,000), Belmont Hill School ($205,000 across 3 grants) and Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation Inc ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Mugar Foundation?
The Mugar Foundation reported $9.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $849K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $483K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mugar Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own website describes the Mugar family’s commitment to community giving; it does not state a separate foundation mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mugar Foundation?
The filing states that the foundation 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 Mugar Foundation's EIN?
The Mugar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0638652. 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
Live grants for the work The Mugar Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mugar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Mugar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mugar-foundation-morg_bca351b5db684b888edd7b07c7affc88
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_800638652_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mugar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mugar-foundation-morg_bca351b5db684b888edd7b07c7affc88},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Mugar 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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