The Progin Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 20-8919545

The Progin Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2024, it gave $387,864 through 18 grants, all to recipients in Massachusetts; the listed grant purposes were educational purposes.

The Progin Foundation at a glance

In short: The Progin Foundation gave $388K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Massachusetts. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$387,864
+71.2% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
18
+100.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$21,548
-14.4% vs 2023
Median grant
$19,432
Total assets
$2,084,034
-12.9% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
44% first-time grantees (8 of 18, 2024; small sample)
Primary geography
Massachusetts (100% 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 Progin Foundation

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: 211 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 426-7300

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Progin Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

RFK Community Alliance: $100KRFK Community Alliance$100KWorcester Academy: $40KWorcester Academy$40KProvision Ministry: $35KProvision Ministry$35KThe Carroll Center for the Blind: $30KThe Carroll Center for theBlind$30KNashua River Watershed Association: $29KNashua River WatershedAssociation$29KJoy of Music Program Inc: $25KJoy of Music Program Inc$25KCradles to Crayons: $25KCradles to Crayons$25KStraight Ahead Ministries: $25KStraight Ahead Ministries$25KMassachusetts Wonderfund Inc: $20KMassachusetts Wonderfund Inc$20KGirls Inc of Worcester: $19KGirls Inc of Worcester$19K

The largest 2024 recipient was RFK Community Alliance ($100K). Together the top 10 received $348K.

Grant Size Distribution

61 grants across all recorded years

58<$50K2$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 61 (95%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.

Cities

WorcesterFitchburgBostonWestboroughGrotonHubbardstonNewtonBrightonFraminghamLancasterLeominsterNeedhamNewtonville

Is The Progin Foundation open to new grantees?

44%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 8 of 18 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $33K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $27K repeat.

  • 39% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 41% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 358% 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K14 grants2020 10 grants2021 10 grants2022 9 grants2023 18 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $227K (2023) to $388K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $388K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
RFK Community Alliance Lancaster, MAEducational Purposes$100,000
Worcester Academy Worcester, MAEducational Purposes$40,000
Provision Ministry Westborough, MAEducational Purposes$35,000
The Carroll Center for the Blind Newton, MAEducational Purposes$30,000
Nashua River Watershed Association Groton, MAEducational Purposes$29,000
Joy of Music Program Inc Worcester, MAEducational Purposes$25,000
Cradles to Crayons Newtonville, MAEducational Purposes$25,000
Straight Ahead Ministries Worcester, MAEducational Purposes$25,000
Massachusetts Wonderfund Inc Newton, MAEducational Purposes$20,000
Girls Inc of Worcester Worcester, MAEducational Purposes$18,864
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$2,084,034$123,466$432,347$387,86418$387,864$101,618$108,309
2023$2,392,915$53,421$254,887$226,5009$226,500$53,014$115,511
2022$2,594,381$81,996$325,863$271,40010$271,400$56,446$132,722
2021$2,838,248$412,811$311,775$275,00010$275,000$387,771$147,414
2020$2,737,212$103,982$323,661$290,35014—$80,840$141,029

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Progin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $108K 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include educational, youth-serving, community, and disability organizations. For example, Worcester Academy says it seeks to foster lifelong learning and strong character in its students. The Carroll Center for the Blind says it works to empower people who are blind or visually impaired through rehabilitation, skills training, and educational opportunities. Cradles to Crayons says it supplies essential items to children in low-income or homeless situations, while the Joy of Music Program says it provides music education and performance in Central Massachusetts.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $387,864. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $100,000, with a median of $19,432. The largest awards included $100,000 to RFK Community Alliance, $40,000 to Worcester Academy, $35,000 to Provision Ministry, $30,000 to the Carroll Center for the Blind, and $29,000 to the Nashua River Watershed Association. Other notable grants were $25,000 each to Joy of Music Program, Cradles to Crayons, and Straight Ahead Ministries; $20,000 to Massachusetts Wonderfund; and $18,864 to Girls Inc. of Worcester.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Brian D. Bixby and Lawrence E. Sexton as trustees.

The Progin Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Brian D. Bixby

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lawrence E. Sexton

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/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 Progin Foundation

How much does The Progin Foundation give each year?

The Progin Foundation gave $388K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $227K across 9 grants.

What is The Progin Foundation's typical grant size?

The Progin Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $19,432, and its average grant was $21,548, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Progin Foundation that year got $7K on average.

Where does The Progin Foundation give grants?

The Progin Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fitchburg, MA (8 grants), Worcester, MA (4 grants) and Newton, MA (2 grants).

Does The Progin Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Progin Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Purposes" (18 grants).

Who are The Progin Foundation's largest grantees?

The Progin Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include RFK Community Alliance ($100,000), Worcester Academy ($40,000) and Provision Ministry ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Progin Foundation?

The Progin Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $388K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $108K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Progin Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include educational, youth-serving, community, and disability organizations. For example, Worcester Academy says it seeks to foster lifelong learning and strong character in its students. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Progin Foundation?

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 Progin Foundation's EIN?

The Progin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8919545. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Progin Foundation 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

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Progin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-progin-foundation-morg_0800aaa267c54f06bcb58bc7bd16f7b9

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208919545_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Progin Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-progin-foundation-morg_0800aaa267c54f06bcb58bc7bd16f7b9},
  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 Progin 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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