The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund

BOSTON, MA EIN: 04-6744637

The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund is a private foundation established in 1993 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The organization is designated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity and operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.2M

+3.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$232K

+43.0% YoY

Grant Count

+50.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$11K

-4.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $264K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding interests include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants ranging from $500 to $87,831, with typical awards in this range. Recent grantmaking activity shows the foundation awarded approximately $231,993 in total giving based on recent filings.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and California.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $460K (51%)

New York $286K (32%)

California $88K (10%)

PR $32K (4%)

Maine $21K (2%)

District of Columbia $11K (1%)

New Hampshire $750 (0%)

Oregon $250 (0%)

+1 more states

States

California District of Columbia Massachusetts Maine New Hampshire New York Oregon Pr

Cities

AlamedaAuroraBostonGreat BarringtonHoldernessLenox DaleNew YorkNewtonNorth AdamsPescaderoPittsfieldPortlandSan FranciscoSan JuanSheffieldWashingtonWestborough

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Giving (as of 2024)

Total Assets: $3,154,019
Total Giving: $231,993
Total Revenues: $390,960
Total Expenses: $292,163

Historical Assets (2023)

Total Assets: $3,050,000
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$3,154,019	$3,053,747	$3,098,391
Revenue	$390,960	$164,682	$85,615
Expenses	$292,163	$208,963	$234,388
Qualifying Distributions	$239,247	$168,184	$190,688
Net Investment Income	$335,497	$103,933	$34,571
Distributable Amount	$263,867	$235,979	$236,259

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

82 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Center for Independent Documentary ($87,831), Aclu - American Civil Liberties Union ($21,031), Doctors Without Borders ($17,300).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ACLU - AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION BOSTON, ME	GENERAL SUPPORT	$21,031
BERKSHIRE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL PITTSFIELD, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,500
BERKSHIRE TACONIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SHEFFIELD, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
BIAMA BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WESTBOROUGH, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,000
BIONEERS SAN FRANCISCO, CA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$9,000
BOSTON LIVING CENTER BOSTON, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$16,700
CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY NEWTON, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$87,831
COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$6,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$17,300
GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ELISABETH HARDMAN RIX	TRUSTEE	—	—
ROBERT HARDMAN	TRUSTEE	—	—
NANCY E DEMPZE	TRUSTEE	1	$14,339
SARAH M WAELCHLI	TRUSTEE	1	$14,339

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has supported educational institutions, including a $3,000 grant to the MCLA Food Pantry, demonstrating ongoing commitment to community support in the Massachusetts region.

MCLA Food Pantry Receives $3,000 Grant from James and Robert Hardman Fund

Contact Information

Mailing Address

PO Box 961209 Boston, MA 02196-1209

Telephone

617-227-7940

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund fund?

The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund?

**Grant Amounts & Activity** The foundation makes grants ranging from $500 to $87,831, with typical awards in this range. Recent grantmaking activity shows the foundation awarded approximately $231,993 in total giving based on recent filings. **Recent Grants (2024)** Notable recent grants include: • Center for Independent Documentary (CID): $87,831 (General Support) • Doctors without Borders USA: $17,300 (General Support) • Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL): $16,700 (General Support) …

Where does The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and California.

What size grants does The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund award?

In 2024, The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund awarded 21 grants totaling $232K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $264K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund's EIN?

The Robert & Helen Hardman Family Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6744637. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.