The Ruth and Frederick Stavis
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis is a private foundation based in Dedham, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including senior-care providers, educational and cultural organizations, and media organizations.
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis at a glance
In short: The Ruth and Frederick Stavis gave $139K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Massachusetts. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $138,850
- +627.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +3.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,959
- +601.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $133,657
- -29.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (5 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ruth and Frederick Stavis
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3202 Great Meadow Road, Dedham, MA 02026
Phone: (617) 590-6800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ruth and Frederick Stavis funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hebrew Senior Life ($101K). Together the top 10 received $133K.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 143 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Massachusetts recipients (82%), followed by Virginia (15%), New Hampshire (2%), Rhode Island (1%), and New York (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ruth and Frederick Stavis open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 28 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 2253% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 666% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2022) to $139K (2025). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $139K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew Senior Life Roslindale, MA | Unrestricted | $101,000 |
| University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Mueseum of Fine Arts Bostom Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| All Newton Music School Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Temple Shalom Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| 909 Wbur Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Classicopia Hanover, NH | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Newbridge on the Charles Dedham, MA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| WGBH Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $133,657 | $86,863 | $144,767 | $138,850 | 28 | $138,850 | $377 | $20,856 |
| 2024 | $189,344 | $32,348 | $24,430 | $19,085 | 27 | $19,085 | $2,215 | $21,339 |
| 2023 | $181,743 | $18,596 | $68,294 | $63,944 | 39 | $63,944 | $1,934 | $19,340 |
| 2022 | $231,727 | $11,789 | $13,247 | $5,902 | 12 | $5,902 | $4,444 | $15,342 |
| 2021 | $235,091 | $43,663 | $36,015 | $32,912 | 37 | $32,912 | $40,560 | $23,443 |
| 2020 | $250,818 | $35,644 | $34,435 | $31,852 | 35 | — | $33,080 | $21,165 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ruth and Frederick Stavis reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants show support for organizations in areas including senior services, music education, museums, higher education, religious organizations, public media, and human services.
Grantees describe their own missions as follows: Hebrew SeniorLife says it works to honor elders and support their independence, dignity, and choice, with special responsibility for frail and needy community members. All Newton Music School says it provides musical instruction and classes in music appreciation, education, and musical theatre for children and adults. Newbridge on the Charles describes its mission as honoring elders and promoting their independence, spiritual vigor, dignity, and choice.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $138,850. Grants ranged from $75 to $101,000, with a median of $500. The largest reported awards were $101,000 to Hebrew Senior Life in Roslindale, Massachusetts, and $20,000 to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville; both were listed as unrestricted. Other notable grants included $3,000 to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, $2,000 to All Newton Music School, and $1,500 to Temple Shalom.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Frederick Stavis and Ruth L. Stavis as trustees.
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Frederick Stavis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ruth L. Stavis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Ruth and Frederick Stavis
How much does The Ruth and Frederick Stavis give each year?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis gave $139K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $19K across 27 grants.
What is The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's typical grant size?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $4,959, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ruth and Frederick Stavis that year got $1K on average.
Where does The Ruth and Frederick Stavis give grants?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis gives mostly in Massachusetts: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (7 grants), Newton, MA (4 grants), Charlottesville, VA (2 grants) and Concord, NH (2 grants).
Does The Ruth and Frederick Stavis give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's largest grantees?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's largest 2025 grantees include Hebrew Senior Life ($101,000), University of Virginia ($20,000) and Mueseum of Fine Arts Bostom ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ruth and Frederick Stavis?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis reported $134K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $139K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ruth and Frederick Stavis fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in areas including senior services, music education, museums, higher education, religious organizations, public media, and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ruth and Frederick Stavis?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's EIN?
The Ruth and Frederick Stavis's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3448561. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Ruth and Frederick Stavis 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ruth and Frederick Stavis funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ruth-and-frederick-stavis-morg_b82385eeab374c47b93b23304caa3a3e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043448561_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ruth and Frederick Stavis funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ruth-and-frederick-stavis-morg_b82385eeab374c47b93b23304caa3a3e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Ruth and Frederick Stavis'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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