The Salem Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000, based in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional office in Providence, Rhode Island. Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on strategic philanthropy across education, youth development, environmental conservation, and global nutrition.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$72.2M
+41.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$492K
-76.0% YoY
Grant Count
14
-30.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
-65.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities center on three primary areas:
- Essential needs for children and families in developing countries — with particular emphasis on global nutrition
- Closing the opportunity gap for teens and young adults in the U.S. — through education, leadership development, physical wellness, social advancement, and spiritual growth
- Innovations to reverse climate change and preserve environmental assets
The foundation treats and prevents challenges faced by youth and supports programs designed to help young people achieve their purpose through comprehensive development.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not maintain a public application process or publicly accessible website for grant seekers. Grantmaking is invitation-only, and there is no formal published grant program structure or public application guidelines.
Grant Range
& Range:**
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, with some national and international focus areas, particularly for global nutrition and environmental initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2024: $72,180,280
- 2023: $50,882,159
Annual Giving & Revenue:
- 2024 total giving: $492,050
- 2023 total revenues: $16,462,718
- 2023 total expenses: $2,348,604
Liabilities:
- 2023: $0
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since November 2000 (EIN: 13-7196668)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $72,180,280 | $50,882,159 | $42,187,077 |
| Revenue | $25,969,756 | $16,462,718 | $14,579,859 |
| Expenses | $1,084,077 | $2,348,604 | $5,585,941 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $492,050 | $2,048,048 | $5,396,092 |
| Net Investment Income | $19,234,215 | $6,818,147 | $9,135,700 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,601,469 | $2,921,016 | $2,652,098 |
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
122 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul J. Salem — Trustee and founder of Salem Capital Management, former senior managing director at Providence Equity Partners. His nonprofit leadership roles include:
- Former national chairman of Year Up
- Board chair of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Board member of Edesia Global Nutrition and other organizations
Paul McCoy — Listed as contact at the foundation's Boston office
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL J SALEM | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
Contact Information
Providence Office: 50 Kennedy Plaza, 18th Floor Providence, RI 02903 Phone: (401) 457-1700
Boston Office: 31 St James Ave, Suite 740 Boston, MA 02116 Phone: (617) 933-3666
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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