The Salem Foundation
The Salem Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including education, youth development, environmental protection, community philanthropy, and childhood cancer research.
The Salem Foundation at a glance
In short: The Salem Foundation gave $492K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), top state Massachusetts. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $492,000
- -76.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -30.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $35,143
- -65.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $37,500
- Total assets
- $72,180,280
- +41.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (3 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (48% 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 Salem Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists Paul J Salem as the contact, requires no standard format, and states there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Paul J Salem
Mailing address: 13886 Chester Bay Lane, North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: (401) 457-1700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Salem Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Harvard Business School ($100K). Together the top 10 received $430K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($51,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 68 grants of 122 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Massachusetts recipients received 48% of grant dollars, New York 17%, and North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Nevada 10% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Salem 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 $25K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 91% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 14% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $492K (2024) to $6.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $492K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard Business School Boston, MA | Educational to Support Student Needs. | $100,000 |
| Squashbusters Inc Roxbury Crossing, MA | To challenge and nurture urban youth as students, athletes and citizens so that they recognize and fulfill their fullest potential in life | $60,000 |
| Harlem Lacrosse New York City, NY | Empower the children who are most at risk for academic decline and dropout to rise above their challenges and reach their full potential. | $50,000 |
| Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte, NC | To serve as a catalyst for philanthropic activity in our 13-county region and is a driver for major civic efforts. To offer innovative solutions that help individuals, nonprofits and companies bring their charitable visions to life. | $50,000 |
| MGM Resorts Foundation Las Vegas, NV | Brings the best of our employee volunteer and charitable efforts together with greater impact and greater choice. The mgm resorts foundation focuses employee charitable contributions to nonprofit agencies and community organizations. | $50,000 |
| Save the Bay Inc Providence, RI | Save the bay protects, restores, and improves the ecological health of the narrangansett bay region, including its watershed and adjacent coastal waters, through an ecosystembased approach to enviornmental action | $50,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $51,000 |
| Massachusetts Project 351 Inc Boston, MA | Leadership pathways that prepare youth for success in college, career, and as catalyst for a more just, inclusive, and equitable world. | $25,000 |
| Harlem Children's Zone New York, NY | Breaks the cycle of intergenerational poverty with on-the ground, all-around programming that builds up opportunities for children and families to thrive in school, work and life. | $25,000 |
| Answer the Call New York, NY | The mission of the New York police and fire widows and children's benefit fund is to support the families of New York city police officers, firefighters, port authority police, and ems personnel who have been killed in the line of duty. When these brave men and women make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our city, we believe it is our civic duty to support the families these heroes have left behind. Our mission is to reassure these families that we will never forget them or the sacrifice made by their loved ones. We provide financial assistance, host special gatherings, and offer a network of support to over 600 families. Our goal is to raise enough funds to assist these families for the rest of their lives. | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Salem 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 | $72,180,280 | $25,969,756 | $1,084,077 | $492,000 | 14 | $492,050 | $19,234,215 | $3,601,469 |
| 2023 | $50,882,159 | $16,462,718 | $2,348,604 | $2,047,998 | 20 | $2,048,048 | $6,818,147 | $2,921,016 |
| 2022 | $42,187,077 | $14,579,859 | $5,585,941 | $5,396,042 | 27 | $5,396,092 | $9,135,700 | $2,652,098 |
| 2021 | $36,287,179 | $36,691,105 | $5,573,671 | $5,229,308 | 30 | $5,229,408 | $17,395,154 | $2,063,557 |
| 2020 | $15,391,106 | $16,745,838 | $6,834,640 | $6,733,798 | 31 | — | $6,361,180 | $1,475,452 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Salem Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M 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 grants included support for educational needs at Harvard Business School and an individual recipient High School, youth programs at SquashBusters and Massachusetts Project 351, and environmental work at Save the Bay. Save the Bay describes its mission as protecting, restoring, and improving the ecological health of the Narragansett Bay region and fostering environmental stewardship.
Other recipients illustrate the range of organizations supported. SquashBusters says it nurtures urban youth as students, athletes, and citizens; Massachusetts Project 351 says it develops youth leadership and related skills; and St. Baldrick’s Foundation says it supports research to find cures for childhood cancers.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $492,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $37,500. Among the largest were $100,000 to Harvard Business School for student needs; $60,000 to SquashBusters; and $50,000 each to Harlem Lacrosse, Foundation for the Carolinas, MGM Resorts Foundation, Save the Bay, and an individual recipient High School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul J Salem is listed as trustee on the 2024 filing.
The Salem Foundation is led by Paul J. Salem, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul J. Salem
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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 Salem Foundation
How much does The Salem Foundation give each year?
The Salem Foundation gave $492K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.0M across 20 grants.
What is The Salem Foundation's typical grant size?
The Salem Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $37,500, and its average grant was $35,143, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Salem Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does The Salem Foundation give grants?
The Salem Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and North Carolina (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants), Charlotte, NC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Salem Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on The Salem Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Salem Foundation's largest grantees?
The Salem Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Harvard Business School ($100,000), Squashbusters Inc ($60,000) and Harlem Lacrosse ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($51,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Salem Foundation?
The Salem Foundation reported $72.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $492K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Salem Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational needs at Harvard Business School and an individual recipient High School, youth programs at SquashBusters and Massachusetts Project 351, and environmental work at Save the Bay. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Salem Foundation?
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 Salem Foundation's EIN?
The Salem Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7196668. 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 Salem 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 Salem Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Salem Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-salem-foundation-morg_d8c53047058641c3a6d45b735a6200d8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137196668_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Salem Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-salem-foundation-morg_d8c53047058641c3a6d45b735a6200d8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Salem 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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