The Schooner Foundation
The Schooner Foundation is a Boston-based private foundation created in 1996 by Vin Ryan. Supported by profits from Schooner Capital, it advances human rights by investing in equitable, replicable, and scalable solutions domestically and internationally.
The Schooner Foundation at a glance
In short: The Schooner Foundation gave $19.4M across 129 grants in 2024 (avg $151K), top state Massachusetts. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,435,798
- +101.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 129
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $150,665
- +90.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $90,000
- Total assets
- $253,702,589
- +2.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (22 of 106, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (28% 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 Schooner Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundation accepts proposals by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 60 South Street Suite 1120, Boston, MA 02111
Phone: (617) 963-5200
Website: https://schoonercapital.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Schooner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was NAACP ($3.9M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $11.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
571 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 283 grants of 571 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation states that it works domestically and internationally. In 2024, recipients in Massachusetts received 28% of grant dollars, Maryland 20%, New York 13%, Virginia 11%, and the District of Columbia 9%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 129 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Schooner Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 22 of 106 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $138K; repeat grants $195K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $70K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 153% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 162% 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7.4M (2020) to $19.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 129 grants totaling $19.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NAACP Baltimore, MD | Building Community Voices Fund | $2,000,000 |
| NAACP Baltimore, MD | Building Community Voices Fund | $1,500,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Leveraging our Lands | $1,350,000 |
| Trustees of Boston University Boston, MA | Boston University Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health | $1,000,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Distinguished Chair | $625,000 |
| Here Right Matters Foundation Dumfries, VA | General Operations | $590,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Hiatt Residency | $500,000 |
| State Leadership Project Raleigh, NC | Strategic Victory Fund | $500,000 |
| Trustees of Boston University Boston, MA | Center for Forced Displacement | $500,000 |
| American Ireland Fund Boston, MA | Trinity College Dublin | $444,485 |
Ready to take the next step with The Schooner 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 | $253,702,589 | $18,739,313 | $27,723,664 | $19,435,798 | 129 | $19,829,603 | $10,956,117 | $12,249,985 |
| 2023 | $248,732,681 | $17,575,111 | $12,232,922 | $9,646,986 | 122 | $9,947,083 | $15,518,447 | $11,023,028 |
| 2022 | $195,803,404 | $-13,611,992 | $10,497,010 | $8,333,213 | 111 | $8,636,378 | $74,176 | $10,050,364 |
| 2021 | $234,086,951 | $101,845,887 | $13,233,150 | $7,677,901 | 103 | $7,918,240 | $51,670,129 | $9,231,182 |
| 2020 | $169,403,129 | $38,700,900 | $9,662,685 | $7,421,932 | 106 | — | $28,364,428 | $6,344,215 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Schooner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it believes in the fundamental right to a life with dignity, opportunity, and access to resources. Its stated focus areas are human rights and social justice, global health equity, education and economic empowerment, and the environment.
Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in conservation, civic infrastructure, cultural heritage, equity, women’s human rights, health systems, community health, and wrongful-conviction cases. These are areas reflected in grantees’ own descriptions: The Nature Conservancy says its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends; State Leadership Project says it strengthens civic infrastructure and supports long-term investment in the people and systems that make democracy work; and MADRE says it advances women’s human rights by meeting urgent community needs and building lasting solutions. Seed Global Health describes its work as strengthening health systems and the professional health workforce, while the Tennessee Innocence Project says it investigates and litigates claims of actual innocence.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation made 129 grants totaling $19,435,798. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $2,000,000, with a median of $90,000. Among its largest awards were $2,000,000 and $1,500,000 to NAACP for the Building Community Voices Fund; $1,350,000 to The Nature Conservancy for Leveraging our Lands; and $1,000,000 to Trustees of Boston University for the Boston University Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health. Other awards included $625,000 to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for the Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Distinguished Chair; $590,000 to Here Right Matters Foundation for general operations; and $500,000 to State Leadership Project for the Strategic Victory Fund.
The Foundation made 122 grants totaling $9,646,986 in 2023 and 111 grants totaling $8,333,213 in 2022.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Julia B. Pettengill as Executive Director. Trustees and directors listed on that filing are Vincent J. Ryan, Stephen D. Maiocco, Stephanie R. Ditenhafer, Nicholas L. Ryan, Kimberly R. Dano, Jennifer Ryan, Cynthia A. Ryan, and Carla E. Meyer. Jonathan Corbett is listed as Treasurer. The Foundation’s website identifies Vin Ryan as its founder.
The Schooner Foundation is led by Julia B Pettengill, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Julia B Pettengill
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$128K (2020) → $204K (2024)
Cynthia A Ryan
Trustee & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Carla E Meyer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ryan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly R Dano
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas L Ryan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie R Ditenhafer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen D Maiocco
Trustee
Trustee & Treasurer → Trustee & Treasurer in, 2023
Trustee & Treasurer in → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent J Ryan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Corbett
Treasurer
Treasurer in → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $204K, to Julia B Pettengill (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Schooner Foundation
How much does The Schooner Foundation give each year?
The Schooner Foundation gave $19.4M across 129 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.6M across 122 grants.
What is The Schooner Foundation's typical grant size?
The Schooner Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $90,000, and its average grant was $150,665, across 129 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Schooner Foundation that year got $138K on average.
Where does The Schooner Foundation give grants?
The Schooner Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (20%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (21 grants), Boston, MA (20 grants), Nashville, TN (15 grants) and Washington, DC (9 grants).
Does The Schooner Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 47% of The Schooner Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (61 of 129) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Focused Support" (27 grants), "Capital Campaign" (3 grants) and "Building Community Voices Fund" (3 grants).
Who are The Schooner Foundation's largest grantees?
The Schooner Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include NAACP ($3,862,000 across 4 grants), Trustees of Boston University ($1,650,000 across 4 grants) and The Nature Conservancy ($1,362,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Schooner Foundation?
The Schooner Foundation reported $253.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Schooner Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it believes in the fundamental right to a life with dignity, opportunity, and access to resources. Its stated focus areas are human rights and social justice, global health equity, education and economic empowerment, and the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Schooner Foundation?
The Foundation accepts proposals by invitation only 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 Schooner Foundation's EIN?
The Schooner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3347626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Schooner 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Schooner Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Schooner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-schooner-foundation-morg_74a02dc10ebc4e3b9c7b4c47c66921ec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043347626_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Schooner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-schooner-foundation-morg_74a02dc10ebc4e3b9c7b4c47c66921ec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Schooner 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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