The Simsmaes Foundation Inc
THE SIMSMAES FOUNDATION INC is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including a university, a donor-advised charitable giving organization, environmental organizations, and community and cultural organizations.
Key facts about The Simsmaes Foundation Inc
In short: The Simsmaes Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $48K), mostly in Massachusetts. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 68-0575207
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,667,960
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- Average grant
- $47,656
- Median grant
- $2,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 35, 2025)
- Total assets
- $34,115,613
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (66% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$34.1M
+1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+17.0% YoY
Grant Count
35
-12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
+33.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Simsmaes Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Simsmaes Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 35 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $140K; repeat grants $36K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions span education, conservation, health, community services, and cultural heritage. For example, MIT describes its mission as advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other fields; Maine Coast Heritage Trust says it advances land and water conservation in Maine; and La Colaborativa says it works to empower Latinx immigrants and improve community health.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 35 grants totaling $1,667,960. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,049,960, with a median of $2,000. The largest grants were $1,049,960 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and $555,000 to Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc. (formerly Schwab Charitable Fund), both for general purposes. Other listed recipients include Tufts University ($10,000), 350.org ($3,000), and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ($3,000).
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 33% to California, and 1% to Maine. New York and Washington, DC, each accounted for 0% as reported. The foundation’s listed 2025 grants also include recipients in New York and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $884K (2019) to $1.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
202 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 192 grants of 202 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | General Purposes | $1,049,960 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc (Formerly Schwab Charitable Fund) San Francisco, CA | General Purposes | $555,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College (DBA Tufts University) Somerville, MA | General Purposes | $10,000 |
| 350 Org Cambridge, MA | General Purposes | $3,000 |
| Dana Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA | General Purposes | $3,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | General Purposes | $2,000 |
| College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, ME | General Purposes | $2,000 |
| Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc (DBA Doctors Without Borders USA) New York, NY | General Purposes | $2,000 |
| Institute of Contemporary Artboston Boston, MA | General Purposes | $2,000 |
| La Colaborativa Chelsea, MA | General Purposes | $2,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,667,960 | 35 |
| 2024 | $1,425,181 | 40 |
| 2023 | $1,414,500 | 41 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $34,115,613 | $33,680,436 | $33,094,834 |
| Revenue | $306,228 | $268,459 | $922,247 |
| Expenses | $1,673,255 | $1,452,391 | $1,422,958 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,670,422 | $1,427,431 | $1,416,650 |
| Net Investment Income | $304,743 | $297,737 | $934,343 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,617,824 | $1,664,260 | $1,440,536 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 7, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 26, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karl Sims as president, clerk, and director; Patricia Maes as treasurer and director; and M Molly Kim as assistant clerk.
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc is led by Karl Sims, President, Clerk & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karl Sims
President, Clerk & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Maes
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
M. Molly Kim
Assistant Clerk
Assistant Clerk & Director → Assistant Clerk, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Co Eisneramper 160 Federal St, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 227-6161
Frequently asked questions about The Simsmaes Foundation Inc
How much does The Simsmaes Foundation Inc give each year?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 40 grants.
What is The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $47,656, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Simsmaes Foundation Inc that year got $140K on average.
Where does The Simsmaes Foundation Inc give grants?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (10 grants), Cambridge, MA (7 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Somerville, MA (2 grants).
Does The Simsmaes Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($1,049,960), Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc (Formerly Schwab Charitable Fund) ($555,000) and Trustees of Tufts College (DBA Tufts University) ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Simsmaes Foundation Inc?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc reported $34.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Simsmaes Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions span education, conservation, health, community services, and cultural heritage. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Simsmaes Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations 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 Simsmaes Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Simsmaes Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0575207. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Simsmaes Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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