The Ticknor Foundation Inc
The Ticknor Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Amesbury, Massachusetts, organized as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The foundation carries on literary activities and other charitable activities aligned with its educational mission.
Key facts about The Ticknor Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 82-0516610
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023
- Annual giving (2023)
- $3,223,622
- Grants made (2023)
- 33
- Average grant
- $97,686
- Median grant
- $3,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 32, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Florida (96% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Ticknor Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Ticknor Foundation Inc's 33 itemized 2023 grants were Florida (96%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), San Rafael, CA (3 grants), Orlando, FL (2 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants). 9% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Ticknor Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 5 of 32 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $624K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 84% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 3482% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Ticknor Foundation Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.2M
+2379.7% YoY
Grant Count
33
+6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$98K
+2229.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ticknor Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108K for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, with a primary focus on literary, educational, and charitable activities. The organization's work centers on humanities and literary endeavors, as reflected in its NTEE classification as a Humanities Organization.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 33 itemized 2023 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $8,635
- Total Revenues: $4,900
- Total Expenses: $7,905
- Membership Dues: $4,900
Prior Year (2023):
- Total Revenues: $4,675
- Membership Dues: $3,485
The foundation's revenues increased 4.8% year-over-year, with membership dues representing the primary revenue source and growing 40.6% from 2023 to 2024.
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $2,265,516 | $3,395,009 |
| Revenue | $47,819 | $26,174 | $19,868 |
| Expenses | $3,226,186 | $132,070 | $132,295 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,225,398 | $131,570 | $132,045 |
| Net Investment Income | $47,285 | $25,674 | $19,618 |
| Distributable Amount | $107,720 | $112,995 | $123,520 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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 2023
Grant Size Distribution
117 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest recipients include Schwab Charitable ($3,101,622 across 2 grants), Heifer International ($12,500), Lucile Packard Found for Childrens ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SCHWAB CHARITABLE Orlando, FL | TRANSFER OF ASSETS TO DAF TO CLOSE OUT FOUNDATION | $3,101,342 |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL Little Rock, AR | SUPPORT MISSION OF ENDING GLOBAL HUNGER AND POVERTY | $12,500 |
| LUCILE PACKARD FOUND FOR CHILDRENS Palo Alto, CA | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - TO help caregivers at Packard Children's deliver the best pediatric and obstetric medicine available, and allow scientists at the Stanford School of Medicine to pursue promising new cures for childhood illness | $10,000 |
| KCTS 9 Seattle, WA | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - PUBLIC TV PROGRAMMING | $10,000 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS New York, NY | SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO RESPOND TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN MORE THAN 70 COUNTRIES | $10,000 |
| FOOD BANK FOR MONTEREY COUNTY Salinas, CA | TO PROMOTE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES NUTRITIOUS STAPLE FOODS AND FRESH PRODUCE TO THE NEEDY | $7,500 |
| CHRIST HOUSE Washington, DC | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - TO HELP PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO HOMELESS PERSONS | $5,000 |
| STUDENTS RISING ABOVE San Francisco, CA | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - TO SUPPORT PROGRAM TO HELP LOW INCOME BAY AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTEND AND GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. | $5,000 |
| KUOW 949 Seattle, WA | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - PUBLIC RADIO | $5,000 |
| PAJARITO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CE Los Alamos, NM | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT IN SUPPORT OF THEIR SERVICES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2023 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald E Ticknor | President | — | — |
| Sean D Ticknor | Vice President | — | — |
| Christopher C Ticknor | Vice President | — | — |
| Carolyn M Ticknor | Secretary | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation is known for administering the George and Anna Eliot Ticknor Book and Book Culture Collecting Prize, an annual award recognizing book collecting achievements. The prize has been awarded to New England-based bibliophiles and collectors, with recent award announcements occurring in 2022 and 2026.
The Ticknor Society Book Collecting Prize 2026Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ticknor Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, with a primary focus on literary, educational, and charitable activities. The organization's work centers on humanities and literary endeavors, as reflected in its NTEE classification as a Humanities Organization.
What size grants does The Ticknor Foundation Inc award?
In 2023, The Ticknor Foundation Inc awarded 33 grants totaling $3.2M — an average of about $98K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ticknor Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Ticknor Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ticknor Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-0516610. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.