The William & LIA G Poorvu
The William & Lia G Poorvu is a private foundation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2024, it awarded grants to charitable organizations including universities, hospitals, cultural organizations, and community-service organizations.
The William & LIA G Poorvu at a glance
In short: The William & LIA G Poorvu gave $10.1M across 119 grants in 2024 (avg $85K), mostly in Massachusetts. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,087,500
- +14.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 119
- +9.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $84,769
- +4.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $129,283,797
- +0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (13 of 117, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (56% 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 William & LIA G Poorvu
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 380828, Cambridge, MA 02238
Phone: (617) 576-1010
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The William & LIA G Poorvu funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yale University ($2.5M). Together the top 10 received $7.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
529 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 386 grants of 529 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Massachusetts organizations received 56% of grant dollars, Connecticut 25%, Washington, DC 12%, New York 6%, and California 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The William & LIA G Poorvu open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 117 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 154% 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 $8.4M (2020) to $10.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 119 grants totaling $10.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Endowment and Operating Support | $2,505,000 |
| Ecoamerica Washington, DC | Program Support | $1,100,000 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Brookline, MA | Program Support | $1,000,000 |
| Wbur Boston, MA | Program Support | $600,000 |
| Brigham & Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Program and Operating Support | $510,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Shorenstein Ctr on Media, Politics & Public Policy | $500,000 |
| Gilder Lehrman Institute New York, NY | Program and Operating Support | $350,000 |
| Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Program and Operating Support | $260,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Graduate School of Design | $250,000 |
| American Academy of Arts and Sciences Cambridge, MA | Program Support | $200,000 |
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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 | $129,283,797 | $12,052,682 | $11,834,795 | $10,087,500 | 119 | $10,122,500 | $5,613,057 | $6,560,805 |
| 2023 | $129,065,910 | $6,897,979 | $10,493,661 | $8,831,000 | 109 | $8,848,000 | $4,529,838 | $6,521,311 |
| 2022 | $132,661,592 | $12,137,564 | $11,556,149 | $8,848,500 | 111 | $8,864,500 | $6,027,115 | $6,604,546 |
| 2021 | $132,080,177 | $21,636,831 | $9,817,997 | $8,788,500 | 98 | $8,802,000 | $15,257,336 | $5,793,218 |
| 2020 | $120,261,343 | $11,453,242 | $9,404,077 | $8,443,500 | 92 | — | $6,007,713 | $5,954,847 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William & LIA G Poorvu reported a distributable amount of $6.6M 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 is provided. The 2024 grants show support for higher education, health, media, arts and culture, and community services. Grantees describe their work in varied ways: ecoAmerica says it works to move society toward climate solutions; Wellesley College says it provides a liberal arts education for women; and Boston Area Gleaners says it increases access to fresh produce while supporting farms and reducing food waste. Other supported organizations describe work in mental health services for court-involved children and families, period-instrument music, essential items for children, and housing support for parents and caregivers facing homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 119 grants totaling $10,087,500. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $2,505,000, with a median of $20,000.
Among the largest awards were $2,505,000 to Yale University for endowment and operating support; $1,100,000 to ecoAmerica for program support; $1,000,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for program support; $600,000 to WBUR for program support; and $510,000 to Brigham & Women’s Hospital for program and operating support. Harvard University received $500,000 for the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics & Public Policy and $250,000 for its Graduate School of Design.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lia G Poorvu and William J Poorvu as trustees.
The William & LIA G Poorvu's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lia G. Poorvu
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William J. Poorvu
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 William & LIA G Poorvu
How much does The William & LIA G Poorvu give each year?
The William & LIA G Poorvu gave $10.1M across 119 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.8M across 109 grants.
What is The William & LIA G Poorvu's typical grant size?
The William & LIA G Poorvu's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $84,769, across 119 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William & LIA G Poorvu that year got $17K on average.
Where does The William & LIA G Poorvu give grants?
The William & LIA G Poorvu gives mostly in Massachusetts: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (25%) and District of Columbia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (40 grants), Cambridge, MA (18 grants), Washington, DC (6 grants) and New York, NY (6 grants).
Does The William & LIA G Poorvu give general operating support?
Yes: 68% of The William & LIA G Poorvu's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (81 of 119) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (24 grants).
Who are The William & LIA G Poorvu's largest grantees?
The William & LIA G Poorvu's largest 2024 grantees include Yale University ($2,505,000), Ecoamerica ($1,100,000) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The William & LIA G Poorvu?
The William & LIA G Poorvu reported $129.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $10.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The William & LIA G Poorvu fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for higher education, health, media, arts and culture, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William & LIA G Poorvu?
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 William & LIA G Poorvu's EIN?
The William & LIA G Poorvu's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2651199. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The William & LIA G Poorvu 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 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The William & LIA G Poorvu funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-and-lia-g-poorvu-morg_a6f5ec572de34666897f09e6f45c36e7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042651199_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The William \& LIA G Poorvu funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-and-lia-g-poorvu-morg_a6f5ec572de34666897f09e6f45c36e7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 William & LIA G Poorvu'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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