The Zeckhauser Foundation

HOBE SOUND, FL EIN: 04-2940586

The Richard and Sally Zeckhauser Foundation is a private foundation based in Hobe Sound, Florida, with additional connections to Cambridge, Massachusetts. The foundation supports charitable work across multiple sectors with a focus on education, human services, and philanthropic initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.2M

-4.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$409K

-6.6% YoY

Grant Count

+116.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$31K

-56.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Zeckhauser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $406K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Community & Civic Engagement
Local Government

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants primarily in Massachusetts and Ohio, with a demonstrated commitment to supporting nonprofit organizations working in education and community development.

Grant Range

Range:** $75 to $314,500

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds organizations in:

Massachusetts
Ohio

The foundation maintains a presence in both Hobe Sound, Florida and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $775K (48%)

Massachusetts $726K (45%)

Pennsylvania $35K (2%)

Tennessee $30K (2%)

Connecticut $25K (2%)

Florida $16K (1%)

Virginia $10K (1%)

New York $2K (0%)

+4 more states

States

Connecticut Florida Georgia Massachusetts Maine New York Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Tennessee Virginia Vermont

Cities

AllstonArlingtonAtlantaBostonBryn MawrBuffaloCambridgeCincinnatiFraminghamGrotonHobe SoundLewistonLincolnMiddleburyNashvilleNewportSalemVershireW Palm Beach

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $6,495,562

Total Annual Giving: $438,343

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$6,218,912	$6,495,562	$6,791,905
Revenue	$190,748	$209,129	$1,555,472
Expenses	$467,398	$505,472	$355,002
Qualifying Distributions	$409,270	$438,343	$298,795
Net Investment Income	$133,624	$144,145	$217,637
Distributable Amount	$405,605	$420,775	$389,357

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

48 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($220,000), Brigham & Women's Hospital ($85,000), Harvard College ($35,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA	RESEARCH	$85,000
FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND CINCINNATI, OH	RESEARCH	$220,000
HARVARD COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE, MA	RESEARCH	$35,000
MUSEM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON BOSTON, MA	RESEARCH	$300
PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM SALEM, MA	RESEARCH	$170
WINSOR SCHOOL BOSTON, MA	RESEARCH	$10,000
COMMUNITY CONCEPTS LEWISTON, ME	RESEARCH	$1,000
GROTON SCHOOL GROTON, MA	EDUCATION	$25,000
KRAVIS CENTER W PALM BEACH, FL	RESEARCH	$5,000
NORTON MUSEUM OF ARTS INC W PALM BEACH, FL	RESEARCH	$300

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Richard J. Zeckhauser is associated with the foundation. He is also an author of scholarly works on governance and public policy, including "Collaborative Governance: Private Roles for Public Goals in Turbulent Times."

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
RICHARD ZECKHAUSER	TRUSTEE	1	—
SALLY ZECKHAUSER	TRUSTEE	0.5	—
BRYN ZECKHAUSER	TRUSTEE	0.25	—
BENJAMIN ZECKHAUSER	TRUSTEE	2	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Zeckhauser Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community & Civic Engagement • Local Government

How do I apply for a grant from The Zeckhauser Foundation?

**Grant Size Range:** $75 to $314,500 **Total Annual Giving:** $438,343 (based on most recent available data) The foundation makes grants primarily in Massachusetts and Ohio, with a demonstrated commitment to supporting nonprofit organizations working in education and community development.

Where does The Zeckhauser Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds organizations in: • Massachusetts • Ohio The foundation maintains a presence in both Hobe Sound, Florida and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

What size grants does The Zeckhauser Foundation award?

In 2024, The Zeckhauser Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $409K — an average of about $31K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Zeckhauser Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Zeckhauser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $406K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.