Trefler Foundation
The Trefler Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1997 by Pam and Alan Trefler. Based in Newton, Massachusetts, the foundation concentrates the majority of its support in the Boston area and operates with a commitment to following "passion, not precedent." The foundation views its giving as an opportunity to support new ideas in new ways and to create progress and change in communities in and around Boston.
Key facts about Trefler Foundation
- EIN
- 04-3369962
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,557,120
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $81,954
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Trefler Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Trefler Foundation's 19 itemized 2025 grants were Massachusetts (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (14 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+446.4% YoY
Grant Count
19
+46.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$82K
+273.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission prioritizes bold, inventive ideas, local leadership, and ground-up thinking dictated by what communities really need. The foundation is guided by its founding principle to follow passion, not precedent, and sees possibility where other funders see risk.
The Trefler Foundation operates across three primary focus areas:
- Expanding Economic Security
- Enhancing Educational Opportunity
- Equalizing Healthcare Access
The foundation has a particular commitment to local, public education and has backed Boston's public schools for three decades. The foundation's engagement with education began through deep, long-term involvement with Dorchester High School, a district high school in the Boston Public School system that was facing significant academic and administrative challenges. The restructured entity is now called Dorchester Academy, where the foundation continues to focus on food and nutrition support.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains a transparent approach to grantmaking and publishes a running list of funded projects and programs organized by focus area.
Grant Range
$10,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Trefler Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates the majority of its support in the Greater Boston area and surrounding communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $5.04 million
- Annual Revenue: $1.25 million
- Annual Expenses: $1.77 million
- Total Liabilities: $109,000
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since October 1997
- EIN: 04-3369962
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Massachusetts General Hospital ($1,050,000), Year up ($100,000), Ma League of Community Health Centers ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $1,050,000 |
| YEAR UP BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $100,000 |
| MA LEAGUE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $75,000 |
| NOBLE AND GREENOUGH SCHOOL DEDHAM, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $57,000 |
| ELLIE FUND NEEDHAM, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $50,000 |
| LEADERSHIP BRAINERY BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $40,000 |
| UNION CAPITAL BOSTON BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $40,000 |
| MASSACHUSETTS ALLIANCE FOR EARLY COLLEGE BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $35,000 |
| THE TEACHERS LOUNGE ROSLINDALE, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $35,000 |
| DUET INC BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GIFT | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Alan Trefler — Trustee and Founder. Alan Trefler founded Pegasystems and built the company into a $600 million provider of strategic applications with 3,000+ employees in 30 global offices.
Pam Trefler — Trustee and Founder. Pam Trefler was a high school math teacher at Dorchester High School and completed her graduate program at UMass Boston. She became profoundly aware of inequality in public school education in the greater Boston area, which led to the foundation's creation.
Daniel Sherman — President. Dan leads the organization's day-to-day operations and sets strategic priorities alongside the Foundation's Trustees. He joined the Trefler Foundation in 2019 after spending ten years at the Boston Foundation in various leadership roles. He started his career working with gang-involved youth and currently serves on the Board of English for New Bostonians.
Jessica Castro — Vice President of Programs & Operations. Jessica has spent most of her career in the Human Service industry, gaining experience in workforce development, program management, and community engagement.
Janet Yeager — Executive Assistant
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN N TREFLER | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| PAMELA L TREFLER | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| DANIEL SHERMAN | PRESIDENT | 40 | $360,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced Innovation & Opportunity in STEM Career Pathways grants, demonstrating continued activity in educational opportunity initiatives. The foundation maintains active engagement with its grantees and publishes featured insights on topics including "Enhancing Educational Opportunity in Greater Boston" and "Bridging the Gap: A Conversation on Cancer Equity."
Partner News & Insights | Trefler FoundationContact Information
- Phone: +1 617-454-1135
- Email: info@treflerfoundation.org
- Website: treflerfoundation.org
- Location: Needham/Newton, Massachusetts
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Trefler Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission prioritizes bold, inventive ideas, local leadership, and ground-up thinking dictated by what communities really need. The foundation is guided by its founding principle to follow passion, not precedent, and sees possibility where other funders see risk. The Trefler Foundation operates across three primary focus areas: • **Expanding Economic Security** • **Enhancing Educational Opportunity** • **Equalizing Healthcare Access** The foundation has a particular commitment to…
How do I apply for a grant from Trefler Foundation?
The foundation maintains a transparent approach to grantmaking and publishes a running list of funded projects and programs organized by focus area. **Grant Characteristics:** • Median grant size: $10,000 • Grant range: $3,000 to $200,000 • 33 grants reported in recent filings **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. However, it encourages grantseekers with "dynamically different projects" to reach out and introduce themselves directly.
Where does Trefler Foundation make grants?
The foundation concentrates the majority of its support in the Greater Boston area and surrounding communities.
What size grants does Trefler Foundation award?
In 2025, Trefler Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $82K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Trefler Foundation's EIN?
Trefler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3369962. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Trefler Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Trefler Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.