Watkins Burnham Fund
Watkins Burnham Fund is a private foundation, based in Providence, RI. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $452K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $30K. Net investment income was $50K.
Watkins Burnham Fund at a glance
In short: Watkins Burnham Fund gave $30K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Rhode Island. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,000
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,000
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $451,930
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Watkins Burnham Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Newport Historical Society ($25K). Together the top 2 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
17 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 17 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How Watkins Burnham Fund gives
- Giving fell 45% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2020) to $55K (2022). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Newport Historical Society Newport, RI | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Christ Church Georgetown Washington, DC | Program Support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $451,930 | $55,369 | $42,471 | $30,000 | 2 | $31,870 | $50,498 | $28,839 |
| 2024 | $439,032 | $11,787 | $31,113 | $25,000 | 2 | $26,780 | $7,454 | $26,740 |
| 2023 | $458,358 | $10,327 | $40,157 | $25,000 | 3 | $26,720 | $6,343 | $24,177 |
| 2022 | $488,188 | $371,948 | $60,761 | $55,000 | 4 | $56,680 | $367,867 | $20,807 |
| 2021 | $177,001 | $12,419 | $45,660 | $40,000 | 6 | $40,070 | $8,277 | $30,026 |
| 2020 | $210,242 | $11,510 | $20,361 | $15,000 | 1 | — | $7,741 | $25,103 |
| 2019 | $205,321 | $56,552 | $26,700 | $21,500 | 8 | — | $52,797 | $24,704 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Watkins Burnham Fund reported a distributable amount of $29K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Watkins Burnham Fund is led by Helen Metcalf Burnham, President since 2022 (on filings since 2019); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Helen Metcalf Burnham
President
Director → Interim Treasurer, 2021
Interim Treasurer → President, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Miranda Douglas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Savil Burnham
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Eley
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Gaumont
Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Fanchon M. Burnham (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Richard I. Burnham (2019–2022) — President · Filing note: Ended April 2022
- Former: Timothy Geremia (2019–2021) — Treasurer · Filing note: Ended July 2021
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.
Frequently asked questions about Watkins Burnham Fund
How much does Watkins Burnham Fund give each year?
Watkins Burnham Fund gave $30K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 2 grants.
How large is Watkins Burnham Fund?
Watkins Burnham Fund reported $452K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $32K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
Where does Watkins Burnham Fund operate?
Watkins Burnham Fund has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island.
What is Watkins Burnham Fund's EIN?
Watkins Burnham Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1483377. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 2024)
Live grants for the work Watkins Burnham Fund funds
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