Foundations that fund organizations in Lowell, Massachusetts
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Lowell nonprofits
308 private foundations gave $16M to Lowell organizations in their latest filings; 48 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
765 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Lowell around $49K. 66 of these funders are based in Massachusetts; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 308
- Accept applications
- 48
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to Lowell
- $16M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 765
- Typical median grant
- $49K
- Based in MA
- 66%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Lowell organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Foundation | Boston, MA | 4 | $1.1M | $270K | Yes | General operating / annual support; Property care; buildings; renovation; Strategic plan |
| The Rist Family Foundation C/O Brian Rist | Fort Myers, FL | 1 | $945K | $945K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (fka Oneworld Boston Inc) | Woburn, MA | 23 | $922K | $30K | Yes | Human Services; Education; Animal Welfare |
| Theodore Edson Parker Foundation | Lowell, MA | 28 | $791K | $7,500 | Yes | Connect: stronger together; Newell flather legacy fund; 20-acre pawtucket farm wildlife sanc |
| Amelia Peabody Foundation C/O Joseph Kelly | Topsfield, MA | 8 | $715K | $50K | Yes | General; New program space; Food Justice is for Everyone Program |
| Barr Foundation | Boston, MA | 5 | $700K | $150K | Preselected only | To provide core support for lowell chamber orchestra as par…; To support implementation, operations, and activities of mo…; To continue the design and early implementation of a reimag… |
| The Simons Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 4 | $480K | $114K | Preselected only | Topology of cortical and thalamic gene expression in asd- p…; Advances in variational analysis and optimization; Zebrafish functional analysis of genes associated with asd |
| Richard K & Nancy L Donahue Charitable Foundation | Lowell, MA | 24 | $423K | $15K | Preselected only | Unrestricted; Unrestriced |
| Aubert J Fay Charitable Fund | Lowell, MA | 53 | $420K | $6,000 | Yes | Youth education; Promote artisticactivities; Religiousactivities |
| The Kresge Foundation | Troy, MI | 1 | $380K | $380K | Yes | Project support grant to expand its youth-led organizing, a… |
| We Share a Common Thread Foundation Inc | Lowell, MA | 1 | $374K | $374K | Yes | Exempt purpose |
| Walton Family Foundation Inc | Bentonville, AR | 1 | $320K | $320K | Preselected only | To renew a program that will provide entrepreneurial traini… |
| Boston Baptist Social Union | Medford, MA | 3 | $315K | $30K | Yes | General support; Food pantry and soup kitchen; Genral support |
| Telemachus and Irene Demoulas Family Foundation | Chelmsford, MA | 2 | $300K | $150K | Yes | Churches; Youth Groups |
| Eastern Bank Foundation | Wakefield, MA | 38 | $293K | $2,100 | Yes | Exempt purpose |
| Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation | Newton, MA | 4 | $288K | $19K | Yes | Education; Community and economic development; Youth development |
| Lookout Foundation Inc C/O Gma Foundations | Boston, MA | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | Addressing complex trauma for justice-involved young adults… |
| Demoulas Foundation | Chelmsford, MA | 43 | $243K | $5,000 | Yes | Civic, cultural & other; Churches, temples, & religious; Schools, colleges, universities |
| The Klarman Family Foundation | Boston, MA | 3 | $180K | $60K | Yes | Flexible support for current community needs; Support for musical instruments and equipment; Unrestricted operating support |
| Ethan Allan Brown Scholarship Fund C/O Frank Santangelo | Hanover, MA | 1 | $160K | $160K | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| The Devonshire Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $155K | $155K | Preselected only | Three-year grant supports development, operations and progr… |
| The Joan & Leo Mahoney Family Foundation | Lowell, MA | 3 | $150K | $50K | Preselected only | Education; Healthcare |
| Aceso Foundation Inc | Bloomington, IN | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Riley Mabel Louise Tr Uwill | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $150K | $75K | Yes | General operating |
| The Ray and Karyn Hendrickson Foundation C/O Pkf Jnd Pc | Quincy, MA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | General Support |
| The Saab Family Foundation | Lowell, MA | 9 | $138K | $15K | Yes | General support |
| John a McNeice Jr Charitable Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $125K | $125K | Yes | General Purpose |
| Thee Mustard Seed Foundation C/O Ten Mountain Capital | Boston, MA | 1 | $125K | $125K | Preselected only | General fund |
| Lowell Five Charitable Foundation Inc | Tewksbury, MA | 14 | $112K | $4,000 | Yes | Donation; Donation/scholarship; Donationdonation |
| Northern Bank & Trust Charitable Foundation Inc | Woburn, MA | 8 | $111K | $12K | Yes | General Operating Support |
| The 1434 Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 3 | $110K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Janki Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Charity |
| The Flatley Foundation | Braintree, MA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Scholarship support |
| Cathedral Fund | New York, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Peter and Elizabeth C Tower Foundation | Getzville, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | Charitable |
| Pulichino Tong Family Foundation Inc | Pompano Beach, FL | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Pulichino-tong scholarship program |
| Alvarium Foundation | Needham, MA | 1 | $88K | $88K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Td Charitable Foundation | Portland, ME | 4 | $85K | $13K | Yes | Creative projects program; Expanding access to affordable homeownership; Fy26 strategic plan |
| Dory Foundation | Dover, DE | 1 | $80K | $80K | Yes | Support healthlearn's work in scaling the delivery of evide… |
| Charlesbank Homes | Walpole, MA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Yes | Construct 19 efficiency units for the homeless or disabled |
| The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation Inc | Baltimore, MD | 1 | $75K | $75K | Yes | general support for the Lowell Center for Sustainable Produ… |
| Joseph P Donahue Charitable Foundation | Lebanon, NH | 14 | $73K | $2,500 | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Franklin Square House Foundation Inc | Belmont, MA | 2 | $71K | $36K | Yes | Housing and shelter grant; Housing and shelter grants |
| Edward S & Winifred G Moseley Foundation | Boston, MA | 3 | $70K | $30K | Preselected only | Job training, education and personal development for young…; Membership & family services; Girls inc. of greater lowell after-school program |
| Flora Family Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 1 | $68K | $68K | Preselected only | General operating expenses |
| T Causemetics Foundation Dba Thrive Causemetics Foundation | Bellevue, WA | 1 | $65K | $65K | Preselected only | Create an experience where a young diverse group of individ… |
| Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 2 | $65K | $33K | Yes | Eforall roxbury: inclusive entrepreneurship for low-income…; After school tech clubs |
| George H & Jane a Mifflin Memorial Fund | Boston, MA | 4 | $65K | $15K | Yes | Food distribution; Connect up; Basic needs for children and families |
| Jjw Family Foundation | Cupertino, CA | 1 | $65K | $65K | Preselected only | To excellence in teaching, research and community engagemen… |
| Trustees of the Ayer Home | Lowell, MA | 21 | $64K | $3,400 | Yes | Same |
| The Josetta Fund | Boston, MA | 1 | $63K | $63K | Preselected only | Urban youth programs |
| Richard T Hall Tr Fbo Dowd Share a C/O Bar Harbor Wealth Management | Concord, NH | 2 | $62K | $31K | Preselected only | Grammer school - gen ops; General operations |
| Miriam Shaw Fund UW | Dallas, TX | 1 | $61K | $61K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Battles Foundation Inc | Lowell, MA | 20 | $61K | $3,000 | Yes | Charitable; Charity |
| The Shubert Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $60K | $60K | Yes | General operating support for theatrical productions and ac… |
| James C Melvin Trust UW Brenda S Diana Et Al Trustees | Boston, MA | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Scholarship/aid |
| Atrius Health Equity Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 2 | $60K | $30K | Preselected only | To support community well-being. |
| E Eugene Carter Foundation | Arlington, MA | 1 | $58K | $58K | Preselected only | To provide scholarships |
| Ralph & Helen Kelley Fdn | Dallas, TX | 1 | $58K | $58K | Yes | Scholarships |
| The Behrakis Foundation C/O Stephanie B Liakos Trustee | Lexington, MA | 14 | $56K | $5,000 | Yes | Civic; Education; Religious |
| Research Corporation Dba Research Corporation for Science Advancement | Tucson, AZ | 1 | $55K | $55K | Yes | Cow Burps to Butanol: Bio-electrocatalytic Valorization of… |
| Alfred P Sloan Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $55K | $55K | Yes | To support dr. michael ross in undertaking a collaborative… |
| The Ruettgers Family Charit Foundation C/O Martina Frangis Cibc | Boston, MA | 3 | $55K | $25K | Preselected only | General support |
| Ttee UW of William B Spalding | Dallas, TX | 2 | $51K | $26K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Chirag Foundation C/O Anil and Abha Singhal Trustees | Carlisle, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Various |
| Yawkey Foundation II | Westwood, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Hunger relief & food access for vulnerable individuals and… |
| Cedar Tree Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Project support for mosiac lowell |
| The Susan F Schiro and Peter J Manus Foundation | Brookline, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | To further recipient's tax-exempt purpose |
| Dorot Foundation | Providence, RI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | One year unrestricted |
| Colatosti Family Foundation | Lexington, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General support |
| Shelagh E Mahoney & Joseph E McNamee Family Foundation Inc | Lowell, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General support |
| Alden Family Foundation Inc | Vero Beach, FL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Education |
| Kerith Foundation | Hockessin, DE | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable function |
| S Alice Knapp Trust | Dallas, TX | 1 | $49K | $49K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Wagner Foundation | Cambridge, MA | 2 | $45K | $23K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Linde Family Foundation C/O Eric Riak - Cibc Private Wealth Mgmt | Boston, MA | 2 | $45K | $23K | Yes | Operating support |
| Co-Ttee UW of C Alice R Bean | Dallas, TX | 6 | $45K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Sudbury Foundation | Sudbury, MA | 3 | $43K | $5,000 | Yes | Community; Farm & local food; Scholarship |
| Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art and Humanity Inc | Boston, MA | 1 | $42K | $42K | Yes | Unrestricted |
| The Cove Charitable Trust | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $41K | $41K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Algar Foundation C/O Gma Foundations | Boston, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Protein Foundation | Yarmouth, ME | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Tutor and mentor youth in low income areas |
| Salem Five Charitable Foundation Inc | Salem, MA | 16 | $38K | $1,925 | Yes | Exempt purposes |
| Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation Inc | Rockland, MA | 5 | $38K | $5,000 | Yes | Exempt purpose |
| Yankee Alliance Inc | Andover, MA | 1 | $38K | $38K | Preselected only | Supplyview |
| Rogers Family Foundation C/O Gma Foundations Inc | Boston, MA | 3 | $38K | $15K | Yes | Food distribution; Basic needs for greater lawrence children and families; Holistic programming for young adults in job training in la… |
| The Regan Family Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | 4 | $36K | $2,750 | Preselected only | general support; donations for coat drive |
| William E Schrafft and Bertha E Schrafft Charitable Trust | Boston, MA | 1 | $35K | $35K | Yes | Youth Food Justice Education |
| The Robbins-De Beaumont Foundation C/O John K Graham Manager | Boston, MA | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | General |
| Herban Fresh Charitable Foundation Inc | Lowell, MA | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | General support |
| Blanche M Walsh Charity Trust | Lowell, MA | 5 | $31K | $5,000 | Yes | Financial Aid to needy students.; Financial Assistance.; Financial Assistance for four needy families. |
| Van Beuren Charitable Foundation Inc C/O Brandywine Group Advisors Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Launch of the eforall rhode island program |
| Arbella Insurance Foundation | Boston, MA | 2 | $27K | $13K | Yes | Social justice initiative; Food pantry |
| The Mugar Foundation C/O Mugar Enterprises | Boston, MA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | General support |
| Humani Foundation Inc | Belmont, MA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund Trust | Boston, MA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Capital |
| Annie E Casey Foundation Inc | Baltimore, MD | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Support a leadership team of staff and emergent adults part… |
| Bolduc Schuster Family Foundation | West Hartford, CT | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Current use for general charitable purposes |
| The Nordson Corporation Foundation | Westlake, OH | 1 | $23K | $23K | Preselected only | Out-of-school-time stem education programs |
| Massachusetts Society for Aiding Discharged Prisoners | Bedford, MA | 2 | $23K | $11K | Yes | Support; Empower communities to welcome and support individueals tra… |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Lowell, Massachusetts?
Fidelity Foundation, The Rist Family Foundation C/O Brian Rist, Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (fka Oneworld Boston Inc), Theodore Edson Parker Foundation, Amelia Peabody Foundation C/O Joseph Kelly and 95 others reported grants to Lowell organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Lowell. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.