Foundations that fund organizations in Watertown, Massachusetts
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Watertown nonprofits
427 private foundations gave $24M to Watertown organizations in their latest filings; 31 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
553 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Watertown around $50K. 38 of these funders are based in Massachusetts; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 427
- Accept applications
- 31
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to Watertown
- $24M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 553
- Typical median grant
- $50K
- Based in MA
- 38%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Watertown organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | 9 | $9.1M | $825K | Yes | Vaccine development; Discovery and translational sciences; K-12 education |
| Wal-Dot Foundation | Allen, TX | 1 | $1.3M | $1.3M | Preselected only | Charitable |
| The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 2 | $1.1M | $525K | Yes | For general operating support; For increasing access to reproductive health in cote d'ivoi… |
| The Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable | Boca Grande, FL | 1 | $567K | $567K | Preselected only | General |
| Margaret a Cargill Foundation | Eden Prairie, MN | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | Integrated health and conservation programming in northern… |
| William M Wood Foundation | Dallas, TX | 1 | $500K | $500K | Yes | College success program |
| Wells Fargo Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | Loan Capital Grant Request |
| Carnegie Corporation of New York | New York, NY | 1 | $500K | $500K | Yes | For general support |
| Lavelle Fund for the Blind Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $486K | $486K | Yes | #25-28: transforming learning for children who are blind an… |
| Novo Foundation | Hurley, NY | 1 | $350K | $350K | Preselected only | Delevan street films: join or die documentary |
| Skyline Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $300K | $300K | Preselected only | General support |
| Walton Family Foundation Inc | Bentonville, AR | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | To Launch a state practice to support state education agenc… |
| Jerome Lyle Rappaport Charitable Foundation | Burlington, MA | 1 | $228K | $228K | Preselected only | Education support |
| Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $222K | $222K | Preselected only | Advancing reproductive rights in tanzania |
| Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (fka Oneworld Boston Inc) | Woburn, MA | 6 | $210K | $35K | Yes | Human Services; Education; Animal Welfare |
| The Wallace Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | To support districts participating in Wallace's ECPI. |
| Cb Laub Family Foundation | Potomac, MD | 1 | $200K | $200K | Yes | International maternal health |
| Wk Kellogg Foundation | Battle Creek, MI | 1 | $200K | $200K | Yes | Early Care and Education |
| Jhm Charitable Foundation | Manhattan Beach, CA | 2 | $180K | $90K | Preselected only | Public support of organization mission |
| Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 4 | $175K | $48K | Yes | Shakespeare+ inside and out; Employment coaching for low-income autistic youth; Deaf accessible health and education program |
| Give Forward Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $175K | $175K | Preselected only | Coalition to reimagine teaching |
| Bilezikian Family Foundation Inc | Yarmouthport, MA | 4 | $169K | $40K | Preselected only | Support for organization's programs |
| Cedar Tree Foundation | Boston, MA | 2 | $160K | $80K | Preselected only | Project support for join or die 2024 impact tour; General support |
| Miller Family Foundation #2 | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $145K | $145K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Armenian Cultural Association of New York Inc | Bayside, NY | 3 | $126K | $62K | Preselected only | Ongoing programs; Ongoing programs and artkash fund |
| Olin J Cochran Tr UW Xxx-Xx-Xxxx | Manchester, NH | 1 | $117K | $117K | Preselected only | Daily operations |
| William K Bowes Jr Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | To support the als capsule |
| Amelia Peabody Foundation C/O Joseph Kelly | Topsfield, MA | 2 | $100K | $50K | Yes | Western MA Expansion Project; The Transition Center: Empowering Youth with Disabilities T… |
| Joseph G Bradley Charitable Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | For organ restoration |
| The Jack and Kathy Shields Family Foundation | Duxbury, MA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | Program support |
| The Smith Family Foundation Inc | Carmel, IN | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | General support of charity |
| Makepeace Isab Charitable Trust Xxx-Xx-Xxxx | Manchester, NH | 1 | $92K | $92K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Nordblom Family Foundation | Burlington, MA | 2 | $90K | $45K | Preselected only | Power of parenting and parent leadership programs; Support for infants and toddlers with visual impairments an… |
| The Alan K and Isabelle Derkazarian Fdn | Belmont, MA | 3 | $81K | $25K | Yes | Unrestricted; 50th Anniversary annual fund; Varujan Boghosian and Serj Tankian art exhibitions |
| Joseph and Rae Gann Charitable Foundation | Bal Harbour, FL | 3 | $80K | $5,000 | Preselected only | General |
| Riley Mabel Louise Tr Uwill | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $80K | $80K | Yes | General operating |
| Robert a Semonian Charitable Trust C/O Leon Semonian | Newton Center, MA | 5 | $80K | $10K | Preselected only | Further programs |
| Perspective Media Initiatives Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | Post-production and impact support for election administrat… |
| Raikes Foundation | Seattle, WA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | Seed district strategic planning project |
| The Argosy Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | 2 | $75K | $38K | Preselected only | Communications project; Misinformation project |
| The Richard Stravitz Foundation | Virginia Beach, VA | 1 | $70K | $70K | Preselected only | General & Capital Purposes, unless noted |
| Anca Eastern Region Endowment Fund Inc | Watertown, MA | 2 | $70K | $35K | Preselected only | Publish newspaper pertaining to armenian cultural issues; Promote armenian culture in u.s. |
| Roth Family Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $65K | $65K | Preselected only | Finishing costs for the film "cut to david" |
| The Cooperative Charitable Trust | Watertown, MA | 1 | $63K | $63K | Yes | Forum expensesto encourage employeeowned businesses |
| The Laurie M Tisch Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | To further educational, religious, medical, cultural, socie… |
| Je & Zb Butler Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Individual and family support services |
| Wescustogo Foundation | Captiva, FL | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | General Support |
| Aurelian and Anahid Mardirosian Charitable Foundation Inc | Lynnfield, MA | 3 | $55K | $10K | Preselected only | Support charitable cause |
| The Flatley Foundation | Braintree, MA | 2 | $55K | $28K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| The Marshall Home Fund Inc | Watertown, MA | 12 | $53K | $5,000 | Yes | Holiday gifts for the elderly; Aging creatively program; Thriving with vision loss |
| Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust C/O Lawrence Litwak | Wellesley, MA | 1 | $52K | $52K | Preselected only | Unrestricated |
| Johnson Family Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Richard Melik Simonian Charitable Trust | Worcester, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Educational |
| Dora Freedman Levit Fund for People C/O Laurie Levit | Santa Monica, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | General purpose of charity |
| Foundation for a Better World Inc | Marietta, GA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Program expenses |
| Metta Charitable Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Humanity United | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General Operating Support |
| Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | For its impact campaign for join or die |
| Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | General support |
| Charles Mosesian Family Foundation | Weston, MA | 4 | $50K | $7,500 | Preselected only | Program support |
| Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | 3 | $50K | $20K | Preselected only | Exempt purpose |
| Karisma Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | To support established charities |
| The John and Rosemary Brown Family Foundation | Atlanta, GA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General |
| Sarah Decoizart Perpetual Charitable Tr | Chicago, IL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | General support |
| Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation | Wellesley, MA | 2 | $50K | $25K | Preselected only | General purposes of the organization |
| Brothers Brook Foundation | Denver, CO | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Cure or treatment for chronic disease |
| Team Hilliard Foundation | Westworth Village, TX | 1 | $46K | $46K | Preselected only | Medical research |
| Boston Center for Blind Children Inc | Spencer, MA | 1 | $45K | $45K | Preselected only | Cash grant for operations |
| Tuco George R Wright Tuw | Dallas, TX | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust | Providence, RI | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | Program support |
| The Mugar Foundation C/O Mugar Enterprises | Boston, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | Gift to the stephen p. mugar memorial golf tournament in su… |
| The Klarman Family Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | Support for music education programming |
| Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | General Support |
| Maria Torok Foundation #0738518 | Boston, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | To support the work of the organization's programs for olde… |
| The Peabody Foundation Inc C/O Judith E Rhoades | Plymouth, MA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | To benefit handicapped children &/related research. |
| UW Sarah Hunt Howell | Dallas, TX | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Support & instruction of |
| Armenia Empyrean Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 4 | $39K | $6,575 | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Mary L Perkins Trust UW | Dallas, TX | 1 | $38K | $38K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Thaler Howell Foundation Inc | Yarmouth, ME | 1 | $36K | $36K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| The William & Lia G Poorvu Family Foundation | Cambridge, MA | 2 | $35K | $18K | Preselected only | Operating support; Program support |
| Sjs Charitable Trust C/O Andersen Tax | New York, NY | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Michael & Vincenza Vinciullo Charitable Foundation | Concord, MA | 2 | $35K | $18K | Preselected only | General use; Scholarships |
| Eastern Bank Foundation | Wakefield, MA | 7 | $35K | $1,000 | Yes | Exempt purpose |
| Mark P & Joyce a Davis Char Tr | Dallas, TX | 1 | $33K | $33K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| S Alice Knapp Trust | Dallas, TX | 1 | $33K | $33K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation | Allston, MA | 3 | $33K | $10K | Preselected only | General |
| Michael T Sherman Foundation #95-602840 | Boston, MA | 1 | $32K | $32K | Preselected only | General purpose |
| Charles F Nagle UW | Dallas, TX | 1 | $32K | $32K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Howard & Robin Reisman Charitable Trust | Braintree, MA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | To assist an organization that help people with disabilities |
| The Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation C/O Gma Foundations | Boston, MA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | Exempt purpose |
| Rowan T O'Riley Family Foundation | Wellesley, MA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Support |
| Perkins Charitable Foundation | Gates Mills, OH | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | Philanthropic purposes. |
| Sumner Roy Kates Charitable Trust #0762147 | Boston, MA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General fund |
| Mfs Investment Management Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Chubb Charitable Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | 8 | $26K | $1,805 | Yes | Matching Gifts |
| Starhill Associates Inc C/O Greensteinrogoffolsen & Collp | Fremont, CA | 1 | $26K | $26K | Preselected only | Further recipient organization's charitable activities |
| The D Lane & Anwyl Bates Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | General charitable purposes |
| Theodore L Cross Family Charitable Foundation | Commack, NY | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General Purpose |
| Hazard Family Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Conrad N Hilton Foundation | Westlake Village, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | For general operating support |
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 Watertown, Massachusetts?
Gates Foundation, Wal-Dot Foundation, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable, Margaret a Cargill Foundation and 95 others reported grants to Watertown 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 Watertown. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.