The Anne and Paul Marcus Family Foundation concentrates its giving in Greater Boston, making a small number of very large, flexible grants to mission-driven local institutions. Its two primary recipients — Exceptional Lives and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — indicate a priority on direct support for disability-related family services and major higher‑education/research institutions. Grants appear to be repeat and unrestricted in purpose, signaling long‑term partnerships rather than one‑off project funding.
Highly concentrated giving: few, large grants with repeat funding to core grantees; predominantly general/operating support rather than many small or geographically dispersed awards.
A defining feature of the Anne and Paul Marcus Family Foundation is its repeated, high-dollar support for Exceptional Lives, including grants of $825,000 in 2024, $650,000 in 2024, and $630,000 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that backs organizations over time rather than making isolated awards. The foundation also made an $800,000 grant to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2024 and a $250,000 follow-on grant to the same institution, showing similarly substantial support for higher education and research. Beyond those largest awards, the foundation’s recent giving includes Boston-area health, education, and family-serving institutions such as The Children's Trust Inc, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and The Park School. Its grant purposes are consistently listed as “to further charitable purpose,” which suggests flexible use rather than tightly restricted project funding. Across the recent grants list, the foundation’s profile is shaped by a small set of recurring relationships and a clear emphasis on institutions in Greater Boston, with a few awards extending to nearby and other U.S. nonprofits.
In disability and special-needs family services, the foundation supported Exceptional Lives with multiple seven-figure-scale awards, including $825,000 in 2024 and $630,000 in 2025, making this one of its clearest recurring commitments. In higher education and research, it gave $800,000 to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2024, followed by another $250,000 grant the same year. The foundation also supports child and family-serving organizations: The Children's Trust Inc received $57,500 in 2025 and $55,000 and $53,000 in 2024, while Boston Children's Hospital received $25,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Smaller grants also reached writing, civic, and research organizations, including $60,000 to Write the World and $12,500 to Riaan Research Initiative.
Typical grants are modest relative to the largest awards, with a p25 of $1,500, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $16,000. The recent record also shows a pronounced upper tier of large, flexible grants, including several six- and seven-figure awards. Recipients appear across more than one year, with repeated support visible for multiple organizations, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Grant purposes are consistently described as general charitable support.
$937K
$2.3M
$1.2M
$951K
Most grants fall between $2K and $16K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$16K
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Notable grantees: Exceptional Lives, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grantmaking is concentrated in Massachusetts, where 75% of grants go and where the top recipient cities include Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. Boston appears repeatedly through recipients such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Children’s Trust Inc, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Brookline shows up through Exceptional Lives and The Park School, while Cambridge appears through Write the World. Outside Massachusetts, grants in the recent list reached New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Oakland Gardens, NY, but the overall pattern remains strongly local to Greater Boston.
Its recent grants show a clear emphasis on Greater Boston institutions working in disability and special-needs family services, higher education and research, and child and family-serving nonprofits. Exceptional Lives, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Children’s Trust Inc, Boston Children’s Hospital, and The Park School are among the recurring recipients.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $1,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $16,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes much larger awards, including several grants in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Exceptional Lives, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Children’s Trust Inc, Harvard University, The Park School, Jcc of Greater New Haven, and Boston Children’s Hospital. That pattern suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off grants.
Massachusetts is the clear center of gravity: 75% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge appear repeatedly in the recipient list, with additional grants reaching New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Oakland Gardens, NY.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXCEPTIONAL LIVES | BROOKLINE, MA | $630,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| WRITE THE WORLD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC | BOSTON, MA | $57,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JCC OF GREATER NEW HAVEN | WOODBRIDGE, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE PARK SCHOOL | BROOKLINE, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| NEW PROFIT | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MSPCA-ANGELL | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| FAMILIES FIRST PARENTING PROGRAMS | WATERTOWN, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| CHAPEL HAVEN SCHLEIFER CENTER | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| PARTNERSFORYOUTHWITHDISABILITIES | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| PAN MASS CHALLENGE | NEEDHAM, MA | $6,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| EDVESTORS | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| BRIDGE BOSTON FOUNDATION | ROXBURY, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE | HANCOCK, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| METROMORPHOSIS | BATON ROUGE, LA | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MEDICARE RIGHTS CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| COURAGEOUS PARENTS NETWORK | NEWTON, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MCGOVERN INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH AT MIT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $1,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE ANDY BOVIN MEMORIAL FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| ROSIE'S PLACE | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| CARITAS COMMUNITIES | BRAINTREE, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MEDFIELD FOUNDATION INC | MEDFIELD, MA | $250 | 2025 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| EXCEPTIONAL LIVES | BROOKLINE, MA | $825,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | BOSTON, MA | $800,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| EXCEPTIONAL LIVES | BROOKLINE, MA | $650,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC | BOSTON, MA | $55,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC | BOSTON, MA | $53,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| BIOBUS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $51,414 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SUSAN F SMITH CENTER FOR WOMEN | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| NEW COMMONWEALTH RACIAL | TOXBURY, MA | $30,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS WONDERFUND INC | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| COMBINED JEWISH PHILANTHROPIC | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| METROMORPHOSIS | BATON ROUGE, LA | $20,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE PARK SCHOOL | BROOKLINE, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE PARK SCHOOL | BROOKLINE, MA | $17,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JCC OF GREATER NEW HAVEN | WOODBRIDGE, CT | $15,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| RIAAN RESEARCH INITIATIVE | OAKLAND GARDENS, NY | $12,500 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| MSPCA-ANGELL | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| NEW PROFIT | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| METROMORPHOSIS | BATON ROUGE, LA | $12,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
EXCEPTIONAL LIVES
$630,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
WRITE THE WORLD
$60,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC
$57,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
$35,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$25,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JCC OF GREATER NEW HAVEN
$20,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE PARK SCHOOL
$20,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
NEW PROFIT
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MSPCA-ANGELL
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
FAMILIES FIRST PARENTING PROGRAMS
$10,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
CHAPEL HAVEN SCHLEIFER CENTER
$10,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
PARTNERSFORYOUTHWITHDISABILITIES
$7,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
PAN MASS CHALLENGE
$6,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM
$5,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$5,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
EDVESTORS
$5,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BRIDGE BOSTON FOUNDATION
$3,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE
$2,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
METROMORPHOSIS
$2,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MEDICARE RIGHTS CENTER
$2,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
COURAGEOUS PARENTS NETWORK
$2,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MCGOVERN INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH AT MIT
$1,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE ANDY BOVIN MEMORIAL FUND
$1,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
ROSIE'S PLACE
$1,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
CARITAS COMMUNITIES
$1,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MEDFIELD FOUNDATION INC
$250TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
EXCEPTIONAL LIVES
$825,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$800,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
EXCEPTIONAL LIVES
$650,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$250,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC
$55,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC
$53,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BIOBUS INC
$51,414TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
SUSAN F SMITH CENTER FOR WOMEN
$50,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
$40,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
$35,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
NEW COMMONWEALTH RACIAL
$30,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MASSACHUSETTS WONDERFUND INC
$25,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$25,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
COMBINED JEWISH PHILANTHROPIC
$25,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$25,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
METROMORPHOSIS
$20,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE PARK SCHOOL
$20,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE PARK SCHOOL
$17,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JCC OF GREATER NEW HAVEN
$15,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
RIAAN RESEARCH INITIATIVE
$12,500TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
MSPCA-ANGELL
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
NEW PROFIT
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE
METROMORPHOSIS
$12,000TO FURTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE