About Cromwell Harbor Supporting Foundation
The Foundation believes the world is fundamentally transformed by individuals—young, exceptionally talented, and multi-faceted in their intellectual approach. It seeks out early-career talent and supports individuals with awards (the Chrysalis Prize) to enable long-term, boundary-crossing intellectual work.
Focus Areas
Evolutionary biologyArchaeologyEarly-career researchersIndividual-based awards/prizesBasic and exploratory scientific research
Funding Style
general operating (unrestricted) supportproject-specific (time-limited) fundingmixed portfolio of general and project grantsflexible funding to support both ongoing operations and discrete initiatives
Topics
About Cromwell Harbor Supporting Foundation
Cromwell Harbor Supporting Foundation Inc centers its giving on early-career talent and on prizes for individuals, especially through the Chrysalis Prize. The foundation says it believes the world is transformed by young people with exceptional, multi-faceted intellectual ability, and it uses that view to support boundary-crossing work in evolutionary biology and archaeology. In its active prize program, awards go directly to individuals rather than institutions, with the inaugural year honoring two winners and later years intended to expand globally. Its recent grant list also shows substantial support for nonprofit organizations through general support and special project grants. Among the largest awards were $1,176,000 to College of the Atlantic for general support and $355,000 to Boston Foundation Inc for general support. The portfolio also includes recurring support for institutions tied to education, research, culture, and community services, alongside project-based gifts to major Boston-area organizations. William N Thorndike Jr leads the foundation, and the latest 990 on file is 2025.
What Cromwell Harbor Supporting Foundation Funds
In basic and exploratory science, the Chrysalis Prize is the clearest expression of the foundation’s priorities: it recognizes early-career individuals in evolutionary biology and archaeology and provides $250,000 awards. The program is built around individual achievement rather than institutional funding. Among nonprofit grants, College of the Atlantic received $1,176,000 in 2025 for general support, and the same institution also received $75,000 in 2023 for general support and a special project. That pattern points to a mix of operating and time-limited support. The foundation also backs cultural and educational organizations. Author's Guild Foundation received $100,000 in 2025 for general support, while Wgbh Educational Foundation received $25,000 in 2024 and again in 2025 for general support. Massachusetts General Hospital received $100,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2025 for special projects.
How Cromwell Harbor Supporting Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the middle range: p25 is $11,250, the median is $25,000, and p75 is $68,750. The recent record shows both one-off awards and repeat support across multiple years, including several organizations that received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation combines general operating support with special project funding, and its Chrysalis Prize is a separate individual award program at $250,000 per recipient. Public materials describe direct grants to nonprofits and note no public application portal or deadlines; grant opportunities appear to be by invitation or internal selection.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.4M
Total Assets
$66M
Total Revenue
$7.6M
Total Expenses
$1.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $69K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$69K
Geographic Reach
Regional5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
WILLIAM N THORNDIKE JR
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