The Gordon Foundation concentrates major unrestricted support on Massachusetts higher-education and science institutions, privileging large institutional gifts that fund broad institutional priorities rather than narrowly restricted programs. Their giving emphasizes STEM education, university research capacity, and public science engagement, with a secondary interest in supporting Israeli technical higher education through fundraising partners. Most dollars are directed to a small set of repeat grantees, reflecting a relationship-focused, place-based strategy centered in New England.
Concentrated, high-dollar unrestricted grants to a small number of repeat institutional grantees; few grants overall but several multi-grant relationships.
A defining feature of Gordon Foundation Bernard M Gordon Et Al Trustees is its repeated, unrestricted support for Northeastern University in Boston, including a $4,200,500 grant in 2025, a $4,133,500 grant in 2024, and a $1,400,000 grant in 2023. That pattern sits at the center of a broader portfolio built around Massachusetts higher education, science, and institutional capacity. The foundation also backed Salem State University with $1,000,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and supported the Museum of Science in Boston with $750,000 grants in 2024 and 2025. Across the recent grants listed here, the common thread is flexible support rather than tightly restricted project funding. The foundation appears to favor large institutional gifts to organizations that advance STEM education, research infrastructure, and public science engagement. Its giving also extends to a smaller set of other causes, including health care, education, conservation, and Israeli technical higher education through American Society for Technion.
In university support, the foundation gave $4,200,500 to Northeastern University for unrestricted purposes and $1,000,000 to Salem State University for unrestricted support. Those gifts point to a strong interest in institutional strength at regional colleges and universities. In public science, the Museum of Science received $750,000 in both 2024 and 2025, also as unrestricted grants. Health-related giving includes $375,000 to Massachusetts General Hospital and $250,000 to The Mass General Hospital Corp, indicating support for major medical institutions. The foundation also funded community organizations such as Gloucester Education Foundation at $35,000 in 2025 and Manchester Essex Conservation Trust at $25,000 in 2025, showing a narrower set of local grants alongside the larger institutional awards.
Typical grant size is $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $530,000 at the 75th percentile, showing a distribution that is pulled upward by large institutional gifts. The recent record is repeat-heavy: Northeastern University, Salem State University, Museum of Science, American Society for Technion, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Eye Corps Inc, and Gloucester Education Foundation each appear across multiple years. Grants are described as unrestricted, which points to flexible support rather than program-specific funding. The foundation is a trustee-led private foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$6.7M
$1.8M
$7.2M
$6.7M
Most grants fall between $50K and $530K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$530K
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Notable grantees: Northeastern University, Salem State University, Museum of Science, American Society for Technion
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, with 26 grants going to U.S. organizations. Massachusetts dominates the map: 72% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and the top recipient cities include Boston, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Beverly, and Manchester. Outside Massachusetts, the recent grants list includes New York, Dallas, and Memphis, but those appear less frequently than the Boston-area cluster. The pattern is regional, with most support concentrated in Massachusetts institutions.
Most of the recent dollars go to major Massachusetts institutions, especially universities and science organizations. Northeastern University, Salem State University, and the Museum of Science each received large unrestricted grants, and the list also includes health care institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.
The recent grants shown are described as unrestricted. That includes large awards to Northeastern University, Salem State University, the Museum of Science, and American Society for Technion, indicating flexible support rather than tightly designated project funding.
Yes. Northeastern University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Salem State University appears in 2024 and 2025; the Museum of Science appears in 2024 and 2025; and American Society for Technion appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size profile is centered at $50,000 for the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $530,000 at the 75th percentile. That spread reflects a mix of many smaller institutional or community grants and a smaller number of very large awards.
The recipient base is overwhelmingly Massachusetts-centered. 72% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and recent recipients include organizations in Boston, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Beverly, and Manchester. All of the grants in the provided list are to U.S. organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $4,200,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY | SALEM, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TECHNION | NEW YORK, NY | $530,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER | BURLINGTON, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| EYE CORPS INC | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION | GLOUCESTER, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| MANCHESTER ESSEX CONSERVATION TRUST | MANCHESTER, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $4,133,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY | SALEM, MA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| MUSEUM OF SCIENCE | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TECHNION | NEW YORK, NY | $530,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $375,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER | BURLINGTON, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| EYE CORPS INC | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| TEMPLE AHAVAT ACHIM | GLOUCESTER, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION | GLOUCESTER, MA | $35,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $1,400,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TECHNION | NEW YORK, NY | $530,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| THE MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL CORP | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER | BURLINGTON, MA | $75,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| EYE CORPS INC | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| TEMPLE AHAVAT ACHIM | GLOUCESTER, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION | GLOUCESTER, MA | $30,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| NORTH SHORE INNOVENTURES | BEVERLY, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GRANT |
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
$1,000,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
UNRESTRICTED GRANT
GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$35,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
MANCHESTER ESSEX CONSERVATION TRUST
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
$1,000,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$375,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
TEMPLE AHAVAT ACHIM
$50,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$35,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
THE MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL CORP
$250,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
TEMPLE AHAVAT ACHIM
$50,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
GLOUCESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT
NORTH SHORE INNOVENTURES
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GRANT