The Inavale Foundation concentrates very large, unrestricted gifts to a small number of major institutions, favoring cultural and educational causes alongside a handful of regional social-service providers. Their giving is dominated by multi-million dollar general-purpose grants to nationally recognized organizations (notably the Metropolitan Opera and Carleton College) while also supporting local needs such as hunger relief and residential recovery services. The pattern suggests strategic, high-impact philanthropy rather than many small awards.
Highly concentrated: very large, often repeat general-purpose grants to a small set of grantees; mix of national cultural/educational institutions and a few local social-service organizations.
Inavale Foundation Inc’s recent giving is defined by very large general-purpose grants to major institutions, especially the Metropolitan Opera and Carleton College. Those two recipients anchor the foundation’s pattern of concentrated support across arts and higher education, with awards large enough to stand out from its broader portfolio of smaller gifts. The foundation also backs community-serving organizations such as the Greater Boston Food Bank and Cooperriis Healing Community, showing that its approach is not limited to cultural institutions alone. What distinguishes this funder is the mix of scale and selectivity. Rather than spreading support across many narrow project grants, it appears to use unrestricted funding for a small set of organizations with established missions. In the recent record, the Metropolitan Opera received $2,000,000 in 2025 and $1,037,350 in 2023, while Carleton College received $1,200,000 in 2025 and $1,000,000 in 2023. Alongside those multi-year commitments, the foundation made substantial gifts to Boston-area and national nonprofits, including broad discretionary support for food security, recovery services, and related community needs.
In arts funding, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to the Metropolitan Opera in 2025 and $1,037,350 in 2023, both listed as general-purpose support. In higher education, Carleton College received $1,200,000 in 2025 and $1,000,000 in 2023, also for general purpose. The foundation also funds food access and emergency relief. Greater Boston Food Bank received $505,000 in 2023, and Feeding America received $11,000 in 2023. Community health and recovery appear in grants such as $500,000 to Cooperriis Healing Community in 2025 and $5,000 to Boston Medical Center in 2025. Its portfolio also includes advocacy and service organizations, including $160,000 to Resist in 2025 and $4,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2025.
Typical grant size is modest for many awards, with a p25 of $1,000, a median of $3,000, and a p75 of $10,250. The recent record also shows a small number of much larger general-purpose grants that drive the foundation’s overall output. Recipients appear across 2023 and 2025, including repeat support for the Metropolitan Opera, Carleton College, Greater Boston Food Bank, and others, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-time gifts. Inavale Foundation Inc does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$4M
$870K
$3.6M
$4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Notable grantees: Metropolitan Opera, Carleton College, Greater Boston Food Bank, Cooperriis Healing Community
All recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients. Boston appears repeatedly in the recipient list, including Greater Boston Food Bank, Grub St Inc, Partners in Health, and Boston Medical Center. Other frequent recipient locations include New York, North Carolina, and Minnesota through organizations in New York, Asheville, Durham, and Northfield. The foundation gives most often in Texas by grant count, even though 36% of grants went to recipients in Massachusetts.
The recent record shows support for major arts institutions, higher education, food security, recovery services, and broader community needs. Examples include general-purpose grants to the Metropolitan Opera and Carleton College, along with support for the Greater Boston Food Bank and Cooperriis Healing Community.
Yes. The Metropolitan Opera and Carleton College each received grants in both 2023 and 2025. Greater Boston Food Bank also appears in the recent record, indicating that some recipients receive ongoing support rather than a single award.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is p25 $1,000, median $3,000, and p75 $10,250. The recent file also includes much larger awards, showing that the portfolio mixes many smaller gifts with a few major grants.
The recent grants are all to U.S. recipients. Massachusetts accounts for 36% of grants, and Texas is the top state by grant count. Boston appears often among recipient cities, alongside New York, Asheville, Durham, and Northfield.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, based on the provided profile data.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CARLETON COLLEGE | NORTHFIELD, MN | $1,200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COOPERRIIS HEALING COMMUNITY | ASHEVILLE, NC | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| RESIST | SOMERVILLE, MA | $160,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRUB ST INC | BOSTON, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH | WORCESTER, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $9,600 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MARA ELEPHANT PROJECT | CARMEL, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | MONTGOMERY, AL | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| KATALUMA REFUGEE HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY | LINCOLN, NE | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST | WASHINGTON, DC | $450 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,001,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CARLETON COLLEGE | NORTHFIELD, MN | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| RESOURCE CENTER FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY IN THE SOUTH | DURHAM, NC | $80,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRUB ST INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH | WORCESTER, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NISGUA | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $11,800 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WILLA CATHER FOUNDATION | RED CLOUD, NE | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| KATALUMA REFUGEE HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY SISTERS FOR ARFICA | BOSTON, MA | $8,700 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY SHIPS | GARDEN VALLEY, TX | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY CORPS | W PORTLAND, OR | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE VALLEY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER | RED CLOUD, NE | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | WASHIGNTON, DC | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FEED THE CHILDREN | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LITTLE BROTHERS FIRENDS OF THE ELDERLY-BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,037,350 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CARLETON COLLEGE | NORTHFIELD, MN | $1,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK | BOSTON, MA | $505,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| RESOURCE CENTER FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY IN THE SOUTH | DURHAM, NC | $80,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRUB ST INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $63,800 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $11,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CARE | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ARLINGTON EATS | ARLINGTON, MA | $5,010 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CHILDRENS HUNGER FUND | SYLMAR, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PARTNERS IN HEALTH | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY SHIPS | GARDEN VALLEY, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY CORPS | W PORTLAND, OR | $3,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MARA ELEPHANT PROJECT | CARMEL, IN | $3,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PROJECT HOPE | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FEED THE CHILDREN | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$2,000,000GENERAL PURPOSE
COOPERRIIS HEALING COMMUNITY
$500,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GRUB ST INC
$60,000GENERAL PURPOSE
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH
$9,600GENERAL PURPOSE
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
KATALUMA REFUGEE HOSPITAL
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
RESOURCE CENTER FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY IN THE SOUTH
$80,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GRUB ST INC
$75,000GENERAL PURPOSE
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NISGUA
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH
$11,800GENERAL PURPOSE
KATALUMA REFUGEE HOSPITAL
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY SISTERS FOR ARFICA
$8,700GENERAL PURPOSE
MERCY SHIPS
$6,000GENERAL PURPOSE
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE VALLEY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
LITTLE BROTHERS FIRENDS OF THE ELDERLY-BOSTON
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$1,037,350GENERAL PURPOSE
RESOURCE CENTER FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY IN THE SOUTH
$80,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GRUB ST INC
$75,000GENERAL PURPOSE
OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH
$63,800GENERAL PURPOSE
ARLINGTON EATS
$5,010GENERAL PURPOSE
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MERCY SHIPS
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
PROJECT HOPE
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSE