This small, Boston-based family foundation concentrates its giving on direct social service organizations that serve local communities. Recent grants show a preference for neighborhood community center program support and for domestic violence prevention services, suggesting a focus on frontline, client-facing programs that benefit vulnerable residents. The foundation makes relatively few, targeted gifts rather than broad grantmaking across many organizations.
A recurring pattern in Marianne J H Witherby Foundation Leiha Macauley Et Al Trustees’ recent giving is support for direct services that reach people in need through neighborhood institutions and client-facing programs. The largest recent grant in the record is $20,000 to Nasson Community Center for community center improvements, followed by $15,000 to Reach Beyond Domestic Violence for domestic abuse prevention programs. Those awards show a preference for practical support that strengthens organizations serving local residents. The foundation’s recent grants also point to a mix of social services and access-oriented programming. It has backed community center work in Springvale, emergency pantry services in Lawrence, job readiness in Boston, and vision rehabilitation and technology services at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton. Its grantmaking includes repeated support for some recipients across multiple years, which suggests an ongoing relationship with a small set of organizations rather than broad, one-time funding across many groups. The foundation also funds community broadcasting and music therapy, indicating interest in services that combine access, enrichment, and support for vulnerable populations.
One clear area is domestic violence prevention and survivor support. In 2024, the foundation gave $15,000 to Reach Beyond Domestic Violence for domestic abuse prevention programs, and in 2023 it gave the same organization $10,000 for virtual support groups and supply delivery. That pairing suggests support for both prevention work and practical assistance. Another area is neighborhood and community center support. Nasson Community Center received $20,000 in 2024 for community center improvements and $13,000 in 2023 for community center programs. The foundation also funded emergency food access, including $10,000 to Bread and Roses Inc for an emergency pantry program. Beyond that, it supported job readiness through Community Work Services and vision-related services at the Carroll Center for the Blind, including low vision, technology, and vision rehabilitation programs.
Typical grants cluster tightly around $7,500 to $10,000, with a median of $10,000 and a p25 of $7,500; the upper quartile is also $10,000. That points to a fairly concentrated grant size pattern with a few larger awards above the norm. The foundation appears to make repeat grants to the same organizations across multiple years, including support for the same programs or closely related work. It gives as a family foundation and also funds individuals. Program-related investments are not part of the structure noted in the data.
$113K
$1.1M
$627K
$134K
Most grants fall between $8K and $10K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Concentrated and local: very few grants (3 total) with repeat funding to a core local partner (Nasson Community Center) and modest-sized awards to specialized service providers rather than broad institutional philanthropy.
Notable grantees: Nasson Community Center, Reach Beyond Domestic Violence
Giving is local and overwhelmingly Massachusetts-centered: 86% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state, MA. Within the recent grants list, Boston appears multiple times, along with Waltham, Newton, Lawrence, and Marshfield. The top state by grant count is Maine, reflecting several grants to organizations there, including Springvale. All recorded grants in the sample went to U.S. recipients.
The grant-size distribution is tightly centered. The p25 is $7,500, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $10,000. Recent awards mostly fall in that range, with a few larger grants such as $15,000 and $20,000.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list. Examples include Nasson Community Center, Reach Beyond Domestic Violence, Berklee College of Music Inc, Community Work Services, Rogerson House, and Talking Information Center Network, each with awards in multiple years or more than one grant.
The recent record shows direct-service and community-based organizations: a community center, a domestic violence organization, a blind services provider, an emergency pantry, a job readiness program, a music therapy program, and a free broadcasting network. The pattern is strongest around frontline services for vulnerable residents.
The foundation gives locally, and 86% of grants went to recipients in Massachusetts. The recent grants list also shows recipients in Boston, Waltham, Newton, Lawrence, Marshfield, and Springvale, with Maine as the top state by grant count.
Yes. The foundation is marked as funding individuals. The rest of the record also fits direct assistance and client-facing support, including emergency pantry services, virtual support groups and supply delivery, job readiness, and vision rehabilitation programs.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER | SPRINGVALE, ME | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| REACH BEYOND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | WALTHAM, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FAMILIES FIRST | WATERTOWN, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROGERSON COMMUNITIES | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK | MARSHFIELD, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BREAD & ROSES | LAWRENCE, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIA INC | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAB COMMUNITY SERVICES INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND | NEWTON, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER | SPRINGVALE, ME | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| REACH BEYOND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | WALTHAM, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROGERSON COMMUNITIES | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BREAD & ROSES | LAWRENCE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIA INC | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAB COMMUNITY SERVICES INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND | NEWTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER | SPRINGVALE, ME | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS |
| REACH BEYOND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | WALTHAM, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR BIAAE PROGRAM |
| CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND | NEWTON, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, LOW VISION, TECHNOLOGY AND VISION REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR THOSE IN NEED |
| BREAD AND ROSES INC | LAWRENCE, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY PANTRY PROGRAM |
| COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR JOB READINESS TRAINING PROGRAM |
| ROGERSON HOUSE | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM |
| TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK | MARSHFIELD, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF FREE BROADCASTING PROGRAMMING |
| NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER | SPRINGVALE, ME | $13,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY CENTER PROGRAMS |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR BIAESN PROGRAM |
| REACH BEYOND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | WALTHAM, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS AND SUPPLY DELIVERY |
| COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR JOB READINESS PROGRAM |
| ROGERSON HOUSE | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM |
| TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK | MARSHFIELD, MA | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF FREE BROADCASTING PROGRAMMING |
NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROGERSON COMMUNITIES
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERVICES
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BREAD & ROSES
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
RIA INC
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERVICES
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
ROGERSON COMMUNITIES
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BREAD & ROSES
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RIA INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER
$20,000SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC
$10,000SUPPORT FOR BIAAE PROGRAM
SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, LOW VISION, TECHNOLOGY AND VISION REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR THOSE IN NEED
BREAD AND ROSES INC
$10,000SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY PANTRY PROGRAM
COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES
$7,500SUPPORT FOR JOB READINESS TRAINING PROGRAM
ROGERSON HOUSE
$7,500SUPPORT OF MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM
TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK
$5,000SUPPORT OF FREE BROADCASTING PROGRAMMING
NASSON COMMUNITY CENTER
$13,000SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY CENTER PROGRAMS
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC
$10,000SUPPORT FOR BIAESN PROGRAM
SUPPORT FOR VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS AND SUPPLY DELIVERY
COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES
$10,000SUPPORT FOR JOB READINESS PROGRAM
ROGERSON HOUSE
$7,500SUPPORT OF MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM
TALKING INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK
$5,000SUPPORT OF FREE BROADCASTING PROGRAMMING