The Melva Bucksbaum Family Foundation makes a small number of very large, flexible grants concentrated in arts and regionally focused philanthropy. A substantial share of funding goes to a contemporary art institution (Aspen Art Museum) and to intermediary vehicles (a donor-advised fund and a community foundation), suggesting emphasis on visual arts plus place-based or pass-through support. Many grants are unrestricted in purpose and awarded repeatedly to the same recipients.
Highly concentrated giving: few, very large grants (multi-six-figure to seven-figure), repeated payments to the same grantees and significant use of intermediary vehicles rather than many small grants.
A defining feature of the Melva Bucksbaum Family Foundation is its pattern of very large, repeated grants to a small set of recipients. The biggest recent awards went to Aspen Art Museum, which received $1,000,000 in both 2023 and 2024, showing a multiyear relationship rather than a one-time gift. The foundation also uses intermediary vehicles heavily: Argonautica Fidelity Donor Advised Fund received $750,000 in both years, and Our Regenerative Future Donor Advised Fund received $250,000 in both years. Those recurring grants point to a giving style that favors sustained support and charitable intent fulfillment over broad, one-off distribution. Other recent awards extend that pattern to place-based philanthropy and community-oriented vehicles, including Maine Community Foundation and Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. Across the recent record, the foundation’s grantmaking is concentrated among nonprofit 501(c)(3) entities and charitable intermediaries, with many awards described as contributions made for the intent established by the various charities.
Contemporary visual arts is a clear part of the foundation’s giving. Aspen Art Museum received $1,000,000 in 2024 for contributions made for the intent established by the various charities, and it also received the same amount in 2023. The foundation also supports pass-through philanthropy through donor-advised funds, including $750,000 in 2024 to Argonautica Fidelity Donor Advised Fund for charitable intent fulfillment. Place-based philanthropy appears as well: Maine Community Foundation received $650,000 in 2024 under the same contribution language. The recent record also includes support for regional nonprofits such as Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation and Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, each funded at $250,000.
Typical grants are large: the p25, median, and p75 are $250,000, $250,000, and $750,000. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, including Aspen Art Museum, Argonautica Fidelity Donor Advised Fund, Our Regenerative Future Donor Advised Fund, and Maine Community Foundation. That repetition suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Many grants are framed as contributions made for the intent established by the various charities, indicating flexible, recipient-directed support.
$4M
$0
$622K
$4M
Most grants fall between $250K and $750K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$250K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$750K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Notable grantees: Aspen Art Museum, Argonautica Fidelity Donor Advised Fund, Maine Community Foundation
The foundation gives nationally, and all recent grants in the dataset went to US recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, with Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie among the recent awards. Other recent recipient cities include Aspen, Boston, Portland, Torrington, Bellevue, Ely, and Harpswell. Although the foundation is headquartered in Chicago, no recent grants in the provided list went to Illinois recipients.
The typical recent grant size is large. The 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are $250,000, $250,000, and $750,000, respectively. Recent awards also include $1,000,000 grants and several $250,000 grants.
Recent grants go to nonprofit charities, donor-advised funds, and community foundations. Examples in the record include Aspen Art Museum, Maine Community Foundation, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and several donor-advised fund vehicles.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat grants to several recipients across 2023 and 2024, including Aspen Art Museum, Argonautica Fidelity Donor Advised Fund, Our Regenerative Future Donor Advised Fund, and Maine Community Foundation.
The recent grants emphasize contemporary visual arts, donor-advised fund pass-through philanthropy, and regional community foundations or place-based support. A few awards also support flexible general charitable purposes through recipient-established intent language.
Its top state by grant count is New York. Recent grants in the list include a recipient in Poughkeepsie, NY, along with grants to organizations in Aspen, Boston, Portland, Torrington, Bellevue, Ely, and Harpswell.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRAKE UNIVERSITY | DES MOINES, IA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $835,335 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SAUSALITO, CA | $335,335 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | CHICAGO, IL | $335,334 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| QUAHOG BAY CONSERVATION | HARPSWELL, ME | $300,000 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $200,000 | 2026 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM | ASPEN, CO | $1,000,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $300,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $150,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, ME | $125,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE HUDSON VALLEY | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| QUAHOG BAY CONSERVATION | HARPSWELL, ME | $125,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TORRINGTON, CT | $125,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| NEVADA NORTHERN RAILWAY FOUNDATION | ELY, NV | $50,000 | 2025 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM | ASPEN, CO | $1,000,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, ME | $650,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| NEVADA NORTHERN RAILWAY FOUNDATION | ELY, NV | $250,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $250,000 | 2024 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM | ASPEN, CO | $1,000,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $750,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, ME | $500,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TORRINGTON, CT | $250,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | $250,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
| QUAHOG BAY CONSERVANCY | HARPSWELL, ME | $150,000 | 2023 | ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES |
DRAKE UNIVERSITY
$1,000,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
MAYO CLINIC
$835,335ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND
$750,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
$335,334ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
QUAHOG BAY CONSERVATION
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$250,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION
$200,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND
$750,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION
$300,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$250,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
MAYO CLINIC
$150,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
QUAHOG BAY CONSERVATION
$125,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND
$750,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$250,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION
$250,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ARGONAUTICA FIDELITY DONOR ADVISED FUND
$750,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
OUR REGENERATIVE FUTURE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$250,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES
QUAHOG BAY CONSERVANCY
$150,000ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THE INTENT ESTABLISHED BY THE VARIOUS CHARITIES