The Neil & Anna Rasmussen Foundation concentrates largely on Massachusetts-based institutions, mixing very large unrestricted gifts to major Boston research, medical, and media institutions with steady support for regional conservation, historic preservation, and local educational institutions. Their philanthropy reflects a dual interest in world-class science and healthcare (e.g., MIT, Mass Eye and Ear, major hospitals) alongside place-based conservation and cultural heritage tied to Concord and Cape Cod (Walden Woods, Orchard House, Harwich organizations).
Concentrated, high-dollar unrestricted grants to a small set of primary institutions combined with targeted repeat support for local conservation and historic-preservation organizations; few but large awards dominate total giving rather than many small grants.
A $3,012,500 unrestricted grant to MIT anchors the Neil & Anna Rasmussen Foundation’s recent giving and shows the scale of support it directs to Massachusetts institutions. The foundation pairs that kind of large institutional gift with steady unrestricted funding for Boston hospitals and nearby conservation and heritage organizations, most of them in Massachusetts. In the latest grants, Mass Eye and Ear received $1,260,000, while Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital each received $200,000, indicating a strong commitment to medical and research institutions. Alongside those gifts, the foundation also supported regional conservation and place-based preservation groups such as Harwich Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Walden Woods Project, and Concord-based historic organizations. The pattern suggests a funder that uses flexible support to back organizations with established operating needs rather than project-only awards. Its recent grants also include Concord Academy, WGBH, and several institutions tied to Concord literary and civic heritage. Across the portfolio, the foundation’s giving reflects both major institutional philanthropy and sustained support for local Massachusetts organizations.
The Neil & Anna Rasmussen Foundation’s topic mix is clearest in its unrestricted gifts to science and health institutions. In 2025, it gave $3,012,500 to MIT for unrestricted support and $1,260,000 to Mass Eye and Ear for unrestricted support, signaling a focus on research and medical capacity. It also backs Boston-area care providers, including $200,000 each to Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Beyond health and research, the foundation funds conservation and land protection in Massachusetts. Recent examples include $210,000 to Harwich Conservation Trust and $130,000 to Mass Audubon, both unrestricted. A third thread is Concord-area historic and literary heritage: the foundation gave $100,000 to Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, $85,179 to Thoreau Farm, and $25,000 to Wright Tavern Legacy Trust, all unrestricted.
Grant sizes range from modest operating support to very large institutional gifts. In the recent data, the typical award is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $21,250 at the 75th percentile, but the foundation also makes seven-figure contributions. The same organizations appear across multiple years, including Harwich Conservation Trust, Walden Woods Project, Concord Museum, Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association, and NRDC, showing a recurring pattern rather than one-time grants. Every recent award listed is an unrestricted contribution, and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its structure and grant style point to flexible support for organizations’ general operations.
$6.2M
$51.6M
$4.5M
$6.6M
Most grants fall between $5K and $21K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$21K
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Notable grantees: MIT, Mass Eye and Ear, Walden Woods Project, Harwich Conservation Trust, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House / Louisa May Alcott Association
The Neil & Anna Rasmussen Foundation gives overwhelmingly in Massachusetts: 77% of its grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Massachusetts is also its top state by grant count. Recent recipients cluster in Cambridge, Boston, Concord, Lincoln, Harwich, and South Harwich. Outside Massachusetts, the recent grants list includes Washington, DC, and New York, NY, but the recipient country distribution is entirely US-based. The pattern is regional, with most support staying close to Concord and the Boston area.
Its recent grants favor Massachusetts-based research and medical institutions, conservation groups, and Concord-area historic and literary organizations. Examples in the data include MIT, Mass Eye and Ear, Harwich Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Walden Woods Project, and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is relatively small at the center: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $21,250. The same dataset also shows much larger unrestricted awards, including a $3,012,500 grant to MIT.
Yes. Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and 77% of its grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Massachusetts recipients include organizations in Cambridge, Boston, Concord, Lincoln, Harwich, and South Harwich.
The recent grants are listed as unrestricted contributions. That pattern appears across the portfolio, from major institutional gifts to medical and research organizations to support for conservation and heritage groups.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year in the recent grants list, including Harwich Conservation Trust, Walden Woods Project, Concord Museum, Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association, and NRDC.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $3,012,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MASS EYE AND EAR | BOSTON, MA | $1,260,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HARWICH CONSERVATION TRUST | HARWICH, MA | $210,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WGBH | BOSTON, MA | $205,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MASS AUDUBON | LINCOLN, MA | $130,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONCORD ACADEMY | CONCORD, MA | $130,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| SAVE OUR HERITAGE INC | CONCORD, MA | $130,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WALDEN WOODS PROJECT | LINCOLN, MA | $116,145 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S ORCHARD HOUSE | CONCORD, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| THOREAU FARM | CONCORD, MA | $85,179 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONCORD MUSEUM | CONCORD, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| RALPH WALDO EMERSON MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WRIGHT TAVERN LEGACY TRUST | CONCORD, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| DEPLOY US | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NRDC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FRIENDS OF MINUTEMAN NATIONAL PARK | CONCORD, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| EMERSON HOSPITAL | CONCORD, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WAYSIDE INN | SUDBURY, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE | BRONXVILLE, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONCORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY CORPORATION | CONCORD, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| OPENBIOME | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $14,029 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| USA FOR UNFPA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LEAGUE OF MASSACHUSETTS | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY | WORCESTER, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ZOO NEW ENGLAND | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY SUPPORT FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| QUIET COMMUNITIES | CONCORD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HISTORIC DEERFIELD | DEERFIELD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WBUR - ANNUAL | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| THOREAU SOCIETY | CONCORD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION | ASHEVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| THE ROBBINS HOUSE INC | CONCORD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| RESTORE THE NORTH WOODS INC | WESTFORD, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FOOD PROJECT | LINCOLN, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONCORD POLICE RELIEF ASSOCIATION | CONCORD, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FIRST PARISH IN CONCORD | CONCORD, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FRIENDS OF PLEASANT BAY | HARWICH, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FRIENDS OF SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY | CONCORD, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MIT RSO | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| EMERSON HOSPITAL - ANNUAL | CONCORD, MA | $1,010,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
MASS EYE AND EAR
$1,260,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WGBH
$205,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONCORD ACADEMY
$130,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
SAVE OUR HERITAGE INC
$130,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S ORCHARD HOUSE
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
THOREAU FARM
$85,179UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONCORD MUSEUM
$60,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
RALPH WALDO EMERSON MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WRIGHT TAVERN LEGACY TRUST
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
NRDC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FRIENDS OF MINUTEMAN NATIONAL PARK
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
EMERSON HOSPITAL
$20,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WAYSIDE INN
$15,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE
$15,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONCORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY CORPORATION
$15,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
OPENBIOME
$14,029UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
ZOO NEW ENGLAND
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
QUIET COMMUNITIES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
HISTORIC DEERFIELD
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WBUR - ANNUAL
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
THOREAU SOCIETY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
THE ROBBINS HOUSE INC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
RESTORE THE NORTH WOODS INC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONCORD POLICE RELIEF ASSOCIATION
$1,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FIRST PARISH IN CONCORD
$1,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FRIENDS OF PLEASANT BAY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FRIENDS OF SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
MIT RSO
$2,500,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
EMERSON HOSPITAL - ANNUAL
$1,010,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION