Origin Spring Foundation concentrates its giving on environmental conservation and science, with a strong emphasis on New England‑focused outdoor recreation and coastal/marine research. Grants are typically unrestricted general operating support to mission-driven institutions, including repeat multi-year awards to a small set of organizations and occasional support to academic research. The foundation appears to prioritize impact through sustained relationships rather than many one‑off gifts.
Concentrated giving: a small number of relatively large grants, with multiple repeat awards to core grantees and preference for unrestricted/GENERAL BUDGET support.
Origin Spring Foundation’s recent grantmaking is defined by sustained general-budget support for a small set of environmental and science institutions, especially in New England. The largest recent award in the file is $260,000 to the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston for general budget support, followed by a $215,000 grant to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland for the same purpose. Those gifts fit a pattern of repeat funding rather than one-time awards: both organizations appear multiple times across the recent grants list, and Cornell University also receives more than one general-budget grant. The foundation’s giving centers on environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, and coastal or marine research, with academic environmental work also part of the portfolio. Its recent record shows a preference for flexible support to established institutions rather than project-specific funding. The mix of grants suggests an emphasis on organizations that combine research, conservation, and regional stewardship, with particular attention to coastal science in the Gulf of Maine and land-based outdoor access in the Northeast.
In outdoor recreation and land conservation, the foundation gave $260,000 to the Appalachian Mountain Club for general budget support, reinforcing its interest in regional stewardship organizations. Coastal and marine science is another clear theme: a $215,000 grant to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute supported general operations, and a separate $150,000 award to the same organization followed in another year. Academic environmental research also appears in the portfolio. Cornell University received $150,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024, both for general budget support, pointing to ongoing support for university-based environmental work. The grants are structured around flexible operating support rather than narrow project awards.
Typical recent awards cluster tightly around six figures: the p25, median, and p75 are $150,000, $150,000, and $187,500. That distribution matches a grantmaking style built around substantial general budget support. The recent file also shows repeat awards across multiple years to the same organizations, including Appalachian Mountain Club, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Cornell University. The foundation appears to favor ongoing relationships over many one-time gifts. It is a foundation rather than a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$465K
$9.5M
$661K
$519K
Most grants fall between $150K and $188K, with a median of $150K.
25th Percentile
$150K
Median
$150K
75th Percentile
$188K
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Notable grantees: Appalachian Mountain Club, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Cornell University, Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund
Grants are U.S.-only in the recent file, with all 9 grants going to U.S. recipients. The top state by grant count is New York, while 33% of grants go to recipients in Massachusetts. Recent recipient cities include Boston, Portland, and Ithaca. The pattern shows a regional footprint anchored in the Northeast, with recurring support to organizations in Massachusetts, Maine, and New York.
The recent grants point to environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, coastal and marine science, and university-based environmental research. Examples in the file include general-budget support to the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Cornell University.
Yes. Every recent grant listed is labeled general budget support. The amounts include $260,000 to the Appalachian Mountain Club, $215,000 and $150,000 to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and $150,000 and $100,000 to Cornell University.
Yes. The same organizations appear in multiple years in the recent file. Appalachian Mountain Club, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Cornell University each receive more than one grant, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
The recent grant record is regional and U.S.-only. New York is the top state by grant count, and 33% of grants go to recipients in Massachusetts. Recipient cities in the file include Boston, Portland, and Ithaca.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $260,000 | 2025 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $55,000 | 2025 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $215,000 | 2024 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL BUDGET |
| GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE | PORTLAND, ME | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL BUDGET |
GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE
$150,000GENERAL BUDGET
GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE
$215,000GENERAL BUDGET
GENERAL BUDGET
GULF OF MAINE REASERCH INSTITUTE
$150,000GENERAL BUDGET