The Donahue Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving in the Greater Lowell / Merrimack Valley region, favoring organizations that strengthen local community life, services for vulnerable populations, and cultural institutions. Their largest single gift to the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress and repeated multi-year support for local nonprofits show an emphasis on disability advocacy, youth workforce and education programs, and arts/civic organizations. They fund a mix of operating and capital needs and often make repeat, sizable grants to trusted regional partners.
Concentrated, regionally focused giving with a small number of large, repeat grants; mix of multi-year/major gifts and sustained operating support to established local partners rather than many small one-off awards.
A $2.5 million unrestricted grant to the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress is the clearest marker of the Richard K & Nancy L Donahue Charitable Foundation’s approach: large, flexible support for organizations rooted in Greater Lowell and the Merrimack Valley, alongside select statewide and regional institutions. The foundation also gave $960,000 unrestricted to the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, signaling a strong interest in local philanthropy infrastructure as well as direct service. Across its recent grants, the foundation backs disability advocacy, youth workforce development, adult education, housing support, food access, and cultural institutions. Many awards are unrestricted, which suggests confidence in grantees’ operating needs rather than narrow project funding. Recipients include Utec, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Project Learn, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, and the JFK Library. The pattern is heavily centered on Lowell-area organizations, but the portfolio also reaches nearby Massachusetts institutions in Boston, Newton, and Burlington. The foundation’s giving reflects a community-building model: sizable grants, repeat support for trusted partners, and a mix of human services, education, and civic culture.
One clear strand is disability advocacy and family support. The foundation’s largest recent gift went to Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress for unrestricted support, placing that issue at the center of its portfolio. Another major area is youth development and education. It gave Utec $520,000 unrestricted in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024, while Project Learn received $310,000 in 2023 and additional unrestricted awards of $160,000 in 2025 and $55,000 in 2026. A third theme is basic needs and housing in the Merrimack Valley. Merrimack Valley Food Bank received $312,000 unrestricted in 2024, and Merrimack Valley Housing received grants of $50,000 in 2023 and $35,000 in 2024. The foundation also supports cultural and civic institutions, including repeated unrestricted grants to the JFK Library and Merrimack Repertory Theatre.
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent file also includes much larger unrestricted awards. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Project Learn, Utec, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Valley Housing, and the JFK Library, which points to sustained support for a core set of partners. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Awards in the recent list are consistently unrestricted or general operating in character.
$638K
$348K
$676K
$665K
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$30K
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Notable grantees: Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, UTEC, Merrimack Valley Food Bank
Giving is overwhelmingly Massachusetts-based: 95% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Lowell is the main hub, with frequent awards to organizations there, alongside Boston, Newton, Burlington, and Franklin. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 117 grants in the United States and no non-U.S. grants in the provided data. The pattern is local in scope and concentrated in the Greater Lowell and Merrimack Valley area.
The recent grants show support for disability advocacy, youth workforce development, adult education, food access, housing support, and cultural institutions. Named recipients include Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, Utec, Project Learn, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Merrimack Valley Housing, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and the JFK Library.
They are mostly flexible. The recent grant list labels awards as unrestricted, and the foundation’s philosophy tags include unrestricted support, general operating support, flexible funding, and no programmatic restrictions.
Yes. Project Learn, Utec, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Valley Housing, and the JFK Library each appear more than once in the recent grants list, which indicates ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
Most grants go to Massachusetts recipients, with 95% of grants in the headquarters state. Lowell is the most common recipient city, and other Massachusetts recipient cities in the recent list include Boston, Newton, Burlington, and Franklin.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes larger awards, including seven-figure and six-figure unrestricted grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK LIBRARY | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PROJECT LEARN | LOWELL, MA | $55,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEQM | LOWELL, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL ADMIN ASSOC | FRANKLIN, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHISTLER HOUSE MUSEUM | LOWELL, MA | $45,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICED |
| LOWELL FESTIVAL FOUNDATION | LOWELL, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GIRLS INC OF GREATER LOWELL | LOWELL, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WBUR RADIO | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERRIMACK REPERTORY THEATRE | LOWELL, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WGBH RADIO | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER | LOWELL, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GMVC & V BUREAU | LOWELL, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LASELL UNIVERSITY | NEWTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERRIMACK VALLEY FOOD BANK | LOWELL, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERRIMACK VALLEY HOUSING | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MILL CITY GROWS | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HOUSE OF HOPE | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GREATER LOWELL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF LOWELL | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STRONGWATER FARM | TEWKSBURY, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE MEAGAN HOUSE FOUNDATION | DRACUT, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MUSTARD SEED COMMUNITIES | NEEDHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL TRANSITIONAL LIVING | LOWELL, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED WAY OF MASS BAY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL PARKS & CONSERVATION | LOWELL, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| D'YOUVILLE SENIOR CARE | LOWELL, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND | LOWELL, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COALITION FOR A BETTER ACRE | LOWELL, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | LOWELL, MA | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WOMEN WORKING WONDERS | LOWELL, MA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PROJECT LEARN | LOWELL, MA | $160,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JFK LIBRARY | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| REAL NEWS PROJECT INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WHISTLER HOUSE MUSEUM | LOWELL, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICED |
| WBUR RADIO | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERRIMACK REPERTORY THEATRE | LOWELL, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GBH BEACON CIRCLE | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEQM | LOWELL, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LASELL UNIVERSITY | NEWTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF LOWELL | LOWELL, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MILL CITY GROWS | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MCC FOUNDATION INC | LOWELL, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERRIMACK VALLEY FOOD BANK | LOWELL, MA | $12,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HOUSE OF HOPE | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOWELL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM | LOWELL, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
JFK LIBRARY
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
PROJECT LEARN
$55,000UNRESTRICTED
NEQM
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL ADMIN ASSOC
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
WHISTLER HOUSE MUSEUM
$45,000UNRESTRICED
LOWELL FESTIVAL FOUNDATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
WBUR RADIO
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
WGBH RADIO
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
GMVC & V BUREAU
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
LASELL UNIVERSITY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
MERRIMACK VALLEY HOUSING
$15,000UNRESTRICTED
MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$15,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
$15,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
HOUSE OF HOPE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
THE MEAGAN HOUSE FOUNDATION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL TRANSITIONAL LIVING
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
UNITED WAY OF MASS BAY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL PARKS & CONSERVATION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
D'YOUVILLE SENIOR CARE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
WOMEN WORKING WONDERS
$500UNRESTRICTED
PROJECT LEARN
$160,000UNRESTRICTED
JFK LIBRARY
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
REAL NEWS PROJECT INC
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
WHISTLER HOUSE MUSEUM
$25,000UNRESTRICED
WBUR RADIO
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
GBH BEACON CIRCLE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
NEQM
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
LASELL UNIVERSITY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
MCC FOUNDATION INC
$15,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
HOUSE OF HOPE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
LOWELL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
$10,000UNRESTRICTED