The Ruth & Peter Metz Family Foundation concentrates its giving through a small number of large, repeat grants. It funds philanthropic intermediaries to regrant to local nonprofits (via Greater Worcester Community Foundation) and provides repeated operating support to a single direct-service organization (Generator Inc). The foundation appears to favor flexible, anonymized local impact and sustained core support over many small, issue-specific gifts.
A defining feature of RUTH & PETER METZ FAMILY FOUNDATION co THOMAS PHELAN is its use of a philanthropic intermediary: the largest recent grants go to Greater Worcester Community Foundation for anonymous distributions to local, qualified nonprofits within the year funds are received. That pass-through structure appears alongside repeated operating support for a small set of organizations, including Generator Inc in South Burlington and Burlington City Arts Foundation in Burlington. The pattern points to a funder that favors flexible local support and core funding rather than many small, program-specific awards. Recent grants also show a steady presence in Vermont and central Massachusetts, with occasional support in Philadelphia and other Massachusetts communities. The foundation’s recent activity includes both sizable grants in the hundreds of thousands and a longer tail of operating gifts around the $10,000 to $15,000 range. Some awards are explicitly unrestricted, while others support named projects such as memorial endowments or a geodesic dome. Overall, the foundation’s grantmaking is built around local intermediaries, repeat grantees, and practical operating support.
One clear theme is intermediary regranting. In 2024, the foundation gave $230,000 to Greater Worcester Community Foundation for anonymous distributions to local, qualified nonprofits within the year of receipt of funds, continuing a 2023 grant of $240,000 for the same purpose. Another theme is sustained operating support for community infrastructure and arts organizations. Generator Inc received $100,000 in 2023, $77,000 in 2024, and $91,000 in 2025 for operating funds, while Burlington City Arts Foundation received operating support in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also backs civic and community-serving programs. Examples include $12,500 to UMass Memorial Health for support of the CANDO Clinic, $15,000 to YMCA of Central MA for operating funds, and $10,000 to Lexington Community Farm for the 2023 geodesic dome.
Typical awards are modest but consistent: the p25 grant size is $2,000, the median is $4,000, and the p75 is $5,000. The recent grant list also shows several larger operating gifts and pass-through awards, indicating a mixed pattern of smaller grants with a limited number of much larger commitments. Repeated recipients appear across multiple years, especially for operating support and intermediary distributions, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off funding. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The 990 record is current through 2025.
$576K
$10M
$1.6M
$794K
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 1% of grants go to recipients in VT.
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Highly concentrated: few, large grants; repeat funding to the same two recipients; mix of pass-through regranting and direct operating support rather than broad, diversified small grants.
Notable grantees: Greater Worcester Community Foundation (anonymous local regranting), Generator Inc (multiple unrestricted operating grants), Local qualified nonprofits in Worcester (recipients of anonymous distributions)
Giving is concentrated in the Northeast. Vermont appears most often among recipients, with multiple grants to organizations in Burlington and South Burlington, including Generator Inc, Burlington City Arts Foundation, Btv Ignite, Launch Vt, and United Way of Northwest Vermont. Massachusetts is another major destination, with Worcester, Boston, Lincoln, Lenox, Needham, Lexington, and West Stockbridge all appearing in the recent grants list. Philadelphia also shows up through grants to Project Home and Schuylkill River Park Fund. All recent grants in the provided data are to US recipients.
It funds local nonprofits, community arts and innovation groups, health providers, and community-serving organizations. Recent examples include operating support for Generator Inc and Burlington City Arts Foundation, pass-through grants through Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and support for UMass Memorial Health’s CANDO Clinic.
Yes. Two of the largest recent grants went to Greater Worcester Community Foundation, including $240,000 in 2023 and $230,000 in 2024, both for anonymous distributions to local, qualified nonprofits within the year funds are received.
The stated size profile is relatively small: p25 is $2,000, median grant size is $4,000, and p75 is $5,000. The recent grants list also includes larger operating and pass-through awards above that range.
Yes. Several grantees appear across multiple years, including Generator Inc, Burlington City Arts Foundation, Project Home, Schuylkill River Park Fund, Olin College, and United Way of Northwest Vermont. The repeated awards are often labeled operating funds or endowment support.
Vermont is the top state by grant count. Recent grants cluster in Burlington and South Burlington, with additional awards in Worcester, Philadelphia, Boston, and other Massachusetts communities.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENERATOR INC | S BURLINGTON, VT | $75,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| FRIENDS OF THE LENOX MEETING HOUSE | LENOX, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| BURLINGTON CITY ARTS FDN | BURLINGTON, VT | $35,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| VERMONT VENTURE NETWORK | BURLINGTON, VT | $35,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| YMCA of CENTRAL MA | WORCESTER, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| BTV IGNITE | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| PROJECT HOME | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $14,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| SCHUYKILL RIVER PARK FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $14,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH | WORCESTER, MA | $12,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT OF THE CANDO CLINIC |
| LAUNCH VT | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| WORCESTER CTY HORTICULTURAL | BOYLSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| OLIN COLLEGE | NEEDHAM, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | HOOVER MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND |
| GBH BEACON CIRCLE | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE BERKSHIRES | LENOX, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| JCC OF WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| AMER ACAD OF CHILD ADOLESCENT PSYCH | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| WORCESTER COUNTY FOOD BANK | SHREWSBURY, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| MUSIC WORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| CASA PROJECT WORCESTER CTY | WORCESTER, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| VT ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ENG | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ROOM TO GROW | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| MA AUDOBON SOCIETY | LINCOLN, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ECOTARIUM | WORCESTER, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| JOURNALISM FUNDING PARTNERS | SACRAMENTO, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,050 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| UNITED WAY OF NW VERMONT | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $6,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| W STOCKBRIDGE HIST SOCIETY | WEST STOCKBRIDGE, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARLINGTON THRIVE | ARLINGTON, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MA | CHICOPEE, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARLINGTON COMMUNITY FDN | ARLINGTON, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDING OPERATING FUNDS |
| WORCESTER ART MUSEUM | WORCESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| KENYON COLLEGE | GAMBIER, OH | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| SPECTRUM YOUTH SERVICES | BURLINGTON, VT | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| SEABA EXHIBITIONS | BURLINGTON, VT | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| STEVENSON SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| STERN CENTER | WILLISTON, VT | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| WORCESTER CHAMBER MUSIC STY | WORCESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| INDIANA U-O'NEIL SCHOOL | BLOOMINGTON, IN | $5,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| GAINING GROUND INC | CONCORD, MA | $4,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARTSWORCESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $4,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ECHO - LEAHY CENTER | BURLINGTON, VT | $4,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| DOORWAYS | ARLINGTON, VA | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| SHELBURNE MUSEUM | SHELBURNE, VT | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| DC ABORTION FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARLINGTON FREE CLINIC | ARLINGTON, VA | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| VA LEAGUE OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD | RICHMOND, VA | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| ARLINGTON FOOD ASSIST CTR | ARLINGTON, VA | $3,000 | 2026 | PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS |
| LEXINGTON COMMUNITY FARM | LEXINGTON, MA | $2,500 | 2026 | 2023 GEODESIC DOME |
FRIENDS OF THE LENOX MEETING HOUSE
$50,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
VERMONT VENTURE NETWORK
$35,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
YMCA of CENTRAL MA
$20,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
BTV IGNITE
$15,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
SCHUYKILL RIVER PARK FUND
$14,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH
$12,500SUPPORT OF THE CANDO CLINIC
LAUNCH VT
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
WORCESTER CTY HORTICULTURAL
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
OLIN COLLEGE
$10,000HOOVER MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND
GBH BEACON CIRCLE
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE BERKSHIRES
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
JCC OF WORCESTER
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
AMER ACAD OF CHILD ADOLESCENT PSYCH
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
MUSIC WORCESTER
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
VT ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ENG
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
MA AUDOBON SOCIETY
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
ECOTARIUM
$10,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
W STOCKBRIDGE HIST SOCIETY
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
ARLINGTON THRIVE
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MA
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
SPECTRUM YOUTH SERVICES
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
SEABA EXHIBITIONS
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
STEVENSON SCHOOL
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
WORCESTER CHAMBER MUSIC STY
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
INDIANA U-O'NEIL SCHOOL
$5,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
GAINING GROUND INC
$4,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
ARTSWORCESTER
$4,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
ECHO - LEAHY CENTER
$4,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
SHELBURNE MUSEUM
$3,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
VA LEAGUE OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$3,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
ARLINGTON FOOD ASSIST CTR
$3,000PROVIDE OPERATING FUNDS
LEXINGTON COMMUNITY FARM
$2,5002023 GEODESIC DOME