The Saks-Kavanaugh Foundation concentrates its giving on large, targeted gifts to higher-education and research institutions and a small number of international development projects. Its largest commitments go to elite universities and research labs (notably MIT and the Graybiel Lab), while it also makes repeat, significant donations to international academic institutions and a mobility/poverty-alleviation NGO. The foundation appears to prefer funding research, university-linked initiatives, and practical global development interventions rather than many small community grants.
Concentrated, high-dollar gifts to a small number of repeat grantees and institutions; few grants overall with multiple sizable contributions to the same organizations, including international recipients.
A single $775,000 charitable contribution to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology set the tone for Saks-kavanaugh Foundation’s recent giving: large, targeted support for universities and research institutions. The foundation followed that with another MIT gift of $450,000 the next year, along with a $200,000 contribution to Graybiel Lab, showing a clear preference for research-linked organizations over broad small-grant activity. Its recent grants also include repeated support for University of Cork Foundation and World Bicycle Relief, which places academic philanthropy alongside practical international development funding. The pattern is not one of many modest awards. Typical gifts sit at a median of $75,000, and several grants are concentrated at the upper end of that range. The foundation’s recent recipients include major research and higher-education institutions, a mobility-focused nonprofit, and a small number of community and heritage organizations. Across these awards, Saks-kavanaugh Foundation appears to favor organizations with specific institutional purposes, often through charitable contributions rather than restricted project-by-project awards.
In higher education, Saks-kavanaugh Foundation has made major contributions to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including $775,000 in 2023 and $450,000 in 2024 for charitable contribution purposes. In research, it gave $200,000 in 2025 to Graybiel Lab for charitable contributions, reinforcing its support for lab-based science. International academic philanthropy is another clear theme: the foundation gave $150,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024 to University of Cork Foundation. Beyond universities, it has supported global mobility and economic access through World Bicycle Relief, with grants of $75,000 in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation also made a $20,000 contribution in 2025 to Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, indicating some support for place-based nonprofit infrastructure within its broader portfolio.
Typical grant size clusters at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $162,500 at the 75th percentile, which fits a pattern of relatively concentrated gifts rather than many small awards. Recent giving includes repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including MIT, University of Cork Foundation, and World Bicycle Relief. The foundation is classified as a Regular Funder, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The recent grants are described as charitable contributions, including charitable or general-purpose support.
$1.9M
$2.2M
$215K
$604K
Most grants fall between $15K and $163K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$163K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in VI.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Saks-Kavanaugh Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 10 | $1.6M | 83.3% |
| 2 | Ireland | 2 | $250K |
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Notable grantees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Cork Foundation, Graybiel Lab, World Bicycle Relief
Saks-kavanaugh Foundation gives nationally, but its recent recipients are heavily concentrated in a few places. Cambridge, Massachusetts appears prominently through multiple grants to MIT and Graybiel Lab. Chicago, Illinois is represented by World Bicycle Relief, while Western Road is the listed location for University of Cork Foundation. The Virgin Islands also stand out in the grant list through the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands in St Thomas. In the recent sample, 83.3% of grants went to U.S. recipients and 16.7% to recipients in EI.
Its recent grants lean toward higher-education institutions, research organizations, and a smaller number of international development and community-serving nonprofits. The largest awards went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Graybiel Lab, and University of Cork Foundation, while World Bicycle Relief also appears twice in the recent list.
The typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $162,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include both six-figure and mid-five-figure gifts, showing that the foundation often makes substantial charitable contributions.
Yes. MIT received grants in 2023 and 2024, University of Cork Foundation received grants in 2024 and 2025, and World Bicycle Relief received grants in 2023 and 2024. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationships with selected organizations.
The foundation gives nationally, with recent grants concentrated in the U.S. and Ireland. Cambridge, Massachusetts appears multiple times, Chicago, Illinois appears twice, and St Thomas in the Virgin Islands is also represented. In the recent sample, 83.3% of grants went to U.S. recipients and 16.7% to recipients in EI.
It is a Regular Funder that does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grant descriptions are charitable contributions, including unrestricted charitable support and general-purpose grants, which indicates a preference for straightforward institutional philanthropy.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRAYBIEL LAB | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CORK FOUNDATION | WESTERN ROAD | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS | ST THOMAS, VI | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BLITHEWOLD MANOR GARDENS | BRISTOL, RI | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | AMERICUS, GA | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LINCOLN SQUARE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $450,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE COMTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CORK FOUNDATION | WESTERN ROAD | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $775,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE COMTRIBUTION |
| WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
GRAYBIEL LAB
$200,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
UNIVERSITY OF CORK FOUNDATION
$150,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
$20,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BLITHEWOLD MANOR GARDENS
$15,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$15,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
LINCOLN SQUARE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
$15,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY
$5,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$450,000CHARITABLE COMTRIBUTION
UNIVERSITY OF CORK FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF
$75,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$775,000CHARITABLE COMTRIBUTION
WORLD BICYCLE RELIEF
$75,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION