The Herb Chambers Charitable Foundation concentrates its support on major Boston-area medical institutions and local youth-service organizations, with a smaller stream to regional arts. The foundation makes very large, often unrestricted general operating gifts to flagship hospitals and specialized medical centers while also funding community youth programs in Massachusetts neighborhoods such as Dorchester. Grants tend to be few in number but sizable, and several recipients receive repeat funding.
Highly concentrated giving: a small number of large unrestricted/general operations grants dominate the portfolio (one beneficiary receives the bulk of funding). The foundation provides repeat support to core grantees and balances major institutional gifts with a handful of sizeable community and arts grants.
The Herb Chambers Charitable Foundation’s largest recent gift was a $12.6 million general-operations grant to Massachusetts General Hospital in 2025, setting the tone for a portfolio built around major Boston-area medical institutions. The foundation also supports specialized clinical care, including repeated general-operations grants to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic. Beyond health care, its giving reaches youth-development organizations such as Ron Burton Training Village and Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, plus a smaller set of regional arts and community organizations. The pattern is concentrated and practical: many grants are unrestricted, and several recipients appear more than once across the recent record. The foundation’s grantmaking is not broad-based across many sectors; instead, it clusters around a small group of institutions that receive substantial support. That includes hospitals, eye and cancer care providers, youth-serving nonprofits in Massachusetts, and a few regional nonprofits in New England and nearby states. The overall grant volume is high, but the number of recipients in the recent list is relatively limited, which suggests a focused and repeatable funding strategy centered on core operating support.
Health care is the clearest center of gravity. In 2024, the foundation gave $205,551 to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for general operations, and it also funded Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic with $198,878 in 2025 for the same purpose. Massachusetts General Hospital appears again with a $100,177 general-operations grant in 2024. Youth development is another recurring area. The foundation supported Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester with $200,000 in 2024 and again in 2025, both for general operations, and it gave Ron Burton Training Village $987,550 in 2023 and $25,029 in 2025. Community and regional nonprofit support also shows up in smaller grants, including $50,000 to Camp Harbor View Foundation in Boston and $120,118 to Goodspeed Opera House Foundation Inc in East Haddam, Connecticut. These grants indicate a mix of medical, youth, and regional community support anchored in operating needs.
Typical grants cluster around a $5,000 p25, $10,000 median, and $25,000 p75, but the recent record also includes much larger operating gifts to a small number of institutions. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and Ron Burton Training Village. That repeat pattern points to ongoing support rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Recent grants are described primarily as general operations or general donations, with an emphasis on unrestricted support and core capacity.
$13.8M
$18.2M
$398K
$13.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 11% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Notable grantees: Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dana‑Farber's Jimmy Fund Clinic, Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, Ron Burton Training Village
Grantmaking is regional and heavily centered in Massachusetts, which accounts for the largest share of recipient grants. Boston appears repeatedly, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Camp Harbor View Foundation. Other Massachusetts recipient locations include Brookline, Dorchester, Braintree, Concord, Medford, Lexington, Hubbardston, and Worcester. Outside Massachusetts, the recent list includes East Haddam, Connecticut; Chicago, Illinois; Albany, New York; and Owasso, Oklahoma. Recipients in the HQ state of Connecticut make up 8% of grants.
The recent grants concentrate on major Boston-area medical institutions, specialized clinical care, youth-development organizations in Massachusetts, and a smaller stream of regional arts and community nonprofits. Examples include Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, Ron Burton Training Village, and Goodspeed Opera House Foundation Inc.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes much larger operating grants, including a $12.6 million award to Massachusetts General Hospital in 2025.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and Ron Burton Training Village. That pattern suggests ongoing support for a core set of grantees.
Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and Boston is the most common recipient city in the recent list. Other Massachusetts locations include Brookline, Dorchester, Worcester, Medford, Braintree, Concord, Lexington, Hubbardston, and East Haddam in Connecticut.
No. The foundation’s profile identifies it as not funding individuals and not making program-related investments. The recent grants are structured as general operations or general donations to organizations rather than to individuals.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $12,633,869 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF DORCHESTER | WORCESTER, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY | BOSTON, MA | $199,558 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| DANA-FARBER'S JIMMY FUND CLINIC | BROOKLINE, MA | $198,878 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSE FOUNDATION INC | EAST HADDAM, CT | $120,118 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| CAMP HARBOR VIEW FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION | CHICAGO, IL | $49,913 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| RON BURTON TRAINING VILLAGE | HUBBARDSTON, MA | $25,029 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS | BOSTON, MA | $25,028 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF EASTERN MASS | MEDFORD, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| PINE STREET INN | BOSTON, MA | $24,708 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATIONS |
| BURLINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | BURLINGTON, MA | $17,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| NEW ENGLAND CENTER AND HOME FOR VETERANS | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BEACON HILL VILLAGE | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL | CHARLESTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF OLD LYME | OLD LYME, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| IMPACT MELANOMA | CONCORD, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FREINDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BOSTON COLLEGE | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLA SCLEROSIS SOCIETY | CANTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| CHABAD OF SOUTH SHORE | HINGHAM, MA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE CAMBRIDGE RECREATION PROGRAM | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| MASSACHUSETTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE | DORCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE HOME FOR THE LITTLE WANDERER | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| CRISTO REY BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL | DORCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| HIGH HOPES THERAPEUTIC RIDING | OLD LYME, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BIG SISTERS ASSOC OF GREATER BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| SAINT MARY'S CENTER FOR WOMEN | DORCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BHS INNOVATION FUND | BROOKLINE VILLAGE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| WILLIAM H LINCOLN SCHOOL PTO | BROOKLINE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE MARY ANN BRETT FOOD PANTRY | SOMERVILLE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| BOSTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| OLD LYME-PHOEBE GRIFFIN NOYES LIBRARY | OLD LYME, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| SOMERVILLE POLICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCAITION | SOMERVILLE, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| PUERTO RICO FESTIVAL OF MA | ROSLINDALE, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE FRIENDS OF THE MEDROD FAMILY NETWORK | MEDFORD, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| OLD-LYME HIGH SCHOOL - REGION 18 | OLD LYME, CT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| WILDFLOWER ( FOR RODMAN RIDE) | LEXINGTON, MA | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| KING PHILIP SHRINE CLUB | TAUNTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| MASSACHUSETTS BAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | WELLESLY HILLS, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FRIENDS OF CCHS CHEER | COLUMBIA CITY, IN | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| THE ROTARY CLUB OF OLD SAYBROOK FOUNDATION INC | OLD SAYBROOK, CT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| TOWN OF NORWOOD CONCERT COMMITTEE | NORWOOD, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| LYME OLD LYME SAFE GRADUATION | OLD LYME, CT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| HADASSAH THE WOMEN'S ZIONIST | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY | BOSTON, MA | $205,551 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$12,633,869GENERAL OPERATIONS
MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
$199,558GENERAL OPERATIONS
DANA-FARBER'S JIMMY FUND CLINIC
$198,878GENERAL OPERATIONS
CAMP HARBOR VIEW FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF EASTERN MASS
$25,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
BURLINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$17,500GENERAL OPERATIONS
BEACON HILL VILLAGE
$15,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF OLD LYME
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
IMPACT MELANOMA
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
FREINDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
BOSTON COLLEGE
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
NATIONAL MULTIPLA SCLEROSIS SOCIETY
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
CHABAD OF SOUTH SHORE
$6,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
THE CAMBRIDGE RECREATION PROGRAM
$6,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
THE HOME FOR THE LITTLE WANDERER
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
CRISTO REY BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
HIGH HOPES THERAPEUTIC RIDING
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
BHS INNOVATION FUND
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
WILLIAM H LINCOLN SCHOOL PTO
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
THE MARY ANN BRETT FOOD PANTRY
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
BOSTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
OLD LYME-PHOEBE GRIFFIN NOYES LIBRARY
$5,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
SOMERVILLE POLICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCAITION
$3,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
PUERTO RICO FESTIVAL OF MA
$3,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
THE FRIENDS OF THE MEDROD FAMILY NETWORK
$2,500GENERAL OPERATIONS
OLD-LYME HIGH SCHOOL - REGION 18
$2,500GENERAL OPERATIONS
SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
$2,500GENERAL OPERATIONS
WILDFLOWER ( FOR RODMAN RIDE)
$1,500GENERAL OPERATIONS
KING PHILIP SHRINE CLUB
$1,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
FRIENDS OF CCHS CHEER
$1,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
THE ROTARY CLUB OF OLD SAYBROOK FOUNDATION INC
$1,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
TOWN OF NORWOOD CONCERT COMMITTEE
$1,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
LYME OLD LYME SAFE GRADUATION
$1,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
HADASSAH THE WOMEN'S ZIONIST
$300GENERAL OPERATIONS
MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
$205,551GENERAL OPERATIONS