The Morningside Foundation focuses almost exclusively on higher education, providing very large, unrestricted gifts to major Massachusetts universities. Its giving is aimed at broad institutional support rather than specific programs, indicating a priority on strengthening flagship research and teaching institutions in the Boston area.
Highly concentrated giving: only two very large grants making up essentially all giving, directed to established research universities as general/operating support rather than many small or targeted grants.
The Morningside Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by two unusually large unrestricted education grants: $34,987,750 to the University of Massachusetts and $19,903,524 to MIT, both in 2024. That pattern sets the tone for the funder’s profile: very large general-use gifts to institutions rather than narrowly directed project support. The foundation also backed Winthrop Park School Inc with a $2,630,000 general-use education grant, extending its support beyond the major university level into K-12 education. Religion appears alongside education in the grant record, with gifts to churches in Texas, Massachusetts, and California. The scale of the 2024 grants spans from eight-figure awards to smaller checks in the tens of thousands, but the largest amounts are concentrated in core institutional support. Across the recent record, The Morningside Foundation looks less like a project-by-project sponsor and more like a source of broad operating support for schools, universities, and faith-based organizations.
Education is the clearest focus. In 2024, The Morningside Foundation gave $333,334 to the University of Chicago for general use education, $100,000 to Emory University Donor Account for general use education, and $50,000 to The Colrain Meeting Foundation for general use education. The foundation also supported K-12 education through a $2,630,000 general-use grant to Winthrop Park School Inc. A second thread is faith-based support. Grants included $1,000,000 to The Church in Irving for general use religious purposes, $245,000 to The Church of Cambridge for general use religious purposes, and $120,000 to The Church in Newton for general use religious purposes. Research and science also appear in the recent record, with $100,000 to Davos Alzheimer's Collaborateive for general use research, $50,000 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science for general use science, and $25,000 to the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society for general use research.
The recent grants show a wide size range, from a $25,000 award up to multibillion-style institutional gifts at the top end of the 2024 file; the typical grant size is $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $333,334 at the 75th percentile. The pattern is heavily weighted toward unrestricted or general-use support. The grant list provided centers on 2024, so it shows current giving rather than a long multi-year recurrence pattern. The foundation is not an individual-giving vehicle and does not make program-related investments. Its profile is that of a grantmaker making direct institutional awards, often at substantial size.
$19.2M
$23.1M
$14.5M
$21.1M
Most grants fall between $50K and $333K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$333K
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Notable grantees: University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Most grants in the recent file went to U.S. recipients, and 47% of grants were made to organizations in Massachusetts. Cambridge appears repeatedly, including MIT, The Church of Cambridge, and President and Fellows-harvard. Newton and Newton Centre also show up through Winthrop Park School Inc, The Church in Newton, The Colrain Meeting Foundation, and the headquarters location. Outside Massachusetts, grants reached Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, Jacksonville, and several California cities including Anaheim and Santa Ana. Florida stands out as the top state by grant count, reflecting recipient concentration there rather than headquarters location.
The recent grant record is concentrated in educational institutions, religious organizations, research institutions, and scientific organizations. Large general-use gifts went to universities and schools, while smaller awards also supported churches, an Alzheimer’s research collaboration, and a scientific association.
The grant-size distribution is relatively large for a foundation: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $333,334. The recent file also includes much larger institutional grants at the top end.
No. Massachusetts receives 47% of the grants, but the recent record also includes recipients in Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, and California. The country distribution shown is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent grants are overwhelmingly listed as general use or general support. That includes awards to universities, schools, churches, and research organizations, which suggests broad institutional support rather than tightly earmarked project funding.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $8,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| MIT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $6,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| NEWTON HIGH PEAK INC | NEWTON CENTRE, MA | $2,965,162 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| WPS INSTITUTE INC | NEWTON, MA | $1,675,838 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $420,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME | ANAHEIM, CA | $60,500 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | TEMPE, AZ | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| DU BOIS ORCHESTRA | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| MORNINGSIDE MUSIC BRIDGE | NEWTON CENTRE, MA | $7,000 | 2026 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC | NEWTON CENTRE, MA | $3,903,500 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM | ANAHEIM, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| DEFENSE AND CONFIRMATION PROJECT | ANAHEIM, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY DONOR ACCOUNT | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH IN SANTA ANA | SANTA ANA, CA | $80,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME | ANAHEIM, CA | $66,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS-HARVARD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| COMMITTEE OF 100 | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| EMGS | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| DU BOIS ORCHESTRA | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $16,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | AMHERST, MA | $34,987,750 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| MIT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $19,903,524 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC | NEWTON CENTRE, MA | $2,630,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH IN IRVING | IRVINE, TX | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $333,334 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $245,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM | ANAHEIM, CA | $120,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN NEWTON | NEWTON, MA | $120,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY DONOR ACCOUNT | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| DAVOS ALZHEIMER'S COLLABORATEIVE | WAYNE, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME | ANAHEIM, CA | $66,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN SANTA ANA | SANTA ANA, CA | $62,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - SCIENCE |
| THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS AND GENOMICS SOCIETY | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RESEARCH |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS-HARVARD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| SALIENT PUBLICATIONS INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | AMHERST, MA | $35,013,015 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| MIT | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,142,212 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC | NEWTON CENTRE, MA | $3,200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH IN IRVING | IRVINE, TX | $3,100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM | ANAHEIM, CA | $2,600,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| THE CHURCH IN IRVINE GTCA | IRVINE, CA | $400,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $333,333 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| BIBLE FOR AMERICA | IRVINE, CA | $200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| MGH CANCER CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY DONOR ACCOUNT | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - EDUCATION |
| THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS |
NEWTON HIGH PEAK INC
$2,965,162GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
WPS INSTITUTE INC
$1,675,838GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE
$420,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME
$60,500GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$30,000GENERAL USE - RESEARCH
DU BOIS ORCHESTRA
$20,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
MORNINGSIDE MUSIC BRIDGE
$7,000GENERAL USE - RESEARCH
WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC
$3,903,500GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE
$600,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM
$300,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
DEFENSE AND CONFIRMATION PROJECT
$100,000GENERAL USE - RESEARCH
EMORY UNIVERSITY DONOR ACCOUNT
$100,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH IN SANTA ANA
$80,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME
$66,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
EMGS
$25,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
DU BOIS ORCHESTRA
$16,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$34,987,750GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC
$2,630,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH IN IRVING
$1,000,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE
$245,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM
$120,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN NEWTON
$120,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
DAVOS ALZHEIMER'S COLLABORATEIVE
$100,000GENERAL USE - RESEARCH
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIMLME
$66,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN SANTA ANA
$62,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE COLRAIN MEETING FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS AND GENOMICS SOCIETY
$25,000GENERAL USE - RESEARCH
SALIENT PUBLICATIONS INC
$15,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$35,013,015GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
WINTHROP PARK SCHOOL INC
$3,200,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH IN IRVING
$3,100,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN ANAHEIM
$2,600,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
THE CHURCH IN IRVINE GTCA
$400,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
BIBLE FOR AMERICA
$200,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
MGH CANCER CENTER
$100,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS
EMORY UNIVERSITY DONOR ACCOUNT
$100,000GENERAL USE - EDUCATION
THE CHURCH OF CAMBRIDGE
$100,000GENERAL USE - RELIGIOUS