The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation concentrates its giving on biomedical and clinical research—primarily through large, multi-year grants to major hospitals and academic medical centers in Massachusetts and nearby states—and also supports higher‑education institutions. Grants are sizable and often repeat to the same organizations, with a notable interest in clinical specialties (eye/ear, autism) and research infrastructure at elite universities and medical centers.
Concentrated, high-dollar funding with repeat multi-grant relationships; a small number of large institutional grantees receive the bulk of support rather than many small, one-off grants.
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by repeated, large grants to Massachusetts General Hospital, including awards of $1,422,500 in 2024 and $1,366,666 in 2025. That pattern points to a foundation that backs sustained biomedical and clinical work rather than one-off support, with a strong tilt toward autism-related research and clinical programs at major hospitals and academic medical centers. Its grantmaking also reaches university partners such as Harvard College, MIT, and Rutgers, alongside specialty medical institutions including Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. A 2025 grant of $1,000,000 to the Lurie Family Autism Center Clinical Program Fund shows direct support for autism clinical programming, while other awards connect to medical research infrastructure and research training. The foundation’s portfolio includes both research and public-welfare grants, but the core pattern is multi-year institutional support for biomedical science, clinical translation, and autism-focused work in Massachusetts and nearby states. Grants are often substantial, and the same recipients appear across multiple years, indicating long-running relationships with selected institutions.
Autism is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s programmatic work. Through its Translational Science Grants, it supports efforts to move basic biomedical findings into diagnosis, treatment, communication tools, and services for autistic individuals. The Major Projects programs add another layer, funding large multi-year initiatives through internal RFPs for measurable impact on the autism community. It also supports research training and faculty development. Career Development Awards are designed for early- to mid-career scientists, including postdoctoral fellows and researchers moving toward tenure-track independence. A third strand is clinical and institutional research support. The foundation has funded Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for medical research, and it has also made grants to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Maine Medical Center. Education grants to universities such as Harvard College, Thomas Jefferson University, and Rutgers University suggest continued backing for research environments around those institutions.
$5.2M
$120.6M
$10M
$9.3M
Most grants fall between $425 and $138K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$425
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$138K
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Notable grantees: Massachusetts General Hospital, President and Fellows of Harvard College, Maine Medical Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Lurie Family Autism Center Clinical Program Fund
Typical grant size is uneven and leans large: p25 is $425, median is $25,000, and p75 is $137,538. The recent list shows both modest awards and multi-hundred-thousand-dollar institutional grants, with some grants exceeding $1 million. Recipients repeat across multiple years, especially major medical centers and universities, which fits a multi-year institutional funding model. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several active programs rely on internal RFPs or competitive solicitation, and unsolicited applications are not accepted.
Giving is highly concentrated in Massachusetts: 77% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Massachusetts is also the top state by grant count. Boston is the main recipient city, with repeated grants to Boston-based institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard College, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Massachusetts Advocates for Children. Outside Massachusetts, recent grants reached Westbrook, Maine; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Piscataway, New Jersey; and New York, New York. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
Its giving centers on biomedical and clinical research, especially autism-related work. Active programs include Translational Science Grants, Career Development Awards, Autism Grants focused on advocacy and education, and Major Projects grants for multi-year institutional initiatives with measurable outcomes.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals. Its recent grants go to hospitals, universities, and nonprofit organizations such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard College, and Massachusetts Advocates for Children.
The grant-size distribution is wide. The 25th percentile is $425, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $137,538, showing that many awards are modest but a substantial share are much larger institutional grants.
Major Projects grants are awarded through an internal RFP process and competitive solicitation to a smaller, select group of institutions. The programs are described as multi-year and tied to innovative projects with measurable outcomes and impact on the autism community.
Most grants go to Massachusetts recipients, and 77% of grants are in the HQ state. Boston-based institutions receive a large share of the awards, alongside other U.S. recipients in Maine, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
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 | $1,366,666 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| LURIE FAMILY AUTISM CENTER CLINICAL PROGRAM FUND | LEXINGTON, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY | BOSTON, MA | $549,284 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $478,542 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MAINE MEDICAL CENTER | WESTBROOK, ME | $394,809 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $353,500 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY | PISCATAWAY, NJ | $250,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MASSACHUSETTS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN | BOSTON, MA | $160,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSITUTE | BROOKLINE, MA | $93,708 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $75,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BOSTON, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | NORTH WORCESTER, MA | $60,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $51,846 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $36,125 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| ADVOCATES | FRAMINGHAM, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| FRAXA RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC | WATERTOWN, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| 3L PLACE | SOMERVILLE, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| NEW ENGLAND YACHAD | BROOKLINE, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $24,741 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BOSTON COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HEBREW SENIOR LIFE | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| BERKLEE INSTITUTE FOR ACCESSIBLE ARTS EDUCATION | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BOSTON HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS PROGRAM | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| INSAR | KANSAS CITY, MO | $5,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| FAITH INCLUSION NETWORK | NORFOLK, VA | $3,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| PAN MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC - DANA FARBER | NEEDHAM, MA | $500 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | WASHINGTON, DC | $200 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| PROJECT BREAD | EAST BOSTON, MA | $200 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| MERWIN MEMORIAL FREE CLINIC FOR ANIMALS INC | ALLSTON, MA | $200 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| NEWTON-WELLESLEY HOSPITAL | NEWTON, MA | $150 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MSCPA | BOSTON, MA | $105 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | GEORGIA, GA | $100 | 2025 | PUBLIC WELFARE |
| PARTNERS IN HEALTH | FREDERICK, MD | $100 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MA | $100 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $1,422,500 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $1,183,333 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $668,527 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $642,244 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| MAINE MEDICAL CENTER | WESTBROOK, ME | $516,400 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY | BOSTON, MA | $496,100 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MAINE MEDICAL CENTER | WESTBROOK, ME | $353,354 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY | BOSTON, MA | $274,759 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL - RESEARCH | BOSTON, MA | $260,650 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $200,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $195,500 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $192,500 | 2024 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$1,366,666MEDICAL RESEARCH
LURIE FAMILY AUTISM CENTER CLINICAL PROGRAM FUND
$1,000,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
$549,284MEDICAL RESEARCH
PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
$478,542EDUCATION
MAINE MEDICAL CENTER
$394,809MEDICAL RESEARCH
MEDICAL RESEARCH
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
$250,000EDUCATION
DANA FARBER CANCER INSITUTE
$93,708MEDICAL RESEARCH
YALE UNIVERSITY
$75,000EDUCATION
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$60,000PUBLIC WELFARE
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$60,000EDUCATION
COLD SPRING HARBOR
$50,000PUBLIC WELFARE
ADVOCATES
$25,000PUBLIC WELFARE
3L PLACE
$25,000PUBLIC WELFARE
NEW ENGLAND YACHAD
$25,000PUBLIC WELFARE
HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
$24,741MEDICAL RESEARCH
BOSTON COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS
$15,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
HEBREW SENIOR LIFE
$10,000PUBLIC WELFARE
BERKLEE INSTITUTE FOR ACCESSIBLE ARTS EDUCATION
$10,000EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION
$5,000EDUCATION
INSAR
$5,000MEDICAL RESEARCH
FAITH INCLUSION NETWORK
$3,000PUBLIC WELFARE
PAN MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC - DANA FARBER
$500MEDICAL RESEARCH
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$200PUBLIC WELFARE
MERWIN MEMORIAL FREE CLINIC FOR ANIMALS INC
$200PUBLIC WELFARE
NEWTON-WELLESLEY HOSPITAL
$150MEDICAL RESEARCH
MSCPA
$105PUBLIC WELFARE
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$100PUBLIC WELFARE
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
$100MEDICAL RESEARCH
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
$100MEDICAL RESEARCH
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$100MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$1,422,500MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$1,183,333MEDICAL RESEARCH
MAINE MEDICAL CENTER
$516,400MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
$496,100MEDICAL RESEARCH
MAINE MEDICAL CENTER
$353,354MEDICAL RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
$274,759MEDICAL RESEARCH
BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL - RESEARCH
$260,650MEDICAL RESEARCH
HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
$192,500MEDICAL RESEARCH