The Nirenberg Foundation concentrates its philanthropy in New England by making a small number of very large gifts to established institutions. Its funding is dominated by support for community grantmaking via The Boston Foundation and for major medical research/clinical care at Dana-Farber, with a smaller, targeted gift to a regional Jewish federation. The foundation appears to prefer high-impact, unrestricted/support gifts to anchor institutions rather than many small community grants.
The Nirenberg Foundation Inc C/o First Merchants Group’s giving is marked by a pair of very large support grants in Boston, led by a $2,000,000 award to The Boston Foundation in 2024 and a $1,124,970 gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute the same year. That pattern points to a funder that works through established institutions and uses substantial support grants to move money into regional philanthropic and medical infrastructure. In the recent grants list, The Boston Foundation appears again in 2025 with a $253,936 grant, suggesting continuing attention to community grantmaking in Massachusetts. Dana-Farber also reappears in 2025, reinforcing cancer research and treatment as a recurring interest. The foundation’s smaller awards broaden the picture without changing the core strategy: it has also given to Jewish Federation of Western Mass, Yeshiva Academy, Schechter Institutes Inc, Sandi Kupperman Learning Center, Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Across the record, the foundation favors support-purpose gifts to anchor organizations rather than a broad spread of small grants.
In community philanthropy, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to The Boston Foundation for support, and then another $253,936 to the same institution in 2025. That makes regional philanthropic infrastructure a clear theme in the record. In medical giving, it awarded $1,124,970 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for support, followed by a smaller $10,827 grant there in 2025, showing repeated attention to cancer research and clinical care. The foundation also funds Jewish communal and educational institutions: it gave $75,000 to Jewish Federation of Western Mass for support, $15,000 to Yeshiva Academy for education, and $3,600 to Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism for education. A separate educational grant went to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum for $1,800.
Typical grant size sits at $11,870 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $209,202 at the 75th percentile, which reflects a highly skewed distribution shaped by a few large institutional gifts. The record also shows repeat recipients: The Boston Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute both received grants in multiple years. Grants are support-purpose gifts rather than project-heavy awards, and the foundation does not fund individuals. The pattern is concentrated and institutional, with a small number of larger awards alongside a cluster of $15,000 education grants.
$265K
$0
$62K
$269K
Most grants fall between $12K and $209K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$209K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MA.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving: very few grants overall, including repeat large grants to the same community foundation and single large gifts to major institutions; favors broad/support-purpose grants over many small awards.
Notable grantees: The Boston Foundation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts
Grants are concentrated in Massachusetts, which is also the top state by grant count. Boston is the main recipient city in the record, through The Boston Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Springfield also appears repeatedly, including Jewish Federation of Western Mass, Yeshiva Academy, and Sandi Kupperman Learning Center. Outside Massachusetts, the foundation made grants to organizations in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC. All recorded grants went to recipients in the United States.
The record centers on established institutions: The Boston Foundation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Jewish Federation of Western Mass. It also includes educational and cultural institutions such as Yeshiva Academy, Schechter Institutes Inc, Sandi Kupperman Learning Center, Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The typical grant size is $11,870 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $209,202 at the 75th percentile. That spread indicates a mix of mid-sized grants and a few very large institutional awards.
Yes. The Boston Foundation received grants in 2024 and 2025, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also appears in both years. That pattern suggests recurring support for selected institutions rather than one-time-only giving.
Recent grants point to community grantmaking through The Boston Foundation, cancer research and treatment through Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and regional Jewish communal or educational support through Jewish Federation of Western Mass and related institutions.
Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, with Boston and Springfield appearing repeatedly in the recipient list. Outside Massachusetts, the recent grants also include organizations in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $253,936 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $10,827 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| THE BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $1,124,970 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF WESTERN MASS | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $75,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT |
| YESHIVA ACADEMY | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $15,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| SANDI KUPPERMAN LEARNING CENTER | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $15,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| SCHECHTER INSTITUTES INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| MASORTI FOUNDATION FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM | NEW YORK, NY | $3,600 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,800 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
YESHIVA ACADEMY
$15,000EDUCATION
SANDI KUPPERMAN LEARNING CENTER
$15,000EDUCATION
MASORTI FOUNDATION FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
$3,600EDUCATION