About Vela Foundation
The Vela Foundation concentrates its giving on a small set of Massachusetts-based institutions, primarily supporting healthcare and education with flexible, general operating grants. Major recipients are large Boston-area organizations (notably Boston Medical Center) and local secondary and higher-education institutions, plus youth development programs. The foundation prefers a targeted, relationship-driven approach rather than many small, one-off gifts.
Focus Areas
Hospital-based healthcare and medical services in Boston (Boston Medical Center)Catholic secondary education in Massachusetts (Albertus Magnus High School)Public health research and training (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)Youth development and after-school programs in Boston (Boys & Girls Club of Boston)
Giving Approach
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a few repeat grantees with an emphasis on general operating support; geographically focused on Boston/Cape Cod area.
Funding Style
unrestricted/general operating supportflexible/multi-purpose funding
About Vela Foundation
The Vela Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by large general-support grants to Massachusetts institutions, especially Boston Medical Center, which received $250,000 in 2023, $100,000 in 2023, $40,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that uses flexible support for established organizations rather than project-by-project microgrants. Its portfolio also reaches into education and youth development through grants such as $81,844 to Albertus Magnus High School in 2025 and $50,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Boston in 2023. Alongside those larger awards, the foundation backs community health, food access, and family-support organizations across Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Boston area. The grant list shows a strong preference for general use funding, suggesting that the foundation gives organizations room to direct dollars where they are most needed. In the recent record, the foundation’s support extends from hospital-based care and public health research to schools, youth programs, and community-serving nonprofits.
What Vela Foundation Funds
Health and wellness are central to the foundation’s giving. Boston Medical Center received multiple general-support awards, including $250,000 in 2023 and $40,000 in 2024, while Harvard Chan School of Public Health received $70,000 in 2023 and Partners Human Research Committee received $17,000 in 2023. The foundation also funds food and household stability work. Family Pantry of Cape Cod received $25,000 in 2023 and another $20,000 in 2025, and Community Servings received $25,000 in both 2023 and 2025. Youth and education appear as another thread: Albertus Magnus High School received $81,844 in 2025, and Boys and Girls Club of Boston received $50,000 in 2023. Grants to Franciscan Children’s Hospital and Wide Horizons for Children add child- and family-centered support to the mix.
How Vela Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the low five-figure range: the p25 is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $15,000. The recent list also shows repeated support for the same organizations across multiple years, including Boston Medical Center, Albertus Magnus High School, Adopt-a-family, and Family Pantry of Cape Cod. That points to a relationship-based pattern rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. General use is common across the recent grants.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$352K
Total Assets
$12.3M
Total Revenue
$1.9M
Total Expenses
$601K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
Geographic Reach
Local5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Unlock Deep Analysis
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 FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Vela Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime