The Willard C. Tilson Foundation concentrates on sustaining small-to-mid sized local nonprofits that provide youth development, arts access, and targeted social services. Most grants are unrestricted/operational support to community-based organizations and schools, with several repeat awards indicating relationships with a handful of core grantees. The foundation appears locally focused (New England/Seacoast-area organizations) and favors programs that combine arts, youth mentorship, and practical life-skill supports.
Moderately concentrated: a small portfolio of 8 grants with several repeat recipients and a few larger unrestricted awards (e.g., one six‑figure commitment). Predominantly ongoing operational support rather than project-specific funding, focused on community-level nonprofits.
The Willard C Tilson Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by repeated operating support for The Waring School in Beverly, including $50,000 in 2023 and another $50,000 in 2025. That pattern fits a broader portfolio built around core support for local organizations rather than one-time project grants. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs schools, youth-serving nonprofits, arts groups, and social-service providers, with awards commonly set at round amounts and often renewed in later years. Most grants in the file are for ongoing operational support, suggesting an emphasis on organizational stability and day-to-day capacity. The foundation’s recent record shows consistent relationships with several recipients. Elevated Thought in Lawrence received $40,000 in 2025 after a $25,000 grant in 2024, while The Haven Project in Lynn and Art Haven in Gloucester also appear multiple times. Other supported organizations include community arts groups, youth development programs, and financial education nonprofits. The geography is strongly Massachusetts-centered, with grantmaking concentrated in communities such as Beverly, Lawrence, Lynn, Gloucester, Haverhill, Boston, and Salem. The foundation also reaches organizations in Chelmsford and other nearby cities, reflecting a regional New England pattern of support.
Education is one of the clearest areas in the foundation’s portfolio. The Waring School in Beverly received $50,000 for ongoing operational support in 2025, following a $50,000 grant in 2023, showing continued backing for an independent school. Arts access is another recurring theme. Elevated Thought in Lawrence received $40,000 in 2025 for ongoing operational support, and Art Haven in Gloucester received $25,000 in 2024. In Lynn, Raw Art Works received $25,000 in 2025, pointing to support for studio-based arts programming. The foundation also funds youth and crisis-related services. The Haven Project in Lynn received $25,000 in 2025, and Someone Cares New England in Haverhill received $20,000 in 2025. Financial empowerment appears as well: Womens Money Matter in Boston received $25,000 in 2025 for ongoing operational support.
The grant list is tightly clustered around round-dollar awards, with a typical grant size of $10,000 at the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile. Larger awards appear as relationship gifts rather than outliers, including $50,000, $40,000, $25,000, and $20,000 grants. The recent record also shows repeat funding across years for several recipients, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-time project funding. The foundation’s pattern is operational support, often labeled “on-going operational support,” and it does not fund individuals.
$290K
$4.9M
$492K
$369K
Most grants fall between $10K and $10K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Notable grantees: The Waring School, Art Haven, Raw Art Works, The Haven Project Inc, Womens Money Matter
All recent grants in the file went to US recipients. Massachusetts is the clear center of giving, with repeated awards in Beverly, Lawrence, Lynn, Gloucester, Haverhill, Boston, Salem, and Chelmsford. Lawrence and Lynn appear especially often among recipient cities. The foundation’s HQ is in Exeter, NH, but the recent grant record shows no grants to New Hampshire recipients. The pattern is regional, with a strong concentration in eastern Massachusetts communities.
Its recent grants go to schools, youth-serving nonprofits, arts organizations, and social-service groups. Examples in the record include an independent school in Beverly, youth arts groups in Lawrence and Gloucester, and organizations providing crisis support and financial education in Lynn, Haverhill, Boston, and Salem.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years. The Waring School received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2025, Elevated Thought received $25,000 in 2024 and $40,000 in 2025, and The Haven Project appears in both 2023 and 2025. That pattern indicates repeated support over time.
The typical grant size is $10,000. In the distribution provided, the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are all $10,000, which means many awards cluster at that level even though some grants are larger.
Massachusetts is the top giving state by grant count. Recent grants are concentrated in Massachusetts cities including Lawrence, Lynn, Gloucester, Haverhill, Boston, Beverly, Salem, and Chelmsford.
It funds organizations only. The provided data says it does not fund individuals, and the recent grants list is made up of nonprofits and schools rather than individual recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Waring School | Beverly, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Elevated Thought | Lawrence, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Womens Money Matter | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Raw Art Works | Lynn, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Art Haven | Gloucester, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| The Cornerstone Creative | Gloucester, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| The Haven Project Inc | Lynn, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Greater Lawrence Community Boating | Lawrence, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Building Bridges Through Music | Lynn, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Someone Cares New England | Haverhill, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Top Notch Scholars | Lawrence, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | On-going operational support |
| Elevated Thought | Lawrence, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| Art Haven | Gloucester, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| Somebody Cares New England | Haverhill, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| Womens Money Matters | Boston, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| The Haven Project | Lynn, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| Urban Bridges | Haverhill, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | On-going operational support |
| The Waring School | Beverly, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Elevated Thought | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Raw Art Works | Lynn, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Top Notch Scholars | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Building Bridges through Music | Lynn, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| The Haven Project | Lynn, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Si SE Puede | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Art Haven | Gloucester, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Beyond Soccer Lawrence | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Young Sisters United | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Greater Lawrence Community Boating | Lawrence, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Leap 4 Education | Salem, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Budget Buddies | Chelmsford, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| Someone Cares New England | Haverhill, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
| The Cornerstone Creative Inc | Gloucester, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | On-going Operational Support |
The Waring School
$50,000On-going operational support
Womens Money Matter
$25,000On-going operational support
Art Haven
$25,000On-going operational support
The Cornerstone Creative
$25,000On-going operational support
Greater Lawrence Community Boating
$20,000On-going operational support
Someone Cares New England
$20,000On-going operational support
Top Notch Scholars
$15,000On-going operational support
Art Haven
$25,000On-going operational support
Somebody Cares New England
$15,000On-going operational support
Womens Money Matters
$10,000On-going operational support
Urban Bridges
$10,000On-going operational support
The Waring School
$50,000On-going Operational Support
Top Notch Scholars
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Si SE Puede
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Art Haven
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Young Sisters United
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Greater Lawrence Community Boating
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Leap 4 Education
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Budget Buddies
$10,000On-going Operational Support
Someone Cares New England
$10,000On-going Operational Support
The Cornerstone Creative Inc
$10,000On-going Operational Support