The Gravestar Foundation concentrates its limited grantmaking on food access and food-systems interventions in Massachusetts, favoring organizations that combine social enterprise and direct meal delivery. With two charitable grants totaling $95,000, the foundation prioritizes local food-sector organizations that address hunger and support community nutrition, particularly those providing kitchen capacity, workforce development, or medically tailored meal services.
A $75,000 grant to Commonwealth Kitchen in Dorchester stands out as the largest recent award from Gravestar Foundation C/o Gravestar Inc, and it points to a clear preference for food access work that also builds local infrastructure. The foundation’s recent giving in Massachusetts favors organizations that connect direct service with community capacity, especially in food systems, hunger relief, and nutrition support. Community Servings Inc in Jamaica Plain received $20,000 in 2025, reinforcing that medically tailored meals are part of the mix. Other grants show the same local orientation: the foundation supports groups serving food-insecure households, people with serious illness, and organizations that help food entrepreneurs or small food businesses operate in shared kitchen settings. Its grant record is concentrated in Massachusetts, but the recent portfolio also reaches nearby communities in the region through a small number of grants outside the state. The foundation’s overall pattern is narrow rather than broad, with a small set of recurring themes and relatively modest awards outside the largest food-system grant.
Food access is the clearest thread in the foundation’s recent grantmaking. In 2023, it gave $10,000 to Sudbury Community Food Pantry in Sudbury and another $10,000 to Waltham Fields Community Farm in Waltham, showing support for both emergency food distribution and local food production. Community nutrition also appears through grants to Somerville-cambridge Elder Services in Somerville and Brookline Literacy Partnership in Brookline, each at $10,000 in 2023. The foundation also backs organizations that serve specific community needs beyond food alone, including $7,000 to Rise Above Foundation Inc in Northbridge and $7,000 to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport in 2025. Its 2023 grant to City Year Inc in Boston suggests some flexibility within a broader local community-support pattern.
The typical award size is tightly clustered: p25 is $5,000, the median is $5,000, and p75 is $5,250. That distribution matches a grantmaker that usually writes small, targeted checks rather than large multi-award commitments. The recent record includes repeated support for some recipients across years, including Community Servings Inc in 2023 and 2025, Armenia Tree Project in 2024 and 2025, and Stoneham Community Access Tv in 2023 and 2024. The foundation appears to be a private charitable fund rather than an operating grantmaker with a broad application infrastructure, and one active program is an employee-designated charitable gift program. It does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals.
$471K
$2.6M
$58K
$160K
Most grants fall between $5K and $5K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 82% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Highly concentrated and local: very few grants per year, with a majority of funds directed to a single large grantee and the remainder to another food-access nonprofit; purposeful, targeted funding rather than broad diversified giving.
Notable grantees: Commonwealth Kitchen, Community Servings, Other Massachusetts-based food access and nutrition nonprofits
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Massachusetts-centered: 82% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Massachusetts is also the top state by grant count. The recent list shows a strong Greater Boston footprint, with grants to Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Somerville, Brookline, Boston, and Stoneham. Outside Massachusetts, the foundation still keeps to nearby locations, including Chelsea, Michigan; Cranston, Rhode Island; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and a few Massachusetts-region communities such as Provincetown, Newburyport, and Gloucester. The recipient country distribution is entirely domestic, with 72 grants to U.S. organizations.
Its recent grants cluster around food access and food-systems work in Massachusetts, including a $75,000 grant to Commonwealth Kitchen in Dorchester and $20,000 to Community Servings Inc in Jamaica Plain. The portfolio also includes food pantries, community farms, and organizations tied to local nutrition support and community services.
Recent grants are small and tightly grouped. The p25 grant size is $5,000, the median is $5,000, and the p75 is $5,250. Even the larger awards in the recent record, such as $20,000 and $75,000, sit above a long cluster of $5,000 to $10,000 grants.
No. Massachusetts receives the vast majority of grants, with 82% of gifts going to recipients in the HQ state and Massachusetts also ranking first by grant count. The recent list also includes organizations in Michigan, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, though the overall pattern remains local and regionally focused.
Yes. Community Servings Inc appears in both 2023 and 2025, Armenia Tree Project appears in 2024 and 2025, and Stoneham Community Access Tv appears in 2023 and 2024. That repeat activity suggests some ongoing relationships rather than one-off support only.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals. Its giving is through charitable grants, including an employee-designated charitable gift program and locally based nonprofit support tied to Gravestar-managed communities.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY SERVINGS INC | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| RISE ABOVE FOUNDATION INC | NORTHBRIDGE, MA | $7,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ANNA JAQUES HOSPITAL | NEWBURYPORT, MA | $7,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PEBBLES OF STRENGTH | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE BOSTON GLOBE FOUNDATION INC | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SOLON COMMUNITY LIVING | SOLON, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| AMIGOS HOSPITALITO ATITLAN | MANAKIN, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WINCHESTER SPORTS FOUNDATION | WINCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| MSPCA-ANGELL | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| ARMENIA TREE PROJECT | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CEDAR CRICLE FARM & EDUCATION CENTER INC | EAST THETFORD, VT | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WINCHESTER COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER CHANGE INC | WINCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE COLEBROOK KIWANIS FOUNDATION INC | COLEBROOK, NH | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| SHRINERS CHILDRENS | ATLANTA, GA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| LEND A HAND SOCIETY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF STONEHAM AND WAKEFIELD | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ARMENIA ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES INC | PROVINCETOWN, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ESPERANZA ACADEMY | LAWRENCE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY YEAR INC | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ACTION INC | GLOUCESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CRADLES TO CRAYONS | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GREATER BOSTON STAGE COMPANY | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| HELPING OUR WOMEN | PROVINCETOWN, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LAWYERS CLEARINGHOUSE | BOSTON, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARTIABLE |
| TOUGH WARRIOR PRINCESS | AMESBURY, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| STONEHAM COMMUNITY ACCESS TV | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| HELPING HANDS NORTH INC | COLEBROOK, NH | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| DAVID KREMPLE BRAIN INJURY CENTER | PORTSMOUTH, NH | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| YOUNG LEGENDS STREET HOCKEY INC | GLOUCESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| PEBBLES OF STRENGHT | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| ARMENIA TREE PROJECT | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ARMENIA ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA | STONEHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| LEND A HAND SOCIETY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES INC | PROVINCETOWN, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NUPATH INC | WOBURN, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE BOSTON GLOBE FOUNDATION INC | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| TOUGH WARRIOR PRINCESS | AMESBURY, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON | DEDHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| OUR NEIGHBOR'S TABLE | AMESBURY, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE CORNERSTONE CREATIVE | GLOUCESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| WINCHESTER SPORTS FOUNDATION | WINCHESTER, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| WOBURN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL | WOBURN, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| COOS ANIMAL SANCTUARY | COLEBROOK, NH | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ESPERANZA ACADEMY | LAWRENCE, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SOLON COMMUNITY LIVING | SOLON, OH | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| FRIENDS OF THE MIDDLESEX FELLS RESERVATION | MELROSE, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| NEW ENGLAND EQUINE RESCUE | WEST NEWBURY, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
| THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARTIABLE |
COMMUNITY SERVINGS INC
$20,000CHARITABLE
RISE ABOVE FOUNDATION INC
$7,000CHARITABLE
ANNA JAQUES HOSPITAL
$7,000CHARITABLE
PEBBLES OF STRENGTH
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE BOSTON GLOBE FOUNDATION INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
SOLON COMMUNITY LIVING
$5,000CHARTIABLE
AMIGOS HOSPITALITO ATITLAN
CHARITABLE
WINCHESTER SPORTS FOUNDATION
$5,000CHARTIABLE
MSPCA-ANGELL
$5,000CHARTIABLE
ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
$5,000CHARITABLE
CEDAR CRICLE FARM & EDUCATION CENTER INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
WINCHESTER COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER CHANGE INC
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE COLEBROOK KIWANIS FOUNDATION INC
$5,000CHARTIABLE
SHRINERS CHILDRENS
$5,000CHARTIABLE
LEND A HAND SOCIETY
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS
$5,000CHARTIABLE
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF STONEHAM AND WAKEFIELD
$5,000CHARITABLE
ARMENIA ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
$5,000CHARITABLE
CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
ESPERANZA ACADEMY
$5,000CHARITABLE
CITY YEAR INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
ACTION INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
CRADLES TO CRAYONS
$5,000CHARITABLE
GREATER BOSTON STAGE COMPANY
$5,000CHARTIABLE
HELPING OUR WOMEN
$5,000CHARITABLE
LAWYERS CLEARINGHOUSE
$2,500CHARTIABLE
TOUGH WARRIOR PRINCESS
$1,000CHARITABLE
STONEHAM COMMUNITY ACCESS TV
$5,000CHARITABLE
HELPING HANDS NORTH INC
$5,000CHARTIABLE
DAVID KREMPLE BRAIN INJURY CENTER
$5,000CHARTIABLE
YOUNG LEGENDS STREET HOCKEY INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
PEBBLES OF STRENGHT
$5,000CHARTIABLE
ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
$5,000CHARITABLE
ARMENIA ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
$5,000CHARITABLE
LEND A HAND SOCIETY
$5,000CHARTIABLE
CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
NUPATH INC
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE BOSTON GLOBE FOUNDATION INC
$5,000CHARITABLE
TOUGH WARRIOR PRINCESS
$5,000CHARITABLE
ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON
$5,000CHARITABLE
OUR NEIGHBOR'S TABLE
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE CORNERSTONE CREATIVE
$5,000CHARTIABLE
WINCHESTER SPORTS FOUNDATION
$5,000CHARTIABLE
WOBURN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL
$5,000CHARTIABLE
COOS ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$5,000CHARITABLE
ESPERANZA ACADEMY
$5,000CHARITABLE
SOLON COMMUNITY LIVING
$5,000CHARTIABLE
FRIENDS OF THE MIDDLESEX FELLS RESERVATION
$5,000CHARTIABLE
NEW ENGLAND EQUINE RESCUE
$5,000CHARTIABLE
THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS
$5,000CHARTIABLE