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The George Seymour Bissell Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M

The George Seymour Bissell Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $170,000
  • Decision Time: Ongoing (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $42,000
  • Median Grant: $10,500
  • Geographic Focus: National and international, with emphasis on Massachusetts and Greece
  • Number of Grants: 11-15 annually

Contact Details

Address: 128 Suffolk Road, Wellesley, MA 02481-1235

EIN: 04-2368188

Note: This foundation does not have a public website or accept unsolicited applications. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The George Seymour Bissell Charitable Foundation was established in 1994 by investment management executive George Seymour Bissell (1929-2023) to support educational endeavors. With assets of $12.8 million and annual distributions of approximately $170,000, this private family foundation carries forward the founder's lifelong commitment to expanding educational access for economically disadvantaged students. The foundation is managed by two trustees, Kenyon B Grogan (Bissell's daughter) and William C Bissell (likely his son), neither of whom receives compensation. The foundation makes 11-15 unrestricted grants annually, primarily to educational institutions and organizations focused on international development and global health. Bissell's philanthropic legacy extends beyond the foundation - he donated nearly $7 million to Anatolia College over his lifetime, endowed faculty chairs at Hiram College and Brimmer and May School, and served on numerous boards including a 42-year tenure as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Anatolia College.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single grantmaking program focused on education, international development, and global health. All grants are unrestricted, typically ranging from $5,000 to $42,000.

Application Method: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are made exclusively to preselected charitable organizations with which the foundation has established relationships.

Priority Areas

Education (Primary Focus)

  • Independent and private schools, particularly in Massachusetts
  • Colleges and universities, especially those with connections to the founder
  • Educational institutions serving economically disadvantaged students
  • International educational institutions, particularly in Greece

International Development

  • Organizations supporting girls' education in Africa
  • Programs addressing poverty through educational access

Global Health

  • Organizations providing healthcare in underserved communities worldwide
  • Programs linking health and education outcomes

Recent Grant Recipients (2024)

  • Anatolia College (Boston, MA): $42,000 - Founder's primary philanthropic interest; supports educational access in Greece
  • Tenacre Country Day School (Wellesley, MA): $25,000 - Independent school in the foundation's home community
  • CAMFED USA (San Francisco, CA): $22,000 - Pan-African movement tackling poverty through girls' education
  • Partners in Health (Boston, MA): $22,000 - Global health organization serving underserved communities
  • Hiram College (Hiram, OH): $15,000 - Liberal arts college where founder endowed faculty chair in honor of his father

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's focused giving pattern suggests:

  • Organizations outside education, international development, and global health sectors
  • Organizations without established connections to the foundation or its trustees
  • Projects requiring multi-year funding commitments beyond annual grant cycles

Governance and Leadership

Trustees (No compensation reported)

  • Kenyon B Grogan - Daughter of founder George S. Bissell; serves on Board of Trustees at Brimmer and May School where her father endowed a faculty chair in her honor
  • William C Bissell - Family member, likely son of founder

About the Founder: George Seymour Bissell (1929-2023)

George Seymour Bissell passed away at age 94 on October 13, 2023, leaving a remarkable legacy of educational philanthropy. Born in Ohio and raised with "his family's principles of supporting society and education," Bissell earned his BA from Dartmouth College (1951) and MBA from Harvard Business School (1953) before building a distinguished career in investment management in Boston.

Professional Leadership

  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Investment Management and Research Association (1968-1969)
  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Corporate Investment Institute (1982-1983)
  • Trustee, Boston University Hospital (1965-1997)
  • Chairman, Investment Committee, Boston University Hospital (1976-2001)
  • Received Distinguished Service Award from Association of Investment Management and Research (1988)

Philanthropic Leadership

  • Board of Trustees, Anatolia College (1965-2007)
  • Chair, Board of Trustees, Anatolia College (1992-2007)
  • Donated nearly $7 million to Anatolia College for capital projects and scholarships
  • Pivotal role in founding the American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) in 1981
  • Funded the Bissell Library at ACT, one of the largest academic libraries in Southeastern Europe
  • Enabled construction of the new Anatolia Elementary School campus (2022), with the classroom wing named "Bissell Wing" in his honor
  • Endowed faculty chair at Hiram College in honor of his father, Howard Bissell
  • Endowed faculty chair at Brimmer and May School in honor of his daughter, Kenyon Bissell Grogan

According to Anatolia College, Bissell embodied "initiative, effective leadership, selfless giving, modesty, and ethics" and demonstrated unwavering commitment to providing educational opportunities to students "without financial means."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on the foundation's established relationships with recipient organizations. The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with a relatively small number of organizations (11-15 annually) that align with the founder's philanthropic interests.

Getting on Their Radar

IMPORTANT NOTE: This section contains specific, actionable intelligence about this particular foundation based on the founder's documented interests and the trustees' known affiliations.

Educational Connections to Massachusetts The foundation shows strong preference for educational institutions in Massachusetts, particularly in the Wellesley area where the trustees reside. Organizations with connections to:

  • Brimmer and May School (where Kenyon Bissell Grogan serves on the Board of Trustees and her father endowed a faculty chair)
  • Dartmouth College (founder's alma mater)
  • Harvard Business School (founder's graduate school)
  • Boston University Hospital system (founder served as trustee for 32 years)

International Education Focus The foundation has deep, multi-generational ties to Anatolia College and the American College of Thessaloniki in Greece. Organizations working in international education, particularly those:

  • Serving economically disadvantaged students
  • Located in Greece or with Greek connections
  • Focused on building educational infrastructure in underserved communities

Investment Management Community Connections Given the founder's leadership in the Investment Management and Research Association and Corporate Investment Institute, organizations with board members or supporters from Boston's investment management community may have pathways to introduction through professional networks.

Girls' Education and Global Health The foundation's support of CAMFED USA and Partners in Health suggests openness to high-impact organizations in these sectors, particularly those with:

  • National or international reputation for effectiveness
  • Clear measurement of educational or health outcomes
  • Focus on serving the economically disadvantaged

Family Network Approach With the foundation now managed by the founder's children who maintain their own professional and community connections, organizations that naturally intersect with the trustees' networks in Wellesley and broader Massachusetts philanthropic circles may be positioned for consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an ongoing basis with preselected organizations rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from organizations it has not already selected.

Application Success Factors

While this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, understanding what drives their grantmaking can help organizations recognize whether they might naturally fit the foundation's interests:

Educational Mission Alignment The foundation's primary focus remains education, particularly programs that expand access for economically disadvantaged students. The founder stated in 1994 that the foundation was established "to support educational endeavors," and this mission has remained constant for 30 years.

Long-term Relationship Building Grant recipients show remarkable consistency year over year, suggesting the foundation values sustained partnerships. Anatolia College, which received the largest grant ($42,000 in 2024), has been supported by the Bissell family for nearly 60 years.

Unrestricted Operating Support All documented grants are unrestricted, indicating the foundation trusts recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed rather than directing specific programmatic uses.

Values Alignment Organizations embodying the founder's documented values - "initiative, effective leadership, selfless giving, modesty, and ethics" - appear most likely to resonate with trustee decision-making.

Focus on Impact Over Scale The foundation makes relatively small grants ($5,000-$42,000) to a limited number of organizations, suggesting preference for meaningful relationships over broad distribution of smaller amounts.

Connection to Founder's Legacy Organizations with direct connections to George S. Bissell's personal interests, professional networks, or geographic communities (Wellesley, Boston, Ohio, Greece) form the core of the foundation's giving portfolio.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only funds preselected charitable organizations
  • Education-Focused Legacy: The foundation's primary mission centers on educational access for economically disadvantaged students, continuing the founder's lifelong commitment
  • Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: The foundation maintains long-term partnerships with a small number of organizations (11-15 annually) rather than seeking new applicants
  • Massachusetts and International Focus: Grants concentrate on educational institutions in Massachusetts and international education/development organizations, particularly in Greece
  • Unrestricted Support: All grants are unrestricted, demonstrating trust in recipient organizations' judgment
  • Family Stewardship: Now managed by the founder's children, the foundation continues his values of "initiative, effective leadership, selfless giving, modesty, and ethics"
  • Modest Grant Size: Typical grants range from $5,000-$42,000, with a median of $10,500, enabling support across multiple organizations annually

References

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