Island Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work falls within the foundation's priorities (Environment, New Bedford, Alternative Education, or Womxn & Girls) and you are an organisation rather than an individual, a for-profit business or a religious group, it is worth approaching, especially if you are based in and work within a community, as it prefers.
- A modest request fits its giving: according to the filing, about 8 in 10 grants fall between $1,600 and $25,000, half of its grants are $10,000 or less, and the median grant is $10,000.
- Approach it with a letter of inquiry or a call about your project, followed by a full proposal, and submit on one of four recurring dates: March 1, June 1, September 1 or December 1.
- Most of its grant dollars (94% in the latest filing) go to organisations it had already funded in an earlier filing, so it leans towards repeat relationships; a new applicant can still apply, but should show clearly how the work fits its priorities and can demonstrate impact, and be ready to provide annual progress reports and budget information.
Overview
Island Foundation is a US private foundation based in Marion, MA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Island Foundation’s four priorities are Environment, New Bedford, Alternative Education, and Womxn & Girls. Its environmental work promotes marine and coastal conservation, including right whale research, coastal waterbird habitat and preservation of coastal lands. In New Bedford, it supports progressive social change, youth programmes, community development, arts and culture, and basic needs. Its alternative education work includes experiential and after-school programmes, with particular interest in maritime trades, hands-on marine education and opportunities for at-risk youth. It also supports womxn- and girls-led and focused organisations, particularly for womxn and girls of colour, and work for gender equity and inclusion. It favours innovative, well-regarded and sustainable organisations able to demonstrate impact, especially those based in and working within a community.
Themes
- Environment
- New Bedford
- Alternative Education
- Womxn & Girls
Geographic Focus
Maine; Massachusetts; Rhode Island. Priority: Southeastern Massachusetts; New Bedford; United States.
What They Don't Fund
- Proposals outside its priority areas (issue and/or geographic)
- Requests from individuals
- For-profit businesses
- Religious groups
How to apply
The main application has two stages: applicants submit a letter of inquiry or call the Foundation about the project, then send a full proposal.
Deadlines: Letters of inquiry and full proposals are accepted on four recurring dates: March 1st, June 1st, September 1st and December 1st.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 540 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation looks for innovative, well-regarded and sustainable organisations that are nondiscriminatory and can demonstrate impact.
- It prefers organisations based in and working within a community, particularly in New Bedford.
- In New Bedford, it favours groups with community-wide recognition and support and a positive vision for the city's present and future.
- Grantees must provide annual progress reports and budget information covering income and expenses.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 5%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations Island Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Argentina).
- 6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 169 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New Bedford Whaling Museum · 11 william street expansion$100,0002024 tax year
- YMCA Southcoast · New bedford ymca capital renovation project$50,0002024 tax year
- New England Aquarium · North atlantic right whale research in u.s. and canadian waters$40,0002024 tax year
- The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design · Bermuda scholarship$40,0002024 tax year
- Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts · General support$30,0002024 tax year
- NorthStar Learning Centers · Northstar learning centers diversion and assistance program$30,0002024 tax year
- SouthCoast Community Foundation · Building evaluation capacity and data utilization$25,0002024 tax year
- New Bedford Light · General support$25,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christopher Moore — Director
- Matt Kressly — Director
- Amanda Kressly — Director
- David Clark — Director
- William Clark — Director
- Stephen Clark — Director
- Kim Clark — Director
- Eleanor Evans — Clerk
- Katherine Clark — Vice President
- Alan Tupper — Treasurer
- Hannah Nesbeda — President
- Denise Porche — Assistant Clerk / Executive Director
- Mary Grace Beltran — Director
- William Wa Clark III — Director
- Caroline Kressly — Director
- Jo-Ann Watson — Director
- Douglas Watson — Director
- Helen Tupper — Director
- Christopher Tupper — Director
- Jackson Matthews — Director
and 7 more
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,117,233 | $2,472,000 | $51,432,889 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,179,035 | $2,524,000 | $55,360,223 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,848,408 | $2,154,000 | $58,105,623 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Island Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (508) 748-2809
- info@islandfdn.org
- hello@theblueocean.com
- Marion, MA
- islandfdn.org
Applying to Island Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (508) 748-2809
- info@islandfdn.org
- hello@theblueocean.com
- Marion, MA
- islandfdn.org