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The Bromley Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$2.7M
Grant Range
$100K - $0.8M

The Bromley Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,672,366 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $14,161,593 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $850,000 (typical)
  • Average Grant: $121,471 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 22 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York; also national and international
  • Application Process: Does not accept unsolicited proposals

Contact Details

  • Address: 299 Clapboardtree Street, Westwood, MA 02090
  • Phone: 617-523-3588
  • Website: None publicly available

Overview

The Bromley Charitable Trust is a private family foundation established in 1994 in Massachusetts by Duncan and Ellen McFarland. Duncan McFarland is the former Chairman and CEO of Wellington Management Company, a prominent global investment management firm, where he worked for four decades before retiring in 2004. The foundation has grown significantly, with total assets of $14.1 million and annual giving of approximately $2.7 million in 2023. The trust focuses on three primary areas: environmental conservation (particularly land preservation and wild cat species), education, and human services in the Boston community. The McFarlands are particularly passionate about jaguar conservation, having committed $1 million to Panthera and Rainforest Trust to protect jaguar habitat in Brazil. The foundation operates without full-time staff and is governed by family trustees who personally vet and determine all grant requests.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Bromley Charitable Trust makes grants across several distinct program areas:

Conservation & Wildlife

  • Major grants to organizations protecting land and wild cat species
  • Notable recipients include Lion Guardians US ($300,000), Panthera, Rainforest Trust, Mount Grace Land Conservation ($100,000)
  • Focus on jaguar conservation in Central and South America
  • Supports land trusts including Conservation Land Trust, Land Trust Alliance, Northeast Wilderness Trust

Environmental Education

  • Hale Education/Hale Reservation ($200,000)
  • Round the Bend Farm ($275,000)
  • Marion Institute
  • Organizations developing environmental "change agents"

Education

  • Bridge Boston Charter School ($500,000)
  • Beacon Academy
  • Colby College
  • William Penn Charter School (received $4 million in 2013)
  • Wellington Management Foundation

Human Services & Community Development

  • New Profit (approximately $900,000 over two years)
  • Greater Boston Food Bank
  • The Boston Foundation
  • LIFT (antipoverty organization)
  • SPAN (prisoner reentry support)

International Programs

  • Aseema Charitable Trust (Mumbai education)
  • Taktse International School (India)
  • Japan America Refugee Network
  • Cambodian Living Arts

Priority Areas

  • Land conservation and habitat protection
  • Wild cat species conservation, particularly jaguars
  • Environmental education that creates "change agents"
  • Educational access in underserved communities
  • Venture philanthropy and social innovation
  • Antipoverty initiatives and economic mobility

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited grant requests
  • Organizations without a prior relationship to the foundation or its trustees
  • General operating support for organizations outside their established network

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

NameRole
Duncan McFarlandTrustee, Founder
Ellen B. McFarlandTrustee
Nancy E. DempzeTrustee
Alice FarmerTrustee

About the Principal Donor

Duncan McFarland received his bachelor's degree in economics from Yale University in 1965 and built his career at Wellington Management Company, serving as Chairman and CEO from 1994 to 2004. He is deeply engaged in the conservation sector, serving on the board of Panthera (the world's only organization devoted exclusively to wild cat conservation) and as a trustee of RARE, Inc. (a global environmental organization). He is also a director of New Profit, Inc., a venture philanthropy fund focused on social innovation and economic mobility.

The McFarlands reside outside Boston and conduct all their philanthropy through the Bromley Charitable Trust. Since 2011, the foundation members have made grants personally for tax and accounting efficiency reasons.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Bromley Charitable Trust has explicitly indicated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." The foundation seeks out organizations with which to partner rather than responding to inbound proposals. Grant requests are vetted and determined by the board of directors, who identify potential grantees through their personal networks and board involvement in the nonprofit sector.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on research into the McFarlands' philanthropic activities, there are specific pathways that may increase visibility with this foundation:

  1. Panthera Network: Duncan McFarland serves on the board of Panthera. Organizations working in wild cat conservation or land preservation in jaguar habitat may come to his attention through this network.

  2. New Profit Portfolio: The McFarlands have given substantially to New Profit, a Boston-based venture philanthropy fund. Organizations in New Profit's portfolio or those engaged with venture philanthropy in the Boston area may be more visible to the foundation.

  3. RARE, Inc. Network: Duncan serves as a trustee of RARE, a global environmental organization. Conservation organizations with connections to RARE may have increased visibility.

  4. Wellington Management Foundation: The foundation has made grants to Wellington Management Foundation, suggesting connections to Wellington's corporate giving network.

  5. Boston Philanthropic Community: The McFarlands are active in the Boston philanthropic community through organizations like the Boston Foundation, Greater Boston Food Bank, and New Profit. Engagement with these networks may create opportunities for introduction.

Decision Timeline

The foundation files its Form 990-PF annually (most recent filing: November 5, 2024). Grant decisions appear to be made on a rolling basis by the board of directors throughout the year, with 22-43 grants typically made annually.

Grant History

YearNumber of Awards
202322
202225
202143
202044
201933

Application Success Factors

Because the Bromley Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on research into their giving patterns, the following factors appear to influence their grant-making:

Alignment with Personal Passions

  • The McFarlands are deeply personally invested in jaguar conservation and land preservation
  • Organizations demonstrating measurable conservation impact may appeal to their evidence-based approach

Boston Community Connection

  • Strong track record of supporting Boston-area organizations
  • Organizations with local impact in the Greater Boston area align with their community focus

Venture Philanthropy Approach

  • Their significant investment in New Profit suggests appreciation for data-driven, scalable social innovation
  • Organizations with strong impact measurement and growth potential may appeal to their business background

Environmental Education Focus

  • Support for organizations creating environmental "change agents" suggests interest in systemic change
  • Programs that combine environmental education with leadership development align with their values

Long-term Relationships

  • The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with grantees (e.g., continuous support for Rare since 2008)
  • They appear to value deep partnerships over one-time grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. No unsolicited applications accepted - The foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

  2. Network-based grantmaking - The McFarlands identify grantees through their board positions at Panthera, New Profit, and RARE, Inc., as well as their connections in the Boston philanthropic community.

  3. Conservation is a primary focus - Wild cat conservation, land preservation, and environmental education represent core funding priorities, with substantial gifts including a $1 million commitment to protect jaguar habitat in Brazil.

  4. Boston community matters - Despite their international conservation interests, the McFarlands maintain strong connections to Boston-area organizations focused on education, poverty reduction, and social mobility.

  5. Substantial grant sizes - With an average grant of $121,471 and grants ranging up to $850,000, the foundation makes significant investments in its grantee partners.

  6. Long-term partnerships preferred - The foundation appears to build sustained relationships with grantees rather than making one-time grants.

  7. Business-minded approach - Duncan McFarland's background as CEO of Wellington Management and his involvement with venture philanthropy organization New Profit suggests appreciation for organizations with strong metrics, scalability, and operational excellence.

References

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