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Creighton Narada Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.8M
Grant Range
$2K - $0.1M

Creighton Narada Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $850,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $16.1 million
  • Grant Range: $1,500 - $135,000
  • Average Grant: ~$34,833
  • Number of Grants: 25 awards per year (consistent 2021-2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts, Maine, and Colorado
  • Foundation Type: Family Foundation

Contact Details

  • Address: Day Pitney LLP, One Federal Street, 29th Floor, Boston, MA 02110
  • Phone: 617-345-4600
  • EIN: 04-3243114
  • Website: None identified

Overview

The Creighton Narada Foundation is a family foundation established in 1994 in Massachusetts. With approximately $16.1 million in assets, the foundation distributed $850,000 in grants during 2023, maintaining a consistent pattern of approximately 25 grants annually.

The foundation's grantmaking reflects the Creighton family's deep commitment to land conservation, a legacy established by the late Albert M. Creighton Jr. (1918-2018), who was a pioneering figure in New England land conservation. Albert Creighton co-founded the Manchester-Essex Conservation Trust in 1963, served on the board of The Trustees of Reservations, the Essex County Greenbelt Association, and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. He received the Charles Eliot Award and spent half a century with The Trustees of Reservations.

The foundation is administered through the law firm Day Pitney LLP in Boston, and gives primarily for land conservation and social services across its focus geographies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • General Grantmaking: $1,500 - $135,000 per grant
  • Approximately 25 grants awarded annually
  • Total annual distribution: approximately $850,000

Priority Areas

  • Land Conservation: Primary focus reflecting the family's conservation legacy
  • Social Services: Secondary funding priority
  • Education: Noted as a focus area
  • Human Services: Additional area of interest

Geographic Priorities

Primary giving concentrated in:

  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Colorado

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. Based on the foundation's focused giving pattern, it appears to prioritize established organizations with connections to their geographic areas of interest.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by three family trustees:

  • Hilary H. Creighton - Trustee; Life Trustee of The Trustees of Reservations; recognized for making extraordinary gifts of property, financial assets, or service
  • Albert M. Creighton III - Trustee
  • Peter H. Creighton - Trustee; served on The Trustees of Reservations advisory board (1996-1998) and board of directors (1996-2006); President of the Harvard Travellers Club; Trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston

All trustees serve without compensation.

The Creighton family has multi-generational involvement in New England conservation. Peter Creighton has noted about land conservation: "The Trustees is such an important part of our lives... Managing my father's bequests and the real impact that they have had has made me realize the benefits of planned giving."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Creighton Narada Foundation operates as a family foundation without published application guidelines, online portals, or formal submission procedures. Grants appear to be made at the discretion of the three family trustees based on their personal knowledge of and connections to organizations working in their areas of interest.

The foundation is administered through the law firm Day Pitney LLP, which handles the foundation's legal and administrative affairs.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the family's documented involvement in specific organizations, potential applicants may consider:

  1. The Trustees of Reservations Connection: The Creighton family has deep, multi-generational ties to The Trustees of Reservations. Organizations that collaborate with or are recognized by The Trustees may have higher visibility.

  2. Land Trust Network: The family has connections to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Essex County Greenbelt Association, and Manchester-Essex Conservation Trust (which Albert Creighton co-founded). Organizations within the New England land trust community may have opportunities to become known to the trustees.

  3. Peter Creighton's Board Involvement: Peter Creighton serves on the boards of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, suggesting these organizations and their partner networks may have visibility to the foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly documented. As a family foundation with only three trustees, decisions may be made on a flexible timeline.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's giving patterns and the Creighton family's documented interests:

  1. Conservation Focus: Organizations working in land conservation, particularly in New England and coastal areas, align closely with the family's legacy and interests.

  2. Geographic Alignment: Organizations operating in Massachusetts, Maine, or Colorado have received the majority of grants.

  3. Established Relationships: The foundation's consistent giving pattern of approximately 25 grants per year suggests they support a relatively stable roster of grantees, with grants likely going to organizations the trustees know personally.

  4. Connection to Trustee Interests: Given Peter Creighton's board roles, organizations connected to youth services (Boys and Girls Clubs) and cultural institutions may have relevance.

  5. Social Services: Organizations providing human services in the foundation's geographic areas represent a secondary funding priority.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation operates through trustee discretion without formal grant applications
  • Family foundation with conservation legacy: The Creighton family has a documented multi-generational commitment to New England land conservation
  • Consistent giving pattern: Approximately 25 grants annually totaling around $850,000, suggesting stable grantee relationships
  • Geographic specificity: Focus on Massachusetts, Maine, and Colorado - organizations outside these areas are unlikely to receive funding
  • Grant size range: Individual grants range from $1,500 to $135,000, with an average of approximately $35,000
  • Trustee connections matter: The family trustees are actively involved in conservation and civic organizations; organizations in their networks have the best chance of receiving support
  • Contact through Day Pitney LLP: The law firm administers the foundation; any inquiries would go through them at the Boston address

References

Research conducted December 2025

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