Bay State Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 04-3415547 · since 1999baystatecharitable.com·Florida, Massachusetts·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$617k

Annual giving, 2025 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $5,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$2,500

Typical grant (median)

157 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Bay State Charitable Foundation says it supports community organisations that contribute to improving quality of life, and its recorded grants have gone to food banks, social-service organisations, schools, churches and health organisations, so a community organisation with a clear local need is a plausible fit.
Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 465 grants to organisations fall between $1,000 and $5,000, with a median of $2,500, so a request in that range is the realistic size, although its largest grant has been $55,000.
The filing states no geographic focus, and its grants have mainly gone to Massachusetts and Florida, which describes past giving rather than a limit on who may apply.
Because 89% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, a first approach should be careful and well documented, submitted as a grant application package or a written letter with the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, and the filing gives no deadlines, so timing is open.

Overview

Bay State Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Sagamore Beach, MA.

What they fund

Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation says it supports community organisations that contribute to improving quality of life. Its recorded grants are concentrated in Massachusetts and are predominantly general operating support. Recipients include food banks, social-service organisations, schools, churches and health organisations, reflecting a broad range of community needs rather than a narrowly defined field. Organisations may seek support by submitting a grant application package or a written letter with an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. The filing sets no submission deadlines for these requests.

Themes

Community quality of life

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Massachusetts and Florida.

How to apply

Submit a grant application package or a written letter with the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 89% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 465 grants to organisations were $2,500 or less.

What the foundation says:

It supports community organisations that contribute to improving quality of life.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.

Grant dollars by state

Massachusetts72%

Florida8%

District of Columbia3%

New York3%

Virginia3%

Illinois2%

6 other states: 7%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%

The largest single recipient received 4% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Bay State Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
<1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

157 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $2,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 157 grants in tax year 2025 by size

Under $1k1%

$1k–$2.5k25%

$2.5k–$5k44%

$5k–$10k26%

$10k–$25k3%

$25k–$50k0%

$50k–$100k1%

Median $2,500 (tax year 2025)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Greater Boston Food Bank · General Operating Support
$55,0002025 tax year
Catholic Memorial School · General Operating Support
$50,0002025 tax year
Brookline Multi-Service Senior Center · General Operating Support
$10,0002025 tax year
Saint Finbarr Catholic Church · General Operating Support
$10,0002025 tax year
Walpole Community Food Pantry · General Operating Support
$10,0002025 tax year
Our Lady of Grace at Saint Joseph's Pastoral Collaborative · General Operating Support
$10,0002025 tax year
Samaritans Purse · General Operating Support
$10,0002025 tax year
Interfaith Social Services · General Operating Support
$8,0002025 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Anthony F Caruso — Secretary / Director
Brenda T Harrington — Assistant Treasurer / Director
Michael O Gilles — Treasurer / Director
Denise M Renaghan — President / Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2023 tax year	$790,462	$458,800	$14,282,747	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$834,952	$484,100	$16,253,139	Filing for 2024 tax year
2025 tax year	$919,653	$617,450	$17,733,640	Filing for 2025 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.