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Eos Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.3M

Eos Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~$1.3 million
  • Total Assets: ~$38-42 million
  • Grant Range: $3,000 - $350,000
  • Median Grant: $25,000
  • Number of Grants: ~29 annually
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts (with some national grants for civic engagement)

Contact Details

Overview

The Eos Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1999 in Massachusetts by Ken Nickerson and Kate Deyst. Named after the Greek goddess of dawn and new beginnings, the foundation seeks an equitable and just society where the basic human needs of all individuals are met, children grow up well-nourished and healthy with opportunities for high-quality education and economic self-sufficiency, and leadership equitably represents society's gender and racial diversity.

The foundation is a signatory to Philanthropy's Promise, committing to allocating the majority of its grantmaking dollars to marginalized communities and at least 25 percent to social justice strategies, including advocacy, community organizing, and civic engagement. Andrea Silbert has served as President since 2007. The foundation employs a combination of grants, convening, research, and publications aimed at achieving long-term, sustainable change.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Breakfast in the Classroom (After the Bell) Initiative

  • Launch Grants: Up to $10,000 per school for equipment, operational costs, and incentives
  • District-Wide Grants: Available upon request
  • Healthy Start Awards: $500 grants to schools maintaining 80%+ breakfast participation
  • Maximum Total: Up to $20,000 per school
  • Application Method: Online application at eosfoundation.org/launch-grants-technical-assistance

Traditional Grantmaking

  • General operating and project grants to established partners
  • Range: $3,000 - $350,000
  • Application Method: Currently does not accept unsolicited proposals

Emergency Grants

  • Rapid-response funding for food security crises
  • Recent Example: $700,000 commitment for SNAP benefit disruption relief (November 2025)
  • Historical examples include emergency grants during the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19 pandemic

Priority Areas

  1. Child Hunger & Nutrition: School breakfast programs, food banks, nutrition access
  2. Food Security: Supporting food banks and hunger relief organizations across Massachusetts
  3. Racial Equity: Minority representation in business sectors, economic empowerment
  4. Gender Equity: Women's leadership advancement through the Women's Power Gap Initiative
  5. Civic Engagement: Voter participation and economic justice

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited proposals for general grantmaking (invitation only for most programs)
  • Organizations outside Massachusetts for food security work
  • Applications that don't align with their strategic initiatives

Governance and Leadership

Founders

  • Ken Nickerson - Co-founder and donor
  • Kate Deyst - Co-founder and donor; her passion drives the childhood hunger focus

Staff Leadership

  • Andrea Silbert - President (since 2007)
    • Former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
    • Founder and first CEO of Center for Women & Enterprise
    • Co-founder of Springboard Enterprises (helped women entrepreneurs raise over $2 billion)
    • Harvard University: BA in Economics, MPA, MBA
    • Named by Working Woman magazine as one of 25 leaders who "have given women in the workplace a better shot"

Key Quote from Andrea Silbert:

"With more than 20,000 SNAP recipients on Cape Cod and the Islands, it was important to respond quickly."

Ken Nickerson on Philanthropy:

"Ultimately, philanthropy means a love of others. What tugs at [the heart]" guides their decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Breakfast in the Classroom Grants (OPEN)

  1. Review eligibility: Massachusetts public schools and public charter schools
  2. Contact Megan Martino at martino@eosfoundation.org to express interest
  3. Complete online application at eosfoundation.org/launch-grants-technical-assistance
  4. Set a goal for 80% breakfast participation
  5. Receive technical assistance from consultants with experience in school administration and nutrition operations

Traditional Grantmaking (NOT OPEN TO UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS) The Eos Foundation does not currently accept unsolicited proposals for its general grantmaking. Grants are made to established partner organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

For organizations interested in potential partnership with Eos Foundation:

  • Focus on Their Priorities: The foundation has deep expertise in school nutrition, food security, and gender/racial equity. Organizations working in these spaces with demonstrated impact in Massachusetts are most likely to come to their attention.
  • Partner Organizations: Build relationships with their existing grantee network, which includes Greater Boston Food Bank, Food Bank of Western Mass, Worcester County Food Bank, and Merrimack Valley Food Bank.
  • Research Alignment: The Women's Power Gap initiative actively engages with organizations working on diversity in corporate and institutional leadership.
  • Regional Presence: Cape Cod and Islands organizations may have particular access given the founders' location in Harwich.

Decision Timeline

  • Breakfast in the Classroom: Rolling applications, contact for current processing times
  • Traditional grants: Not publicly disclosed

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation makes approximately 29 grants per year.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented. Contact the foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

For Breakfast in the Classroom Grants:

  • Commit to 80% participation goal: Schools are explicitly asked to set this target to meet nutritional needs of low-income students and support nutrition department operations
  • Demonstrate readiness: Show capacity to implement "After the Bell" breakfast programming
  • Use funds strategically: Equipment (roller bags, warming/cooling units), operational costs, and cultural adoption incentives are all allowable
  • Engage school culture: The foundation provides technical assistance from consultants experienced in change management

For Building Relationships (Traditional Grants):

  • Massachusetts focus: Nearly all food security grants go to Massachusetts organizations
  • Systemic solutions: The foundation emphasizes sustainable, structural change rather than one-time relief
  • Data-driven approach: Ellen Remmer of The Philanthropic Initiative helped design their strategic framework—expect rigorous attention to outcomes
  • Alignment with existing initiatives: Organizations that complement their Women's Power Gap research or After the Bell program have strategic value

Recent Grantee Examples:

  • Boston Educational Development Foundation ($50,000)
  • YW Boston for racial equality and justice ($50,000)
  • Massachusetts LGBT Business Network ($45,000)
  • Alliance for Business Leadership for civic engagement ($30,000)
  • Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center for racial equality and justice ($25,000)
  • Voter Participation Center ($350,000)
  • Growing Places ($325,000 legacy grant)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Open Application Only for Schools: The Breakfast in the Classroom program is the only publicly accessible grant opportunity. Massachusetts public schools should apply through the online portal.

  2. Invitation-Only for Most Grants: Traditional grantmaking does not accept unsolicited proposals. Building relationships with the foundation's existing network is the path to consideration.

  3. Strong Massachusetts Focus: Food security and racial equity grants are concentrated in Massachusetts, with Cape Cod and the Islands receiving particular attention.

  4. Strategic Philanthropy: The foundation prioritizes systemic change over direct service. Grant seekers should frame proposals in terms of structural impact and long-term sustainability.

  5. Data Matters: With backgrounds in business and strategic philanthropy consulting, the leadership expects measurable outcomes and clear metrics.

  6. Emergency Response Capacity: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make rapid, substantial emergency grants during crises—organizations with existing relationships may be positioned to receive emergency support.

  7. Contact First: For the Breakfast program, reaching out to Megan Martino before applying is encouraged. This suggests a relationship-oriented approach even for open programs.

References

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