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Roberts Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.9M
Grant Range
$0K - $1.9M

Roberts Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,940,052 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $51.4 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $75 - $1,900,000
  • Number of Awards: 7 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida
  • Application Process: Invitation only

Contact Details

  • Address: 31 Saint James Ave Ste 740, Boston, MA 02116-4186
  • Phone: 617-933-3620
  • EIN: 04-3522054
  • Website: None publicly available

Overview

The Roberts Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000 in Massachusetts. Founded by Thomas S. Roberts (MBA 1989, Harvard Business School) and his wife Kristen Roberts, the foundation has grown to manage total assets of approximately $51.4 million. In 2023, the foundation distributed $2,940,052 in grants across 7 awards, continuing a pattern of focused, high-value giving to selected organizations.

The foundation primarily funds unrestricted grants with a focus on education, human services, and philanthropy/voluntarism. The Roberts family believes that complex problems require interdisciplinary solutions and innovative, technology-based thinking, which is reflected in their most significant philanthropic commitment—a $10 million gift to endow the Harvard Undergraduate Technology Innovation Fellows Program.

Thomas Roberts' professional background in private equity (as former Managing Partner at Summit Partners and former President of the National Venture Capital Association) influences the foundation's strategic approach to philanthropy, particularly in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation education.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation distributes grants across three primary geographic regions—Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida—with grant sizes ranging from $75 to $1,900,000.

  • Major Programmatic Giving: Large multi-year endowment gifts (e.g., $10 million Harvard Technology Fellows Program)
  • General Unrestricted Grants: Smaller grants to various nonprofit organizations
  • Education Focus: Strong emphasis on higher education, entrepreneurship, and innovation

Priority Areas

  • Education: Particularly higher education and technology/entrepreneurship programs
  • Human Services: Support for nonprofit human services organizations
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Programs that develop young leaders in technology and business
  • Philanthropy: Support for grantmaking and voluntarism infrastructure

What They Don't Fund

Based on available information, the foundation operates with a narrow focus aligned with trustee interests. The invitation-only model suggests they do not accept:

  • Unsolicited grant applications
  • Organizations outside their established relationships and geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

  • Robert G Bannish - Trustee (receives compensation of $10,000-$15,000 annually)
  • Kristen Roberts - Trustee (uncompensated)
  • Thomas S. Roberts - Trustee (uncompensated)

About the Founders

Thomas S. Roberts is a magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University (Economics) and Harvard Business School (MBA, Baker Scholar). He joined Summit Partners in 1989 and served in leadership roles including Managing Partner and Executive Committee member until 2017. He served as board director of more than 30 public and private companies and was former President of the National Venture Capital Association. He founded Equality Asset Management, a private equity firm focusing on technology and healthcare.

Kristen Roberts is actively involved in the foundation's philanthropic direction, particularly in education initiatives supporting young entrepreneurs.

Leadership Quotes

Thomas Roberts on supporting young entrepreneurs: "If you have the right idea, the right answers, the right content, there's no reason you can't go make a really substantial impact when you're 24 instead of 44."

Kristen Roberts on their philanthropic mission: "These young people have great ideas and drive, but they don't necessarily have the skills, knowledge, or connections to execute yet."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Roberts Family Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis. Organizations are invited by the Board of Directors (trustees) to submit grant proposals. There is no open application portal or published grant guidelines.

The foundation's giving pattern suggests grants are made based on:

  • Personal relationships with the trustees
  • Alignment with the Roberts family's interests in education, entrepreneurship, and innovation
  • Geographic connections to Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's trustees have specific professional and personal networks that inform their grantmaking:

  • Harvard University connections: The Roberts family has strong ties to Harvard Business School and Harvard SEAS. Organizations with Harvard connections or those working in higher education innovation may align with trustee interests.
  • Summit Partners/Private Equity network: Thomas Roberts' extensive board experience (30+ companies) and role as former President of the National Venture Capital Association creates connections in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
  • Technology and Innovation focus: The foundation's signature gift to the Harvard Technology Innovation Fellows Program indicates particular interest in programs bridging technology, business, and entrepreneurship education.

Decision Timeline

Information not publicly available. As a small family foundation making 7-15 grants annually, decisions are likely made at trustee discretion throughout the year.

Grant Activity History

  • 2023: 7 awards ($2,940,052 total)
  • 2022: 8 awards
  • 2021: 10 awards
  • 2020: 4 awards
  • 2019: 15 awards
  • 2012: 25 awards
  • 2011: 29 awards

The declining number of awards over time (from 25-29 in 2011-2012 to 7-10 in recent years) combined with stable or increasing total giving suggests a shift toward fewer, larger grants.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation, success depends on:

  1. Pre-existing relationship with trustees: The Roberts family makes grants through personal relationships, not competitive applications. Having a connection to Thomas Roberts, Kristen Roberts, or Robert G Bannish is essential.

  2. Alignment with education and innovation: The foundation's signature investment in Harvard's Technology Innovation Fellows Program demonstrates their priority: developing young leaders at the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship.

  3. Geographic relevance: Organizations operating in Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Florida align with documented giving patterns.

  4. Track record of impact: Given Thomas Roberts' background evaluating companies as a private equity investor, the foundation likely values organizations that can demonstrate clear outcomes and effective use of resources.

  5. Innovation and scalability: The Roberts family explicitly values helping people "make a really substantial impact" through innovative approaches.

Recent Significant Grants

Harvard Undergraduate Technology Innovation Fellows Program

  • Amount: $10 million endowment gift
  • Purpose: To provide 10-15 outstanding Harvard undergraduates annually with graduate-level resources in entrepreneurship and technology innovation
  • Impact: Program graduates have included three Rhodes Scholars, demonstrating the caliber of students selected

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This is an invitation-only foundation. Cold outreach is unlikely to succeed.
  • Relationship-driven: Focus on building connections with trustees through shared networks (Harvard, private equity/venture capital, entrepreneurship education).
  • High-value, focused giving: The foundation makes few grants (7 in 2023) but gives significantly ($2.94 million total). They prefer substantial, impactful investments.
  • Education and innovation focus: Organizations supporting entrepreneurship, technology education, or innovative approaches to developing young leaders align with documented priorities.
  • Geographic concentration: Massachusetts is the primary giving area, with secondary focus on New Jersey and Florida.
  • Patient capital mindset: The founders' private equity background suggests appreciation for long-term impact over short-term metrics.
  • Professional credibility matters: Given Thomas Roberts' experience evaluating 30+ company boards, grant seekers should be prepared to demonstrate operational excellence and clear impact metrics.

References

Research conducted December 2025

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