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Frisbie Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.3M
Grant Range
$0K - $1.0M

Frisbie Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~$1.35 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $15.7 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $250 - $1,024,768
  • Median Grant: $10,000
  • Number of Awards: 27-33 grants annually
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia (primary); New York, Oregon, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey (secondary)
  • Application Status: Does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

  • Address: 260 Franklin Street, Suite 1510, Boston, MA 02110
  • Phone: 617-948-3800
  • EIN: 04-3558239
  • Website: None publicly available

Overview

The Frisbie Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in June 2001 in Boston, Massachusetts. The foundation is managed through Battery Global Advisors (BGA Family Office), a family office connected to Battery Ventures, the prominent venture capital firm founded by Richard (Rick) Frisbie in 1983. Since 2014, the foundation has awarded 253 individual grants totaling $9.4 million to charitable organizations.

The foundation operates as a typical family foundation with a focused giving strategy. With total assets of approximately $15.7 million and annual distributions of around $1.35-1.9 million, it maintains a consistent grantmaking pattern of 27-33 awards per year. The foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate named grant programs but makes discretionary grants across several areas:

  • Healthcare & Medical Research: Major grants including $1,024,768 to Massachusetts General Hospital (2023); $26,000 to Cure Alzheimer's Fund
  • Higher Education & Athletics: $30,900 to Harvard Varsity Club; support for university programs
  • Arts & Culture: $25,000 to Boch Center (performing arts)
  • International Humanitarian: $100,000 to American Friends of Leket Israel
  • Community Organizations: Various human services organizations

Priority Areas

Based on 990 filing analysis, the foundation concentrates giving in:

  • Education
  • Healthcare and medical research (particularly Alzheimer's disease research)
  • Human Services
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Performing arts and cultural institutions

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has explicitly stated it does not accept unsolicited requests, suggesting:

  • Organizations without prior relationship to trustees
  • Cold applications from unknown organizations
  • General operating support requests from unfamiliar nonprofits

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

  • Richard (Rick) Frisbie - Trustee and presumed primary donor. Founder, former Managing Partner, and current Senior Advisor of Battery Ventures, a leading technology-focused venture capital firm he co-founded in 1983 in Boston. Has served on numerous private and public company boards, and on the Boards of Directors of both the New England Venture Capital Association and the National Venture Capital Association.

  • John O'Connor - Trustee. Associated with Battery Global Advisors family office operations.

Neither trustee receives compensation from the foundation.

Administrative Support

The foundation is administered through Battery Global Advisors (BGA Family Office), which provides family office services including charitable planning and wealth transfer optimization.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have existing relationships or personal connections.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the limited publicly available information specific to this foundation's outreach preferences, organizations seeking funding should note:

  • The foundation's giving reflects the personal philanthropic interests of Richard Frisbie, particularly in healthcare/medical research (Massachusetts General Hospital, Cure Alzheimer's Fund), higher education (Harvard), and the arts (Boch Center)
  • The trustees' professional network through Battery Ventures and the venture capital community may provide connection points
  • Organizations in Massachusetts and Florida (where the Frisbie family has business interests through Frisbie Group real estate) receive the majority of grants

Decision Timeline

The foundation makes consistent annual distributions, typically awarding 27-33 grants per year. Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented, but grants appear to be distributed throughout the year based on trustee discretion.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - as a preselection-only foundation, formal reapplication is not relevant.

Application Success Factors

As this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on analysis of grant patterns:

  • Healthcare focus: Massachusetts General Hospital received by far the largest grant ($1,024,768), suggesting healthcare and medical research is a significant priority
  • Institutional relationships: Harvard and major Boston-area institutions feature prominently
  • Consistent recipients: The foundation appears to support many of the same organizations year after year, suggesting relationship-based giving
  • Personal connections: Grant recipients likely have connections to the Frisbie family or their professional network

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Not an open funder: The Frisbie Family Foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications. Do not submit cold applications.
  • Relationship-driven giving: Grants appear to flow through personal and professional connections of the Frisbie family, particularly Richard Frisbie's network in the Boston venture capital and business community.
  • Healthcare priority: The largest grants go to healthcare institutions, particularly Massachusetts General Hospital and Alzheimer's research organizations.
  • Geographic concentration: Massachusetts organizations receive the majority of funding, with secondary giving to Florida and Virginia.
  • Consistent patterns: The foundation maintains steady giving of 27-33 grants annually totaling $1.3-1.9 million, suggesting reliable ongoing support for existing relationships.
  • Family office structure: Administration through Battery Global Advisors indicates professional management with family direction on charitable priorities.
  • Alternative approach: Organizations seeking support should focus on building relationships through board members, professional networks, or community connections rather than direct application.

References

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