The Cabot Family Charitable Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation is a 501(c)(3) working on children and family issues in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge or the other listed Massachusetts cities, this Trust is worth considering.
- Organisations outside that area are excluded, as are sectarian programmes of religious institutions, fraternal organisations, event sponsorships, matching gift programmes, summer camp programmes and grants to individuals.
- Its stated priority is programmes mainly serving young people and young adults, with particular interest in the healthy growth and development of infants and young children, and half of its 258 grants to organisations across the filings were $25,000 or less, so a modest, well-defined request fits best within a listed range of $5,000 to $50,000.
- Submit one application per year through the CFCT Portal by February 1 or September 1 (moved to the next business day if either falls on a weekend or holiday), and note that capital campaign requests are considered only in the spring cycle.
- Repeat funding is significant, with 42% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach should show a clear fit with the Trust's stated priorities and the family interests it describes.
Overview
The Cabot Family Charitable Trust is a US private foundation based in Boston, MA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Trust funds nonprofit organisations working to make life better for children and families in Boston and contiguous communities. Applicants must be nonprofit organisations with 501(c)(3) status. It considers requests for specific programmes and activities, general operations, and capital campaigns across arts and culture, education and youth development, environment and conservation, health and human services, and civic and public benefit. Within these fields, trustees prefer programmes mainly serving youth and young adults, with special interest in programmes focused on the healthy growth and development of infants and young children. Capital campaign requests are considered only in the spring cycle.
Themes
- Arts and culture
- Education and youth development
- Environment and conservation
- Health and human services
- Civic and public benefit
Geographic Focus
Boston and contiguous communities: Boston, Brookline, Cambridge and 12 more cities in Massachusetts.
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations located outside of our geographic focus area
- Sectarian programs of religious institutions
- Fraternal organizations
- Event sponsorships
- Matching gift programs
- Grants to individuals
- Summer camp programs
How to apply
Organisations may submit one application per year through the CFCT Portal.
Deadlines: Applications have two deadlines each year, February 1 and September 1; if either falls on a weekend or holiday, they are due the next business day.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 42% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 258 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Trustees prefer programmes mainly serving young people and young adults, with special interest in infants' and young children's healthy growth and development.
- Competitive applications reflect Cabot family interests and benefit communities and organisations supported by family philanthropy.
- The Trust values services for individuals and groups not adequately served by other programmes and institutions.
- Trustees value programmes that assess community needs and respond to emerging needs.
- Trustees value productive cooperation and full use of resources by nonprofit organisations and community groups.
- Trustees value new approaches to problems and adaptation of solutions that have succeeded elsewhere.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 2% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 42% of grant dollars went to organisations The Cabot Family Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 82 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- WGBH Educational Foundation · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Community Servings · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Roca · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Bridge Over Troubled Waters · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Family Access of Newton · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Immigrant Family Services Institute · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
- Worcester Natural History Society Dba Ecotarium · Exempt purpose$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- John R Cabot As Of 112024 — Trustee
- Elizabeth Lynch — Executive Director
- Shoma Aditya — Trustee
- Dr Greenfield Sluder — Trustee
- Mary Schneider Enriquez — Trustee
- Hendrika T Sluder — Trustee
- Laura Cabot Carrigan — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,241,938 | $2,601,233 | $48,618,283 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,587,998 | $2,000,215 | $52,539,263 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,862,815 | $2,205,000 | $55,761,187 | Filing for 2024 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Cabot Family Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (617) 451-1744
- elynch@cabotfamilytrust.org
- Boston, MA
- cabotfamilytrust.org
Applying to The Cabot Family Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (617) 451-1744
- elynch@cabotfamilytrust.org
- Boston, MA
- cabotfamilytrust.org