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Cabot Family Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$2.0M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M
Decision Time
5mo

Cabot Family Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,000,215 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $52.5 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $50,000
  • Median Grant: $25,000
  • Number of Grants: 81 awards (2023)
  • Decision Time: 4-5 months (deadlines Feb 1/Sept 1; decisions June/December)
  • Geographic Focus: Boston, MA and contiguous communities

Contact Details

Overview

The Cabot Family Charitable Trust was established in 1942 by Godfrey Lowell Cabot, a prominent American industrialist who founded Cabot Corporation. Cabot created the trust to establish an instrument of giving for his descendants and to continue the philanthropic works he began with his wife, Maria Moors Cabot. The Trust operates as a private independent foundation with total assets of approximately $52.5 million and distributes roughly $2 million annually.

The Trust makes grant awards twice a year to nonprofit organizations serving the city of Boston and contiguous communities. Since 2019, the Trust has awarded 367 individual grants totaling $9.7 million. The foundation focuses on improving the lives of children and families, with a particular emphasis on early childhood development and youth programs. The Trust maintains strong connections to the Cabot family legacy while adapting to contemporary community needs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • General Operating Support: $5,000 - $50,000 (one-year awards)
  • Program-Specific Grants: $5,000 - $50,000 (one-year awards)
  • Capital Campaigns: $5,000 - $50,000 (multi-year funding available up to three years; applications only accepted for February 1 deadline)

Applications are submitted through the CFCT Portal with two annual deadlines: February 1 and September 1.

Priority Areas

  • Arts and Culture
  • Education and Youth Development
  • Environment and Conservation
  • Health and Human Services
  • Civic and Public Benefit

Within these fields, the trustees prefer programs mainly serving youth and young adults, with a special interest in programs focused on ensuring the healthy growth and development of infants and young children as a foundation for their future success.

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations located outside their geographic focus area
  • Summer camp programs (support channeled through the Summer Fund sponsored by Philanthropy Massachusetts)
  • Sectarian programs of religious institutions
  • Fraternal organizations
  • Fundraising events or matching gift programs
  • Grants to individuals
  • Policy advocacy (unless part of a larger program with direct service components)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Director

Elizabeth M. Lynch - Previously held positions at Massachusetts Bar Foundation, Eurasia Foundation, and Natural Resources Defense Council. Lynch has been active in the philanthropy community, participating in events such as the MA Legal Aid Funders Network Meeting. She has supported innovative partnerships that create pathways for immigrant students to secure immigration legal help.

Trustees

  • John R. Cabot - Trustee
  • Laura Cabot Carrigan - Trustee
  • Shoma Aditya - Trustee
  • Mary Schneider Enriquez - Trustee
  • Greenfield Sluder - Trustee
  • Hendrika Sluder - Trustee

All trustees serve without compensation. The board reflects the founder's intention to maintain family involvement in the Trust's philanthropic decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the CFCT Portal (accessible via the Trust's website). Organizations may submit one funding request per year at either deadline:

  • February 1 deadline: For all grant types including capital campaigns
  • September 1 deadline: For general operating and program support only (capital campaigns not accepted)

Current grantees must submit a report on their current grant by the time of application submission.

Decision Timeline

  • February 1 submissions: Decisions announced in June
  • September 1 submissions: Decisions announced in December
  • Notifications sent via email

After staff research and review grant applications, the trustees make final decisions on all grant awards.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may submit one funding request per year, and the Trust does not accept applications from organizations that have applied within the previous 12 months. If declined, applicants should wait until the following year's corresponding deadline to reapply.

Application Success Factors

According to the Trust, competitive applications should demonstrate the following criteria:

  1. Alignment with Cabot Family Interests: Reflect Cabot family interests and provide benefits to communities and organizations that have been supported by family philanthropy.

  2. Gap-Filling Services: Extend important services to individuals and groups not served adequately through other programs and institutions.

  3. Responsiveness to Community Needs: Manage change by assessing community needs and developing programs to meet emerging needs.

  4. Collaborative Approaches: Promote productive cooperation and full use of resources by nonprofit organizations and community groups.

  5. Innovation: Test new approaches to problems or adapt solutions that have been successful elsewhere.

Recent Grant Recipients (Examples)

  • MassINC - $50,000
  • WGBH Educational Foundation - $50,000
  • Action for Boston Community Development - $50,000
  • Boston Arts Academy Foundation - $50,000
  • Boston Food Forest Coalition - $50,000
  • Catie's Closet Inc - $50,000
  • Community Servings - $50,000
  • East Boston Community Council - $50,000
  • Food for Free Committee - $50,000
  • Freedom House Inc - $50,000
  • Haley House Inc - $50,000

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic eligibility is strict: Your organization must serve Boston or one of the 14 specifically named contiguous communities (Brookline, Cambridge, Canton, Chelsea, Dedham, Everett, Milton, Needham, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, Watertown, and Winthrop).

  2. Youth focus is paramount: While the Trust funds across five priority areas, programs serving youth and young adults—especially early childhood development—receive special consideration.

  3. One application per year: Choose your deadline carefully. If applying for capital funding, you must submit by February 1.

  4. Demonstrate innovation and collaboration: The Trust values programs that test new approaches or adapt successful solutions from elsewhere, and that promote cooperation among nonprofits.

  5. Fill service gaps: Strong applications demonstrate that your organization extends services to underserved populations not adequately reached by other programs.

  6. Multi-year funding is possible: While most grants are one-year, capital campaigns and exceptional programs demonstrating accelerated positive outcomes may receive up to three years of funding.

  7. Plan for the timeline: With 4-5 months between submission and decision, factor this into your project planning and cash flow projections.

References

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