Amelia Peabody Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 04-6036558 · since 1944ameliapeabody.org·Massachusetts·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$8.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$15,000 to $80,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$40,000

Typical grant (median)

152 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Amelia Peabody Foundation is based in Topsfield, MA, and its geographic focus is Massachusetts, so this fits organisations working within that area and around themes such as childcare and education, out-of-school programmes, family stability, economic opportunity, healthy food systems, housing and capacity building.
For sizing a request, typical grants run from $15,000 to $80,000, with a median of $35,000; the Foundation states that programme and general operating grants usually run $25,000 to $50,000, while capital or growth-opportunity grants start from $75,000, so a modest request in that programme range is realistic for most applicants.
A large majority of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had already funded in the previous two filings, suggesting this is a relationship-led funder where ongoing contact matters, though new applicants are still welcome to apply through the grantee portal.
Applications are reviewed against fixed deadlines tied to quarterly Trustee meetings, so plan ahead and build in time for a possible site visit if advanced, plus a brief report at the end of the grant period.
Individuals, endowments or private foundations, religious organisations seeking funds for sectarian purposes, political campaigns, event sponsorships or advertisements, and seed funding are all outside what the Foundation supports, so organisations seeking funding for these should not apply.

Overview

Amelia Peabody Foundation is a US private foundation based in Topsfield, 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 Foundation supports high-quality early childcare, educational enrichment and out-of-school-time programmes, alongside initiatives that strengthen family stability and create economic opportunities for underserved communities. It also supports capacity building. Its wider grantmaking aims to help children thrive in under-resourced communities through equitable access to high-quality education and out-of-school programmes, a healthy and inclusive food system, pathways to economic mobility, and safe, stable housing. It offers programmatic grants for programmes, initiatives or pilots testing novel approaches, operating grants for organisations’ day-to-day operations, and capital grants for facility construction or improvements. It prioritises strong leadership, clear goals and focused strategy, meaningful collaboration, demonstrated impact assessment, and diverse funding sources; its grantees range from grassroots groups to large nonprofits, and the Foundation takes a flexible, responsive approach.

Themes

Childcare and education
Out-of-school programmes
Family stability
Economic opportunity
Healthy food systems
Housing
Capacity building

Geographic Focus

Massachusetts.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
Endowments or private foundations
Religious organizations where the grant is to be used for sectarian purposes
Political campaigns
Event sponsorships or advertisements
Seed funding

How to apply

Applicants create an account or log in to the grantee portal to access the grant application.

Deadlines: Application cycles align with quarterly Trustee meetings.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 67% 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 500 grants to organisations were $35,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Sound leadership is preferred, ideally rooted in the community being served.
Applicants should have clear goals, a focused strategy and organisational alignment.
The Foundation values meaningful collaboration with external partners.
Applicants should demonstrate an ability to understand and assess impact.
The Foundation prioritises applicants with diverse funding sources.
Complete applications are evaluated against the Foundation’s priorities and goals; applicants advanced for funding are contacted for a site visit.
Grantees must submit a brief report at the end of the grant period.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Massachusetts100%

The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 67% of grant dollars went to organisations Amelia Peabody Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

152 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $40,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 152 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k1%

$10k–$25k14%

$25k–$50k37%

$50k–$100k36%

$100k–$250k10%

$250k–$500k1%

$500k–$1M1%

Median $40,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Friendly House · General
$500,0002024 tax year
Family Aid Boston · General
$500,0002024 tax year
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell · Believe & Become Capital Campaign
$360,0002024 tax year
Argosy Collegiate Charter School Foundation · Middle School Capital Project
$250,0002024 tax year
Family Aid Boston · General
$166,6672024 tax year
Friendly House · General
$166,6672024 tax year
African Community Education Program · ACE Building Renovations
$150,0002024 tax year
Chicopee Boys and Girls Club · General
$150,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

David Carlson — Trustee
Joseph Kelly — Executive Director and CIO
Dolores Reid — Trustee
Deborah Carlson — Trustee
Vincent Marturano — Trustee
Margaret St Clair — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$11,299,093	$8,032,333	$175,003,652	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$10,869,158	$6,333,000	$186,467,169	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$11,579,384	$8,677,334	$198,558,663	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.