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The Ellison Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.4M
Grant Range
$20K - $0.3M

The Ellison Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,430,000 (2023); historically ~$4,900,000
  • Total Assets: $84,014,260 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $350,000
  • Average Grant: ~$135,000
  • Number of Grants: 18-23 annually
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited requests

Contact Details

  • Address: 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199-3600 (c/o RWA Wealth Partners)
  • Alternative Address: 21 King Street, Lynn, MA 01902
  • Phone: (781) 584-4755
  • Contact Person: Elton Drew, Trustee
  • EIN: 04-6050704

Overview

The Ellison Foundation is a private non-operating foundation established in 1953 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. With total assets of approximately $84 million, the foundation has been a consistent philanthropic presence in the Greater Boston area for over seven decades.

The foundation focuses its grantmaking primarily on healthcare, medical research, and community organizations in Massachusetts. Recent grants have emphasized major medical institutions and cancer research organizations, reflecting a longstanding commitment to advancing healthcare in the region.

The foundation operates with a small governance structure of three trustees who oversee all grantmaking decisions. As a traditional family foundation, it maintains a relatively low public profile and does not engage in active public fundraising or outreach. The foundation distributed $2.43 million across 18 grants in 2023, demonstrating consistent annual giving patterns despite the lack of a formal application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal named grant programs but makes discretionary grants in the following areas:

  • Healthcare & Medical Research: Primary focus area, including support for major academic medical centers
  • Cancer Research: Significant support for cancer treatment and research organizations
  • Children's Health: Funding for pediatric healthcare services
  • Community Organizations: Support for human services agencies in Massachusetts

Priority Areas

Based on recent grant distributions, the foundation actively funds:

  • Academic medical centers and teaching hospitals
  • Cancer research institutes and treatment centers
  • Children's hospitals and pediatric health services
  • Medical research programs
  • Community health organizations

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's 990-PF filing explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." This indicates:

  • No unsolicited grant applications are reviewed
  • Organizations outside their existing network are unlikely to receive funding
  • Geographic focus is strictly Massachusetts-based organizations

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

NameRoleWeekly HoursAnnual Compensation
Elton F. DrewTrustee (Primary Contact)15 hours$150,000
Andrew SilvermanTrustee4 hours$125,000
Martin HallTrustee3 hours$79,285

The foundation operates with a total staff of 3 employees and maintains its administration through RWA Wealth Partners in Boston.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Ellison Foundation explicitly states in its IRS filings that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." This means:

  • There is no application form or portal
  • Cold outreach is not reviewed
  • All grants are made at trustee discretion to organizations they have identified
  • Funding relationships appear to be established through existing connections and networks

Getting on Their Radar

Note: Limited specific information is available about how this foundation identifies new grantees. Based on their giving patterns:

  • The foundation tends to support established Massachusetts medical institutions with which trustees may have personal or professional connections
  • Major academic medical centers in the Boston area appear to be ongoing recipients
  • Building relationships within the Boston healthcare and philanthropic community may increase visibility
  • Organizations that have received prior support often continue to receive funding in subsequent years

Decision Timeline

  • Grant decisions are made internally by the three trustees
  • No public timeline or notification process is documented
  • Grants are distributed on an annual basis according to 990-PF filings

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

Based on 990-PF data, 2023 grantees included:

RecipientGrant Amount
University of Massachusetts Chan$350,000
Boston Children's Hospital Trust$250,000
Professional Nurses Chapter of Brigham and Women's Hospital$200,000
Brigham and Women's Hospital$200,000
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center$195,000
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute$175,000
American Cancer SocietyNot specified

Grant History

  • 2023: 18 grants totaling $2,430,000
  • 2022: 22 grants
  • 2021: 23 grants
  • 2020: 22 grants
  • 2019: 23 grants

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, patterns in their giving suggest:

Characteristics of Organizations They Fund:

  • Established, reputable medical institutions in Massachusetts
  • Organizations with strong track records in healthcare delivery or research
  • Pediatric and cancer-focused healthcare organizations
  • Institutions with existing relationships to Boston's philanthropic community

What Seems to Matter:

  • Geographic presence in Massachusetts (primarily Greater Boston)
  • Focus on healthcare, medical research, or human services
  • Institutional credibility and longevity
  • Alignment with their historical giving patterns in medical/healthcare sectors

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. No public application process exists - The foundation explicitly states it only funds preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

  2. Healthcare focus is paramount - The vast majority of grants support medical institutions, hospitals, and healthcare research organizations in Massachusetts.

  3. Relationship-based grantmaking - Funding appears to flow through established relationships and trustee networks rather than competitive applications.

  4. Major institutions dominate - Recipients tend to be large, established academic medical centers (Brigham and Women's, Dana-Farber, Beth Israel, Boston Children's, UMass Chan).

  5. Consistent giving patterns - The foundation maintains relatively stable annual giving of 18-23 grants per year, suggesting ongoing relationships with core grantees.

  6. Massachusetts-only focus - Geographic limitation is strictly enforced; only Massachusetts-based organizations have received funding.

  7. Not a prospect for most grant seekers - Due to the closed nature of their grantmaking, this foundation should not be pursued through traditional grant application strategies. Organizations seeking funding would need to find ways to connect with trustees through other channels.

References

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