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Manton Foundation

Annual Giving
$32.6M
Grant Range
$100K - $12.0M

Manton Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $32,634,053 (2023)
  • Assets: $660 million
  • Average Grant: $526,356
  • Number of Grants: 62 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: New England (with some grants in New York and other states)
  • Application Process: Invitation only - no unsolicited proposals accepted

Contact Details

Overview

The Manton Foundation was established in 1991 by Jim and Gretchen Manton as a vehicle for their charitable giving. Jim Manton was a casualty underwriter who worked for American International Underwriter Corporation (later AIG), and his business success enabled the couple to establish an organization dedicated to their local and artistic interests. Following Jim's death in 2005, the Foundation received over $590 million from his estate. Today, the foundation is managed by the Mantons' descendants—their daughter Diana Morton and granddaughters Julia Krapf and Sandra Niles—and functions as a collaborative family endeavor. The foundation holds approximately $660 million in assets and distributes over $32 million annually to support education, arts and culture, medical research, and historic preservation, primarily in New England.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The foundation supports "a range of organizations and causes," with funded projects falling largely into the following fields:

  • Education: Including vocational training programs (e.g., North Bennet Street School)
  • Arts and Culture: Museums, galleries, and cultural institutions (particularly with connections to British and American art)
  • Medical Research: Including rare disease research and veterinary medicine
  • Historic Preservation and Conservation: Environmental nonprofits and historic sites

Recent Major Grants

  • The Courtauld Institute of Art (London): $12 million (2024) to establish the Manton Centre for British Art
  • MIT Center for Gynepathology Research (2024): Grant for "A New Vision for Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, and Infertility Research"
  • Clark Art Institute (Williamstown, MA): $90 million gift (200 oil paintings, watercolors, and studies valued at $40 million, plus $50 million cash)
  • Children's Hospital Boston: $25 million to establish the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research
  • Green Mountain Horse Association (2024): Up to $500,000 matching grant for land acquisition
  • The Trustees of Reservations (Massachusetts): $1.4 million for the Boston Public Market project
  • Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center at McLean Hospital: Million-dollar endowment

Other Grant Recipients

  • Tate Britain (London)
  • Church of the Ascension
  • Hospital for Large Animals at Tufts
  • Harris Hill Ski Jump
  • Tower Hill Botanic Garden

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

  • Julia Krapf – Trustee (compensation: $330,000)
  • Sandra Niles – Trustee (compensation: $330,000)
  • Diana Morton – Trustee Emerita
  • WHM Morton – Advisor & Counsel

Julia and Sandra (daughters of Diana Morton) were born and raised in New England, and in the early 2000s they were appointed along with their mother to serve on the Foundation board.

Program & Operations Team

  • Jacqueline Elias – Senior Advisor
  • Casey Castañeda – Operations & Program Director
  • Brianna Lawless – Program Officer
  • Maggie Cohen – Program Associate

Grant-Making Philosophy

The foundation describes itself as "a collaborative family endeavor" where trustees make decisions collectively. According to their website, the foundation emphasizes pragmatism in their work, aiming to deeply understand both the challenges organizations face and their specific funding needs. The foundation conducts what they characterize as an "educational and relationship building exercise" rather than a purely transactional due diligence process. They prioritize "open and honest discussions with prospective grantees" throughout their evaluation. Grant decisions are "generally made on a consensus basis" among the trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Manton Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. This is the most critical information for potential applicants.

According to the foundation's website: "The Manton Foundation trustees meet regularly during the year and only accept proposals by invitation." The program and operations team will contact organizations as needed to solicit materials. This means the foundation proactively reaches out to organizations they're interested in supporting, rather than accepting open applications.

"Meetings are not granted unless an application is being seriously considered for funding," indicating a highly selective process where the foundation has already identified strong interest before engaging with an organization.

Getting on Their Radar

The Manton Foundation's approach is relationship-based and trustee-driven. Based on the foundation's documented practices:

  • Trustee Connections: Trustee involvement appears significant in identifying funding opportunities, particularly in specialized fields where trustees possess expertise or personal connections. The foundation's giving reflects the family's interests in arts (particularly British and American art), New England community causes, and medical research.

  • Geographic Proximity: The foundation focuses its giving in New England, where trustees Julia Krapf and Sandra Niles were born and raised. Organizations based in or serving New England communities, particularly Massachusetts, may align with the foundation's geographic priorities.

  • Site Visits: The foundation conducts site visits to grantees, suggesting they value direct engagement and relationships with funded organizations (e.g., team visit to Tower Hill Botanic Garden).

  • Expressing Interest: While unsolicited proposals are not accepted, organizations that align strongly with the foundation's mission areas can contact grants@mantonfoundation.org to express interest. However, expectations should be managed—the foundation will determine if your work warrants an invitation to apply.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. The foundation states that trustees "meet regularly during the year," suggesting an ongoing review process rather than fixed grant cycles. Organizations invited to apply would receive specific timeline information during that invitation process.

Success Rates

With 62 grants awarded in 2023 from an invitation-only pool, success rates for invited organizations are not publicly available. However, the invitation-only structure suggests that organizations contacted by the foundation's program team have already been substantially vetted.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented, as the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis rather than accepting applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Manton Foundation operates exclusively by invitation, traditional "application success factors" don't apply. However, based on the foundation's documented practices and grant history:

What the Foundation Values:

  • Family Connection to Mission: The foundation's giving reflects the founders' "deep interests in the arts" and local community, continuing through the second generation. Projects that align with the family's long-standing interests—particularly British and American art, New England historic preservation, and specialized medical research—appear prominently in their grant portfolio.

  • Relationship-Based Philanthropy: The foundation emphasizes conducting an "educational and relationship building exercise" with "open and honest discussions with prospective grantees." This suggests they value authentic partnerships over transactional funding relationships.

  • Consensus Decision-Making: Grant decisions are made "on a consensus basis" among family trustees, suggesting successful grants align with multiple trustees' interests and values.

  • Scale and Impact: With an average grant size of $526,356 and major grants reaching into the millions, the foundation appears to support established organizations capable of managing substantial funding and delivering significant impact.

Grant Portfolio Patterns:

  • Strong representation of arts and cultural institutions, particularly those focused on British art (reflecting founder Jim Manton's collecting interests)
  • New England-based organizations, especially in Massachusetts
  • Medical research institutions, particularly those focused on rare diseases or specialized research areas
  • Historic preservation and conservation organizations protecting New England heritage
  • Educational institutions providing vocational training

Practical Considerations: Organizations seeking funding should understand that being "on the radar" of the Manton Foundation likely requires existing connections to the trustees' networks, demonstrated excellence in fields aligned with the foundation's interests, or significant reputation in New England philanthropic circles. The foundation's approach suggests they actively seek out high-impact opportunities rather than responding to incoming requests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited proposals accepted: This is an invitation-only funder. Do not submit applications unless specifically invited by the program and operations team.

  • New England focus with family values: The foundation concentrates giving in New England and prioritizes areas reflecting the founding family's interests—arts (especially British and American art), education, medical research, and historic preservation.

  • Significant grant sizes: With an average grant of $526,356 and major grants reaching $12-90 million, this foundation makes substantial investments in established organizations.

  • Relationship-driven approach: The foundation emphasizes "open and honest discussions" and an "educational and relationship building exercise" rather than transactional grant-making, suggesting they value authentic partnerships.

  • Trustee-identified opportunities: Funding opportunities appear significantly driven by trustee interests and connections, particularly in specialized fields where trustees possess expertise.

  • Patient approach required: If your organization aligns strongly with the foundation's mission areas and geographic focus, expressing interest via grants@mantonfoundation.org is acceptable, but expectations should be managed—the foundation will determine if and when to invite an application.

  • Consensus-based decisions: Grant decisions are made collaboratively among family trustees, suggesting successful grants must appeal across multiple perspectives and align with shared family values.

References

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