Beveridge Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,543,528 (2024)
• Number of Grants: 134 awards (2024)
• Decision Time: 2-4 months (application to notification)
• Grant Range: $100 - $50,000
• Geographic Focus: Hampden and Hampshire Counties, Massachusetts
• Total Assets: $62.8 million

Contact Details

Website: https://www.beveridge.org/

Address: West Newbury, MA

Application Deadlines: February 1 and August 1 (before 5 pm ET)

Grant Payment Dates: Typically June 15 or December 15

Overview

The Beveridge Family Foundation was originally founded as a trust in 1947 by Frank Stanley Beveridge, incorporated in 1956 after his death, and merged into its current form in 2008. With total assets of approximately $62.8 million and annual giving of $2.5 million, the foundation exclusively supports nonprofit organizations serving Hampden and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts. The foundation's mission is to preserve and enhance the quality of life by embracing Frank Stanley Beveridge's philanthropic vision through initiatives supporting youth development, health, education, religion, arts, and environment. In recent years, the foundation has placed strategic emphasis on Racial Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (REDIB), impact investing, and helping nonprofits develop alternative funding streams beyond traditional grants. The foundation made 134 awards in 2024, up from 131 in 2023, demonstrating consistent commitment to the region.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grantmaking Program: $100 - $50,000 per grant

• Two annual funding cycles with February 1 and August 1 deadlines
• Board meetings in April and October to determine awards
• Online application process through foundation website

Grant Limitations:

• Maximum award is the lesser of: $50,000, 25% of organization's total contributions, or 20% of project budget
• Preference for one-time grants (not multi-year commitments)

Priority Support Types

• Building/Renovation
• Capital Campaigns
• Collections Acquisition/Management
• Computer Systems Equipment
• Program Development
• Research
• Technical Assistance

Funding Categories

• Animal Related
• Arts and Culture
• Education
• Environmental Protection
• Health Services
• Human Services
• Youth Development
• Religion
• Community Development
• Plus 14 other institutional/program areas

What They Don't Fund

• Grants to individuals
• Foreign organizations
• Government agencies
• Other private foundations
• Multi-year grant payments
• General operating support (most common reason for rejection)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

• Christa Palmer Bigue*
• Philip Caswell 3rd* (Emeritus)
• Henry A. Du Pont*
• Ruth S. Du Pont*
• Vanessa Pabón-Hernandez
• Frederic G. Palmer*
• Jabez W. Palmer*
• Patrice Swan
• Peter Weston

(*Indicates relative of Frank Stanley Beveridge)

Officers

• Ward Slocum Caswell* - President
• Jonathan Caswell* - Vice President
• Frederick W. Stecher* - Treasurer
• Frederic G. Palmer* - Assistant Treasurer
• Leah Beveridge Richardson* - Clerk
• Alexandra Russell - Assistant Clerk

Leadership Perspective

President Ward Caswell has stated: "Many area nonprofits operate with a scarcity mindset. The resulting risk averse behavior... is holding back their ability to serve a broader community." This reflects the foundation's focus on helping nonprofits think more strategically about funding diversification and organizational sustainability.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

1. Review Eligibility: Check that your organization serves Hampden or Hampshire Counties and meets eligibility requirements at beveridge.org/eligibility

2. Prepare Application: Download the offline application form to prepare responses (limited to 280 characters per field). Work on responses offline first to ensure cohesive storytelling.

3. Submit Online Application: Complete and submit via the foundation's online portal before the deadline (February 1 or August 1 by 5 pm ET)

4. Director Review: Foundation Directors review applications and make accept/reject recommendations

5. Additional Documentation: If accepted for consideration, submit additional documentation as requested

6. Site Visit: Foundation schedules a 90-minute site visit with key organizational representatives

7. Board Meeting: Board votes on awards at April or October meeting

8. Notification: Receive denial or award contract within weeks of board meeting

9. Grant Payment: Typically distributed June 15 or December 15

10. Follow-up Report: Required one year after grant payment

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: February 1 or August 1 (before 5 pm ET)
• Board Meeting: April (for February deadline) or October (for August deadline)
• Notification: Within a few weeks of board meeting
• Total Timeline: Approximately 2-4 months from submission to notification

Reapplication Policy

• If denied before board presentation: May reapply at any time
• If denied after board presentation: Must wait two years before reapplying
• After receiving a grant: Must wait at least two years following receipt of grant payment before applying again

Application Success Factors

Critical Advice from the Foundation

Avoid General Operating Support: The foundation explicitly states: "The most common issue needing further explanation is the Foundation's policy against providing general operating support. If you are working too hard to make an existing program sound like Program Development, it likely won't pass the review process." This is the single most important factor in application success.

Use Proper Definitions: The foundation uses Foundation Center (CANDID) definitions for categories and support types. Ensure your application aligns with these standard definitions.

Stay Within Priority Areas: Applications for support types outside the foundation's stated priority areas significantly decrease the likelihood of acceptance.

Tell a Cohesive Story: In the 280-character limited response fields, ensure your answers work together to tell a unified story about your project's purpose and impact.

Avoid Formatting: Do not use special formatting in text fields as it may not display properly in the review process.

Recent Grantees (Spring 2024)

The foundation authorized $667,500 in April 2024 to 24 organizations, including:

• Catie's Closet, Inc.
• Friends of Springfield Preparatory Charter School, Inc.
• Hampden County Bar Foundation Inc.
• Health Law Advocates, Inc.
• Irish Cultural Center Inc. of Western New England
• Make-It Springfield, Inc.

Impact Investment Focus

The foundation is increasingly focused on impact investments, with a goal to grow these to 5% of total assets. Recent investments include Working Fields (staffing support addressing systemic employment barriers) and Elateq (wastewater treatment technology from UMass Amherst).

Alternative Funding Philosophy

Since 2018, the foundation has actively encouraged nonprofits to develop revenue streams beyond traditional grants through workshops and capacity-building support. This signals that applicants demonstrating long-term sustainability planning may be viewed favorably.

Site Visit Preparation

Organizations that advance past the initial review will receive a 90-minute site visit. Prepare key organizational representatives to discuss the project in detail and demonstrate organizational capacity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Project-specific funding only: This is non-negotiable. Do not attempt to reframe operating support as program development—reviewers can tell the difference.

• Geographic restriction is absolute: Only organizations serving Hampden and Hampshire Counties qualify. Ensure you clearly demonstrate service to these specific counties.

• Strategic timing matters: With only two deadlines per year and a two-year waiting period between board-considered applications, timing your application strategically is critical.

• Character limits require precision: With 280-character response limits, every word counts. Practice concise, compelling storytelling that connects across all application sections.

• Demonstrate sustainability thinking: Given the foundation's focus on alternative funding and risk-averse behavior in nonprofits, showing long-term financial planning beyond this grant may strengthen your application.

• Prepare for site visits: Organizations that pass initial review will receive site visits—have key staff ready to articulate the project's importance and demonstrate organizational capacity.

• Know CANDID definitions: Familiarize yourself with Foundation Center/CANDID's standard definitions for grant categories and support types to ensure proper classification.

References

• Beveridge Family Foundation Official Website: https://www.beveridge.org/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Eligibility Guidelines: https://www.beveridge.org/eligibility/ (Accessed January 2026)
• FAQs: https://www.beveridge.org/eligibility/faqs/ (Accessed January 2026)
• About the Foundation: https://www.beveridge.org/about/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Directors & Officers: https://www.beveridge.org/about/directors-officers/ (Accessed January 2026)
• President's Report Spring 2024: https://www.beveridge.org/presidents-report-spring-2024/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Alternative Funding Initiative: https://www.beveridge.org/about/alt-funding/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/beveridge-family-foundation-inc (Accessed January 2026)