Turning Leaf Foundation Inc.

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $537,071 (2024); $118,000 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $13,000 – $168,554 (based on recent 990-PF data)
• Geographic Focus: Massachusetts and California (primary)
• Number of Awards: 6 (2024), 2 (2023), 2 (2022), 4 (2021)

Contact Details

• Address: 190 North Main Street, Natick, MA 01760-2057 (c/o Schofer Dillberg & Co)
• Phone: 508-545-8400
• Website: No public website for the foundation
• EIN: 04-3397818
• Foundation Directory (Candid): https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=TURN059
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43397818

Overview

Turning Leaf Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation established in 1998 and based in Natick, Massachusetts. The foundation focuses on expanding access to post-secondary education for students who would otherwise be unable to afford it, operating exclusively through grants to other 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

As of fiscal year 2024, the foundation held total assets of $15,256,190 and distributed $537,071 in charitable disbursements across 6 grant awards. Annual giving fluctuates year to year: in 2023 the foundation made 2 awards totaling $118,000, in 2022 it also made 2 awards, and in 2021 it made 4 awards. Revenue in 2024 was substantial at $3,892,957, driven primarily by contributions ($3,275,138) and investment income including dividends ($493,287), suggesting the foundation's asset base and giving capacity may continue to grow.

The foundation is administered by the Jacobson family and maintains its registered address care of Schofer Dillberg & Co, a Natick-based tax accounting firm serving nonprofit clients. There is no public website, no stated open grant cycle, and no documented public application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not publicly advertise distinct named grant programs. Based on 990-PF data:

• Post-Secondary Education Grants: Grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that provide opportunities for post-secondary education to students for whom such education would not otherwise be available. Grant amounts have ranged from approximately $13,000 to $168,554 per award.

Priority Areas

• Post-secondary education access and affordability
• Scholarship and student financial aid programs
• Organizations operating in Massachusetts and California

What They Don't Fund

• Direct grants to individuals (grants are made to 501(c)(3) or equivalent organizations only)
• Organizations outside the 501(c)(3) framework
• Areas outside the foundation's educational focus (no documented giving to health, arts, environment, or other sectors based on stated mission, though Instrumentl notes secondary interests in Health Care and Arts, Culture and Humanities)

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a small, all-volunteer board drawn from the Jacobson family. All officers receive $0 compensation.

• Michael J Jacobson – President, Secretary & Director
• Nancy L Jacobson – Treasurer & Director
• Joseph C Jacobson – Director
• Thomas M Vaubel – Director

No public quotes or statements from foundation leadership are available, consistent with the foundation's low public profile and lack of a public-facing website or communications strategy.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Turning Leaf Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation and does not advertise an open grant cycle, publish application guidelines, or operate a public application portal. Grants appear to be awarded at trustee discretion, consistent with the pattern of a small family-controlled private foundation.

The only public contact point is a telephone number (508-545-8400) linked to the foundation's registered address at Schofer Dillberg & Co. There is no documented email address, website contact form, or stated process for unsolicited inquiries.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the small board and family foundation structure, decisions are likely made informally and on no fixed schedule.

Success Rates

No application success rate data is available. The foundation makes only 2–6 grants per year, indicating an extremely limited pool of beneficiaries. This is not a foundation that funds through a competitive open application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented.

Application Success Factors

Because this is a private family foundation with no public application process, standard application success guidance does not apply. However, based on the available 990-PF and directory data:

• Mission alignment is non-negotiable: The foundation's stated purpose is narrowly defined as supporting post-secondary education access for students who could not otherwise afford it. Organizations whose programs do not clearly serve this population are unlikely to be considered.
• 501(c)(3) status is required: The foundation explicitly limits grants to 501(c)(3) or equivalent organizations. Fiscal sponsorship arrangements or unincorporated projects are not referenced as eligible.
• Geographic concentration: The foundation's documented geographic preferences are Massachusetts and California. Organizations located in or serving students in these states are better positioned.
• Scale and relationship: With only 2–6 grants per year from a family foundation, grantees are likely known to the trustees through existing networks. Cold outreach with no prior relationship is unlikely to succeed.
• Demonstrated student impact: Organizations that can show clear, measurable outcomes in post-secondary access — particularly for underserved or financially disadvantaged students — align most closely with the foundation's documented mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a private family foundation with no public application process. Do not expect an open RFP, application portal, or standard grant cycle.
• Annual giving is modest but growing. The foundation awarded $537,071 in 2024 (6 grants), up sharply from $118,000 in 2023 (2 grants). The asset base of $15.26 million suggests capacity for continued or expanded giving.
• Grant awards are infrequent and concentrated. Only 2–6 organizations receive grants in any given year, making this an extremely selective funder.
• Mission fit is narrow. The foundation funds post-secondary education access for financially disadvantaged students, channeled through 501(c)(3) organizations. Organizations outside this focus are not likely to be considered.
• Geographic focus is Massachusetts and California. Organizations serving students in these states have the strongest geographic alignment.
• No leadership communications are publicly available. The foundation maintains no website, issues no public statements, and publishes no application guidance, making it very difficult to build a relationship through conventional outreach.
• The best approach is a warm introduction. Given the family foundation structure and tiny grant portfolio, any contact is most likely to succeed through a pre-existing connection to the Jacobson family or their professional advisors at Schofer Dillberg & Co in Natick.

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer – Turning Leaf Foundation Inc. (EIN: 04-3397818): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43397818 (accessed 17 February 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report – Turning Leaf Foundation Inc.: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/turning-leaf-foundation-inc-co-schofer-dillberg-and-co (accessed 17 February 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory – Turning Leaf Foundation Inc. C/O Schofer Dillberg & Co: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=TURN059 (accessed 17 February 2026)
• Charity Navigator – Turning Leaf Foundation Inc.: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/043397818 (accessed 17 February 2026)
• GuideStar/Candid – Turning Leaf Foundation Inc.: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/04-3397818 (accessed 17 February 2026)
• IRS Form 990-PF filings (fiscal years 2001–2024), via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (accessed 17 February 2026)
• Causeiq – Schofer Dillberg and Company Inc. client profile: https://www.causeiq.com/vendors/schofer-dillberg-and-company-inc,4471192079651709829/ (accessed 17 February 2026)