Once Here Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $2.75 million (2024)
Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
Decision Time: Not disclosed (trustee discretion)
Grant Range: $75,000 - $900,000
Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts, with some national and international

Contact Details

Phone: (781) 455-1400
Address: 17 Highland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Website: No public website
Email: Not publicly available
Application Support: Not applicable - does not accept unsolicited applications

Overview

The Once Here Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2018 by Karl E. Bandtel and Farley B. Urmston, a married couple based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. With total assets of $52.8 million and annual charitable disbursements of approximately $2.75 million, the foundation operates as a closed grant-maker that only provides funding to preselected charitable organizations. While its stated mission focuses on providing accessibility modifications for disabled individuals, the foundation's actual grant-making demonstrates broader philanthropic interests encompassing education, healthcare, youth development, international development, and social justice. The foundation has gained recognition particularly for its substantial support of organizations like Shooting Touch, for which Farley Urmston received the 2018 Game Changer Award for making the organization's largest individual, multi-year donation ever received.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs but makes discretionary grants at trustee direction:

General Operating Support Grants: $75,000 - $900,000 (all grants are designated as general support rather than project-specific)
Multi-year Commitments: Evidence of sustained support to select organizations
Donor-Advised Fund Activity: $900,000 grant to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund indicates additional philanthropic activity

Priority Areas

Based on recent grant patterns:

Disability services and accessibility modifications
Education, particularly theological and international education
Healthcare and medical research
Youth development through sports programs
Social justice and violence prevention initiatives
International development (particularly Rwanda and Haiti)
Religious and contemplative communities

What They Don't Fund

As a closed foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications, they effectively exclude all organizations not already identified by the trustees. No explicit exclusions are documented.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

Karl E. Bandtel - Co-Trustee. Former investment professional at Wellington Management, currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School. Co-founder of Peace House, a contemplative space in Cambridge.
Farley B. Urmston - Co-Trustee. Philanthropist recognized for transformational giving to organizations like Shooting Touch. Co-founder of Peace House. Her visit to Rwanda with her sons inspired significant ongoing support for basketball programs there.

Both trustees serve without compensation and are also active donors to the Cambridge Community Foundation, indicating broader engagement with the philanthropic community in Greater Boston.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made at the discretion of the two trustees based on their personal identification of worthy causes.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's grant patterns and trustee backgrounds, potential pathways for relationship building include:

Harvard Divinity School connections - Karl Bandtel is actively pursuing his Master of Divinity there, and the school receives regular support
Peace House community - Both trustees co-founded this contemplative space in Cambridge, creating potential networking opportunities
Cambridge Community Foundation - The trustees are active donors there, suggesting involvement in the broader Cambridge philanthropic community
Existing grantees - Organizations like Shooting Touch, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Mothers for Justice and Equality have established relationships and could potentially provide introductions
Shared interest areas - Organizations working in disability services, international development (particularly Rwanda and Haiti), or social justice in the Boston area may naturally align with trustee interests

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without a formal application or review process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Given the closed nature of this foundation, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, based on grant patterns, organizations that have successfully received funding share these characteristics:

Personal connection to trustees - Evidence suggests grants often stem from direct trustee experience or involvement (e.g., Farley's visit to Rwanda leading to Shooting Touch support)
Alignment with evolving interests - While the stated mission focuses on disability, actual giving reflects broader interests in education, spirituality, and international development
Proven track record - Recipients like MGH and Harvard Divinity School are established institutions with strong reputations
Local presence with global impact - Several grantees (Shooting Touch, Friends of Matenwa) are based locally but work internationally
General operating support model - The foundation provides unrestricted funding rather than project-specific grants, suggesting they value organizational sustainability

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This is a closed foundation - no public application process exists, and unsolicited requests are not accepted
With $52.8 million in assets generating $2.75 million in annual grants, this is a substantial funder for organizations able to establish relationships
The trustees' involvement in Harvard Divinity School, Peace House, and Cambridge Community Foundation creates potential networking opportunities
Grant sizes are significant ($75,000 - $900,000), with a median of approximately $138,000
The foundation prefers general operating support over project-specific funding
Multi-year commitments are possible for organizations that establish strong relationships
The disconnect between stated mission (disability accessibility) and actual giving pattern suggests openness to diverse causes that resonate with trustee values

References

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Once Here Foundation Profile. Accessed January 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/817001052
Foundation Directory Online - Once Here Foundation Grant Data. Accessed January 2025
IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search - EIN 81-7001052. Accessed January 2025
Shooting Touch 2018 Annual Report - Game Changer Award to Farley Urmston
Cambridge Community Foundation Donor Recognition Lists
Harvard Divinity School Development Records
Massachusetts Secretary of State Corporations Division - Foundation Registration