← Back to US Funders Directory

Randi & Joel Cutler Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $333,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly available
  • Geographic Focus: Boston, MA area
  • EIN: 87-6803240

Contact Details

The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information. As a private family foundation, contact is typically through existing relationships with the trustees.

Trustee: Joel Cutler

Overview

The Randi & Joel Cutler Family Foundation was established in 2022 as a private family foundation in Boston, Massachusetts. The foundation provided $333,000 in grants in 2023, making two awards that year. The foundation reflects the long-standing philanthropic commitment of Joel Cutler—co-founder and managing director of venture capital firm General Catalyst—and his wife Randi Cutler, a Boston Medical Center trustee and food security advocate. Their giving focuses primarily on healthcare institutions, particularly cancer care and pediatric health, as well as hunger relief and food security initiatives. The Cutlers are known for their strategic, collaborative approach to philanthropy, exemplified by their landmark $2 million joint gift to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to support the future cancer collaboration between these institutions. Joel Cutler serves on the boards of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital, while Randi Cutler has served as a trustee at Boston Medical Center and was honored as the 2024 Women Fighting Hunger recipient by the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their philanthropic interests and community relationships.

Priority Areas

Based on documented giving patterns, the foundation's priority areas include:

  • Healthcare: Cancer care facilities and research, pediatric hospitals, medical centers serving underserved populations
  • Food Security: Hunger relief programs, food pantries, nutritional support for children and families
  • Community Development: Early-stage social innovation organizations using venture-capital style approaches
  • Arts and Education: Support for institutions like the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Recent Notable Grants:

  • $2 million to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (shared equally) for the Culture and Collaboration Initiative
  • Support for Boston Medical Center's Grow Clinic and Preventive Food Pantry
  • Leadership sponsorship of the Greater Boston Food Bank's Women Fighting Hunger initiative
  • Support for GreenLight Fund (early catalytic funding)
  • Donations to Boston Children's Hospital
  • Support for Arnold Arboretum

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's geographic focus is strongly tied to Boston-area institutions. There is no evidence of national or international grantmaking.

Governance and Leadership

Joel Cutler (Trustee) is co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst, a venture capital firm he founded in 2000. Before General Catalyst, he spent his entrepreneurial career building travel, consumer-direct commerce, and consumer fintech businesses including National Leisure Group, Retail Growth ATM Systems (sold to PNC Bank), and Starboard Cruise Services (sold to LVMH). He helped start KAYAK in 2004 and has invested in companies including Airbnb and Warby Parker. He serves on the boards of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital Trust, and NYU Stern Tech MBA Advisory Board. He graduated from Colby College and Boston College Law School.

Randi Cutler joined Boston Medical Center's board of trustees in 2007 and served as BMC Philanthropic Trust Chair. She has been an active member of BMC's Friends of Women's Health, Leadership Council, and Food for Thought Committee. She is passionate about combating food insecurity and was honored as the 2024 Women Fighting Hunger recipient by the Greater Boston Food Bank. She has hosted events in the couple's Boston and Cape Cod homes to expand community support for various causes.

On their philanthropic approach, Joel Cutler stated about their Dana-Farber/BIDMC gift: "The concept is brilliant, between two world-class organizations. It's a hand-in-glove partnership." Randi Cutler added: "From the very first meeting, we were blown away by the leaders involved."

On food security, Randi Cutler has stated: "Whether you're missing a school lunch, or you're trying to make a decision between paying your heating bill, your rent, or buying groceries, not having enough food to fuel your body leads to very real consequences. The Greater Boston Food Bank is the power source for our state – it is the electricity that keeps the lights on in ours, our children's, and our parents' bodies."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, the Randi & Joel Cutler Family Foundation makes grants at the discretion of its trustees, typically to organizations with which they have existing relationships through board service, community involvement, or professional networks.

Grants appear to be made proactively by the trustees based on their direct knowledge of organizations and their strategic philanthropic interests rather than through solicited proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

The Cutlers identify grantees primarily through:

  • Board service and trustee relationships: Both Joel and Randi serve on multiple nonprofit boards in Boston, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Boston Medical Center
  • Event hosting and participation: The Cutlers host fundraising events in their Boston and Cape Cod homes and participate actively in major philanthropic events
  • Professional networks: Joel Cutler's venture capital background and involvement with GreenLight Fund suggests interest in organizations using innovative, scalable approaches to social problems
  • Personal passion areas: Randi Cutler's documented commitment to food security and children's health shapes their giving priorities

Organizations already connected to institutions where the Cutlers serve on boards may have opportunities for relationship building through shared events, committee work, or collaborative initiatives.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a private foundation making trustee-discretionary grants, decisions likely occur throughout the year based on opportunities and relationships.

Success Rates

Not applicable—the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable—the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, the key to potential funding is alignment with the Cutlers' documented interests and relationship building:

Strategic Collaboration: The Cutlers' $2 million gift to Dana-Farber and BIDMC specifically supported collaboration between institutions. Joel Cutler praised "the concept" of bringing together "two world-class organizations" in "a hand-in-glove partnership." Organizations demonstrating collaborative models and partnership approaches may resonate with their interests.

Leadership Quality: Randi Cutler emphasized being "blown away by the leaders involved" in the cancer collaboration. Strong, visionary leadership appears to be a critical factor in their giving decisions.

Measurable Impact with Runway: Their early support for GreenLight Fund provided "catalytic funding" that gave the organization "time to see results." This suggests appreciation for multi-year commitments that allow organizations to build track records.

Focus Areas They Support:

  • Boston Medical Center's Grow Clinic and Preventive Food Pantry (comprehensive medical, nutritional, and social services for children)
  • Greater Boston Food Bank (food security with focus on vulnerable populations)
  • Dana-Farber/BIDMC cancer collaboration (world-class clinical care with innovative partnerships)
  • GreenLight Fund (venture-capital approach to scaling social innovation)

Venture Capital Mindset: Joel Cutler's background suggests interest in organizations that demonstrate scalability, innovation, and strategic growth—nonprofits that operate with venture-backed discipline and vision.

Community Connection: The Cutlers host events and engage personally with causes. Organizations that facilitate donor engagement through events, learning series, and gatherings may appeal to their participatory style of philanthropy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is a private family foundation that does not accept unsolicited proposals—grants are trustee-initiated
  • Focus areas are healthcare (especially cancer care and pediatric health), food security, and innovative social ventures in the Boston area
  • The Cutlers value collaborative models that bring together strong institutions or leverage partnerships
  • Leadership quality and vision are critical factors—they want to be "blown away" by the people leading organizations
  • Multi-year, catalytic support that gives organizations runway to build impact is part of their approach
  • Both trustees serve on multiple Boston healthcare boards—relationship building through these institutions may be the primary pathway
  • Organizations using venture capital principles (scalable models, clear metrics, strategic growth) may resonate given Joel Cutler's VC background
  • The foundation is relatively new (2022) and gives modestly ($333,000 annually) but the Cutlers also make major gifts outside the foundation structure

References

← Back to US Funders Directory