The Ferris Family Foundation
Franconia, NH · EIN 52-1774631. Reported 185 grants totalling $2,536,185 to 87 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Ferris Family Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $2,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $500 and $12,000; the smallest was $200 and the largest $344,279. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington Inc(bgcgw) | Washington, DC | $1,152,029 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| St Ignatious Loyola Academy | Baltimore, MD | $123,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | $104,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Center for Inspired Teaching | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Second Story | Vienna, VA | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Community of Hope | Washington, DC | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| I Dream Public Charter School | Washington, DC | $86,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| A Wider Circle | Silver Spring, MD | $78,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| St Vincent De Paul the Ark | Baltimore, MD | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Washington Jesuit Academy | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Noyes Children's Library Foundation | Kensington, MD | $52,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| St Thomas Episcopal Church | Mclean, VA | $34,750 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Saint James School | Hagerstown, MD | $32,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Central Union Mission | Washington, DC | $28,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Noyes Childrens Library Foundation | Kensington, MD | $25,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Public Charter School | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sister's Academy of Baltimore | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wider Circle | Silver Spring, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Chesapeake Bay Foundation | Annapolis, MD | $24,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute(scbi) | Front Royal, VA | $24,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| So Others Might Eat(some) | Washington, DC | $17,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Martha's Table | Washington, DC | $15,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Suffield Academy | Suffield, CT | $12,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia P, PA | $12,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| St James Catholic School | Falls Church, VA | $10,250 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Beauvoir the National Cathedral Elementary School | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Nph USA | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Nph USA for Haiti | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts | Vienna, VA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| World Wildlife Fund | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara | Wanta Barbara, CA | $9,856 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| C & O Canal Trust | Williamsport, MD | $7,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| University of Colorado Foundation | Denver, CO | $6,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| DC Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| National Trust for Historic Preservation | Washington, DC | $6,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $5,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | $5,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Friends of Wells Robertson House | Gaintherburg, MD | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wilderness Leadership | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hope in South Africa | Frederick, MD | $4,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania - the Penn Fund | Philadelphia, PA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bethesda Chevy Chase Rescue Squad | Bethesda, MD | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Holton Arms School | Bethesda, MD | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Shrine Mont | Orkney Springs, VA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Longwood University | Farmville, VA | $2,250 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nature Conservance | Arlington, VA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Northern Virginia Conservation Trust(nvct) | Annandale, VA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Saving Mothers | New York, NY | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Planned Parenthood | New York, NY | $1,750 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Everybody Wins DC | Washington, DC | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Fisher House Foundation | Rockville, MD | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Tulane University | New Orleans, LA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| American Institute for Stuttering (ais) | New York, NY | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church | Beverly Hills, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Drew University | Madison, NJ | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Elizabeth Dole Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nsaar | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rails to Trails Conservancy | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Special Olympics | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Veterinary Care Foundation | Morriston, FL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| WAMU885 | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wiks USA | New Haven, CT | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wpfw 893 Fm | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Weta | Arlington, VA | $750 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Fuller Center for Housing | Americus, GA | $600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Manna Food Center | Gaithersburg, MD | $600 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Africa Wildlife Foundation | Washington, DC | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Am Indian College Fund | Atlanta, GA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation | Bethesda, MD | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of Pleasant Grove | Mclean, VA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Library of Va | Richmond, VA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ocean River Institute | Cambridge, MA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Judes Research Hospital | Memphis, TN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Pink Agenda | New York, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Treasurer General Nsdar | Washington, DC | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Walk to End Alzheimers | New York, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Alpha Delta Pi Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Camp Dudley | Westport, NY | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Compassion & Choices | Portland, OR | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fairfax County Parks | Fairfax, VA | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Western Maryland Scenic Railroad | Cumberland, MD | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Caring Bridge | Alvert Lea, MN | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Friendship Place | Washington, DC | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Minnetonka Center for the Arts | Wayzata, MN | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
44 of 87 (51%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 65%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- So Others Might Eat(some)
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS - Am Indian College Fund
GENERAL PURPOSESGENERAL PURPOSES
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 104 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47 | $663,250 | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 55 | $636,950 | $2,000 |
| 2023 | 41 | $610,000 | $2,250 |
| 2024 | 42 | $625,985 | $1,750 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 65% of this one's giving went to organizations in District of Columbia. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in District of Columbia.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Ferris Family Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: Pobox 726, Franconia, NH, 03580. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 52-1774631 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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