The Ferris Family Foundation
Franconia, NH · EIN 52-1774631. Reported 185 grants totalling $2,536,185 to 87 recipients 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. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| 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. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
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 activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 104 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
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
65% of its giving went to organizations in District of Columbia. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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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 a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- 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). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
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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