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Dorchester Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Dorchester Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$367k
Granted FY2025still arriving
26
Grants FY2025still arriving
6
States reached
$214k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0196% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2019 to 2025.

Health$476kHuman Services$95kFood & Nutrition$56kHousing & Shelter$46kReligion$17kEducation$13kInternational$11kPublic Safety & Disaster$11kOther$0
02FY2025 · 26 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k19 grants · $45k
  • $10k–50k5 grants · $59k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $264k
$2,500
Median grant
6
States reached
$87k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
SAINT MARGARET'S WINDOW REHABILITATION$213,587
NEWTON WELLESLEY HOSPITAL$50,000
MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL$12,500
DANA FARBER$12,000
BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL$12,000
BOSTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL$12,000
SUMAIRA FOUNDATION$10,000
Individual grant recipient$6,000
Individual grant recipient$5,000
PROJECT CARE & CONCERN$4,000
WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE$3,500
FRIENDS OF THE UNBORN$3,500
MAYO CLINIC$2,500
AMERICAN RED CROSS$2,050
LABOURE COLLEGE$2,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–25, $17k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 79% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $2k → 14%WE CAN: $1k → 8%WE CAN: $1k → 8%WE CAN: $500 → 8%WE CAN: $500 → 8%WE CAN: $500 → 8%PINE STREET INN: $2k → 16%CHELSEA COLLABORATIVE FOOD PANTRY: $500 → 16%PINE STREET INN: $2k → 16%SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE: $2k → 16%SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE: $2k → 16%SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE: $1k → 16%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $3k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

VT
MN
NY
MA
CT
MD
DC
HI
LA
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

65%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$485k · 35 repeat orgs$266k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +53% since the first grant, against +25% for those funded once.

35 repeat relationships: 25 still active in FY2025, 10 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

35
24

Total granted

$485k
$53k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+53%
+25%

Still filing today

46%
38%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 42% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $214k went to new ones.

50%100%’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesHealthInternationalFood & NutritionEducationCivil RightsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • DI
    DANA-FARBER INC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $35k · revenue +279%
  • CH
    Children's Hospital Corporation
    6× · 2020–2025 · $30k · revenue +76%
  • WL
    WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE INC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $20k · revenue +141%

Funded once

  • Y
    YMCA
    one grant, 2021 · $25k
  • CC
    CARDINAL'S CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN
    one grant, 2024 · $4k
  • AMERICARES FOUNDATION INCgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $2k · revenue +35%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Neighborhealth Corporation

Neighborhealth's mission is to promote and sustain healthy communities, families, and individuals by providing accessible, person-centered, and compassionate, high-quality health care services to all who live and work in our service area,…

Health
2
Mass General Brigham Health Plan Inc

Mass general brigham health plan's mission is to promote the health and wellness of our members, and to help ensure equitable, affordbale health care for the diverse communities we serve.

Health
3
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Inc

The mission of the boston health care for the homeless program (bhchp) is to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our community.

Human Services
4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The mission of mit is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

Education
5
Food Link Inc

Food link is working to create a more equitable food system throughout greater boston by rescuing and distributing high-quality, customized food to under-resourced communities and by advocating for systems change.

Food & Nutrition
6
Brighton Marine Inc

Brighton marine, inc. provides military and veteran families with comprehensive campus-based quality health care, as well as affordable and supportive housing for at-risk veterans and their families.

Health
7
Trustees of Boston University

Organization's mission: boston university is an international, comprehensive, private research university, committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals ready to live, adapt, and lead in an interconnected world.…

—
8
Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast Inc

Mothers' milk bank northeast is dedicated to the belief that every baby deserves the chance to thrive. the organization supports family and community health by providing equitable access to safe, lifesaving pasteurized donor human milk,…

Health
9
Connecticut Foodshare Inc

The mission of the connecticut foodshare is to deliver an informed and equitable response to hunger by mobilizing community partners, volunteers, and supporters.

—
10
United Food Bank

United Food Bank unites communities to alleviate hunger.

Food & Nutrition
11
Massachusetts Business Roundtable Inc

The mission of the roundtable is to make massachusetts the most desirable place to live, work and do business by engaging private sector executives and public leaders to ensure access to a robust, diverse and talented workforce that…

—
12
Central Ma Food Rescue Inc

Full belly foods purchases food from farms and wholesalers and donates the food to low-income communities across the country.

Food & Nutrition
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Saint Francis House Inc; the most unlike its peers is Project South Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

25 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 25 of the 60 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
25/25
Grantees still filing
19/25
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SAINT MARGARET'S WINDOW REHABILITATION: $213,587 · OtherSAINT MARGARET'S WINDOW REHABILITATIONNEWTON WELLESLEY HOSPITAL: $80,000 · OtherNEWTON WELLESLEY HOSPITALMASS GENERAL HOSPITAL: $35,525 · OtherMASS GENERAL HOSPITALDANA-FARBER INC: $35,000 · OtherDANA-FARBER INCMASS GENERAL BRIGHAM INCORPORATED: $30,000 · OtherBLANCHARDS ANGUILLA CHILDREN'S FUND: $27,500 · OtherYMCA: $25,000 · Other+37 more: $166,217 · Other+37 moreTHE SUMAIRA FOUNDATION INC: $32,500 · HealthTHE SUMAIRA…Children's Hospital Corporation: $30,000 · HealthChildren's …RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CARE INC: $11,000 · HealthRIVERSIDE C…American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $4,550 · Human ServicesSAINT FRANCIS HOUSE INC: $4,500 · Human ServicesPINE STREET INN INC: $4,000 · Human ServicesWE CAN CORPORATION: $3,500 · Human Services+1 more: $500 · Human ServicesPROJECT BREAD-THE WALK FOR HUNGER INC: $13,000 · Food & NutritionNEWTON FOOD PANTRY INC: $3,500 · Food & Nutrition+1 more: $518 · Food & NutritionUNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $9,229 · InternationalAMERICARES FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 · InternationalWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $2,000 · InternationalBOSTON RESCUE MISSION INC: $11,000 · Housing & ShelterFRIENDS OF THE UNBORN INC: $6,500 · Civil Rights
Other$612,829Health$73,500Human Services$17,050Food & Nutrition$17,018International$13,229Housing & Shelter$11,000Civil Rights$6,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetDANA-FARBER INC: $35,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SUMAIRA FOUNDATION INC: $32,500 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetChildren's Hospital Corporation: $30,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetWOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE INC: $19,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetGREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK INC: $14,070 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetPROJECT BREAD-THE WALK FOR HUNGER INC: $13,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetLABOURE COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE INC: $11,030 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetBOSTON RESCUE MISSION INC: $11,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetRIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CARE INC: $11,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $9,229 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE UNBORN INC: $6,500 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $4,550 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAINT FRANCIS HOUSE INC: $4,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPINE STREET INN INC: $4,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNEWTON FOOD PANTRY INC: $3,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetWE CAN CORPORATION: $3,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICARES FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCULTURE AID NOLA: $1,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMAUI FOOD BANK INC: $518 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCHATHAM ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION INC: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPROJECT SOUTH INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLA COLABORATIVA INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds DANA-FARBER INC ↗
  • Who funds THE SUMAIRA FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Children's Hospital Corporation ↗
  • Who funds WOMEN'S LUNCH PLACE INC ↗
  • Who funds GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK INC ↗
  • Who funds PROJECT BREAD-THE WALK FOR HUNGER INC ↗
  • Who funds LABOURE COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE INC ↗
  • Who funds BOSTON RESCUE MISSION INC ↗
  • Who funds RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CARE INC ↗
  • Who funds UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF THE UNBORN INC ↗
  • Who funds American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches ↗
  • Who funds SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE INC ↗
  • Who funds PINE STREET INN INC ↗
  • Who funds NEWTON FOOD PANTRY INC ↗
  • Who funds WE CAN CORPORATION ↗
  • Who funds AMERICARES FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Eastern Bank Foundati…Network for GoodAmerican Endowment Fo…National Philanthropi…The Bank of America C…Vanguard Charitable E…Fidelity Investments …Donor Advised Charita…American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
Eastern Bank FoundationMA14.9× affinity5 shared granteesties to 9 of 9Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Eastern Bank Foundation · Network for Good · American Endowment Foundation · National Philanthropic Trust · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Amazonsmile Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Dorchester Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Dorchester Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 80%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →median 11%
  • Riverside Community Care Inc: 58% of income from government
  • La Colaborativa Inc: 34% of income from government
  • Greater Boston Food Bank Inc: 22% of income from government
  • Saint Francis House Inc: 18% of income from government
  • Pine Street Inn Inc: 11% of income from government
  • Children's Hospital Corporation: 10% of income from government
  • Women's Lunch Place Inc: 8% of income from government
  • We Can Corporation: 0% of income from government
  • Americares Foundation Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
8get no government money at all
4report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 60 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Dorchester’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home