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Howard & Robin Reisman Charitable Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

Howard & Robin Reisman Charitable Trust

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$430k
Granted FY2024still arriving
31
Grants FY2024still arriving
5
States reached
$175k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Education$2.5MHealth$396kPhilanthropy$185kEnvironment$16kArts & Culture$4kAnimals$1kPublic Safety & Disaster$1kReligion$1kOther$0
02FY2024 · 31 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k26 grants · $15k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $80k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $335k
$140
Median grant
5
States reached
$3.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
BROWN UNIVERSITY$175,000
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER$160,000
PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND$30,000
NEWTON WELLESLY HOSPITAL$25,000
CONCORD ACADEMY$25,000
NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL$6,050
WELLESLEY COLLEGE$2,500
SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL$2,000
CLEAN WATER FUND$1,500
DOVER LAND CONSERVATION TRUST$500
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM$280
BARNSTABLE LAND TRUST$250
BROWN RISD HILLEL FOUNDATION$200
MEDFIELD ANIMAL SHELTER$150
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS$140
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 (FY23–23, $100) land where the poverty rate runs at 8%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%ADOLESCENT CONSULTATION SERVICES: $100 → 8%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

NH
IL
NY
MA
RI
CA
MO
DC
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.

99%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$729k · 36 repeat orgs$9k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +50% since the first grant, against +16% for those funded once.

36 repeat relationships: 29 still active in FY2024, 7 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

36
13

Total granted

$729k
$9k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+50%
+16%

Still filing today

61%
69%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $100 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationEnvironmentAnimalsArts & CultureHealthHuman ServicesOther
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

  • BI
    BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC
    6× · 2019–2024 · $300k · revenue +77%
  • PS
    PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
    8× · 2017–2024 · $160k · revenue +49%
  • CA
    CONCORD ACADEMY
    8× · 2017–2024 · $88k · revenue +70%

Funded once

  • KO
    KEREN OR INCgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $5k · revenue +78%
  • SI
    SOLSTICE INITIATIVE
    one grant, 2022 · $3k
  • EW
    ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
    one grant, 2023 · $250 · revenue -9%
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
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
2
Marine Biological Laboratory

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is a world-renowned center for biological discovery and training that is notably affiliated with more than 60 Nobel Prize winners. Research is conducted by full-time faculty as well as hundreds of the…

Science & Tech
3
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
4
Trustees of Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College educates the most promising students and prepares them for a lifetime of learning and of responsible leadership, through a faculty dedicated to teaching and the creation of knowledge.

Education
5
President and Fellows of Harvard College

Undergraduate, graduate, and professional education and research across a broad array of academic domains.

Education
6
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.…

—
7
Wentworth Institute of Technology Inc

Wentworth institute of technology is a nationally recognized private coeducational and residential university of higher education with a mission to empower, inspire and innovate through experiential learning with a core purpose of career…

Education
8
Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation

The organization's primary exempt purpose is to provide access to and conduct activities in furtherance of higher education.

—
9
Dean College

Dean college is a private, residential new england college grounded in a culture and tradition that all students deserve the opportunity to discover and exceed their greatest aspirations. a personal and transformative community since 1865,…

Education
10
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
11
Trustees of Tufts College

Education and Research

Education
12
Harvard Conservation Trust

To preserve the unique character and natural resources of harvard.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Trustees of Reservations; the most unlike its peers is Weston Historical Society 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

35 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. 35 of the 52 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)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
34/35
Grantees still filing
30/35
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

BROWN UNIVERSITY: $2,151,207 · Community ImprovementBROWN UNIVERSITYPERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $160,000 · EducationPERKINS SCH…CONCORD ACADEMY: $87,500 · EducationCONCORD ACA…WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $30,000 · EducationWASHINGTON …NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL: $27,050 · EducationNORTHFIELD …Wellesley College: $11,000 · Education+5 more: $6,470 · EducationBETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC: $300,000 · HealthBETH ISRAEL…+1 more: $100 · HealthCombined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc: $185,335 · Philanthropy+1 more: $50 · PhilanthropyNEWTON WELLESLY HOSPITAL: $80,000 · OtherMASS GENERAL BRIGHAM INCORPORATED: $8,050 · Other+24 more: $12,532 · OtherCLEAN WATER FUND: $6,600 · EnvironmentDOVER LAND CONSERVATION TRUST: $1,550 · EnvironmentTHE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS: $1,090 · EnvironmentMASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $800 · EnvironmentBARNSTABLE LAND TRUST INC: $750 · EnvironmentLAND'S SAKE INC: $600 · EnvironmentNATIVE PLANT TRUST INC: $460 · Environment+1 more: $250 · EnvironmentMONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: $1,980 · AnimalsMEDFIELD ANIMAL SHELTER INC: $550 · AnimalsMASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $400 · Animals
Community Improvement$2,151,207Education$322,020Health$300,100Philanthropy$185,385Other$100,582Environment$12,100Animals$2,930

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetBROWN UNIVERSITY: $2,151,207 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetBETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC: $300,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetCombined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc: $185,335 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetPERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $160,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetCONCORD ACADEMY: $87,500 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $30,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetNORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL: $27,050 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetWellesley College: $11,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetCLEAN WATER FUND: $6,600 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetKEREN OR INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: $1,980 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetDOVER LAND CONSERVATION TRUST: $1,550 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetWeston Historical Society Inc: $1,200 over 6y, 0.4% of budgetBROWN HILLEL FOUNDATION: $1,130 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetTHE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS: $1,090 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetBOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL INC: $1,070 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMUSEUM OF FINE ARTS: $995 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $800 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetBARNSTABLE LAND TRUST INC: $750 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE DOVER POLICE ASSOCIATION: $600 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetLAND'S SAKE INC: $600 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetMEDFIELD ANIMAL SHELTER INC: $550 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetDOVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $500 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetNATIVE PLANT TRUST INC: $460 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $400 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTRUSTEES OF BOSTON COLLEGE: $200 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCHARLES RIVER ASSOCIATION FOR RETARDED CITIZENS INC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLAST MILE HEALTH: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION INC: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetADOLESCENT CONSULTATION SERVICES INC: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Free School: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHebrew Senior Life Inc: $50 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDOVER FIREFIGHTER'S RELIEF FUND: $50 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART: $45 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 BROWN UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc ↗
  • Who funds PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND ↗
  • Who funds CONCORD ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds Wellesley College ↗
  • Who funds CLEAN WATER FUND ↗
  • Who funds KEREN OR INC ↗
  • Who funds MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds DOVER LAND CONSERVATION TRUST ↗
  • Who funds Weston Historical Society Inc ↗
  • Who funds BROWN HILLEL FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS ↗
  • Who funds BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL INC ↗
  • Who funds MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ↗
  • Who funds MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds BARNSTABLE LAND TRUST INC ↗
  • Who funds THE DOVER POLICE ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds LAND'S SAKE INC ↗
  • Who funds MEDFIELD ANIMAL SHELTER INC ↗
  • Who funds DOVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds NATIVE PLANT TRUST INC ↗
  • Who funds MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ↗
  • Who funds ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP ↗
  • Who funds TRUSTEES OF BOSTON COLLEGE ↗

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.

Boston Foundation IncEastern Cambridge Fou…American Tower Corpor…Eastern Bank Foundati…Fidelity FoundationGs Donor Advised Phil…The Pfizer Foundation…National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…Morgan Stanley Global…Network for GoodAmerican Online Givin…
Boston Foundation IncMA15.8× affinity6 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Boston Foundation Inc · Eastern Cambridge Foundation · American Tower Corporation Foundation Inc · Eastern Bank Foundation · Fidelity Foundation · Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Network for Good · American Online Giving Foundation Inc

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 Howard & Robin Reisman Charitable Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Howard & Robin Reisman Charitable Trust. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 100%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%5%10%15%20%share of the org’s income from government →median 3%
  • Perkins School for the Blind: 7% of income from government
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc: 6% of income from government
  • Barnstable Land Trust Inc: 4% of income from government
  • Native Plant Trust Inc: 3% of income from government
  • Land's Sake Inc: 3% of income from government
  • Trustees of Boston College: 3% of income from government
  • Boston Book Festival Inc: 2% of income from government
  • The Trustees of Reservations: 2% of income from government
  • Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc: 1% of income from government
  • Wellesley College: 1% of income from government
  • Hebrew Senior Life Inc: 0% of income from government
  • Museum of Fine Arts: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
10get no government money at all
3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–20%
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 52 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Howard & Robin Reisman’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