Yawkey Foundations

OVERVIEW: The Yawkey Foundation is a longtime Boston funder, and a majority of its grantmaking revolves around health, education, and youth programs.

FOCUS AREAS: Health, youth and amateur athletics, human services, arts and culture, conservation and wildlife, education

IP TAKE: Even though a majority of Yawkey's grants go to health-care organizations, a substantial amount goes to conservation and wildlife causes each year. Therefore, environmentalists should keep Yawkey in mind.

PROFILE: Established in 1977, the Yawkey Foundations are the giving legacy of Tom and Jean Yawkey. The Yawkey family was the longtime owner of the Boston Red Sox franchise. In 2002, the Red Sox was sold, giving the Yawkey Foundation a $380 million cash infusion. Although Tom and Jean Yawkey have passed away, they left behind a fortune to go toward philanthropy, primarily in the Greater Boston area. Grantmaking interests include health, youth and amateur athletics, human services, arts and culture, conservation and wildlife, and education.

Over the years, the foundation has continued the most funds in the fields of health care, education, and human services. This funder has awarded over 4,800 grants in excess of $450 total since inception. Funding opportunities are very competitive because this funder receives many requests each year.

Foundation grants are typically under $25,000 each, although it has awarded larger grants for major capital projects. View news about recent foundation grants in the funder’s recent announcements section of its website. Yawkey Foundation I is focused on Georgetown County, while Yawkey Foundation II is focused on Boston. The foundation outlines its grant guidelines on its website.

Since 2018, the Yawkey Foundations have only accepted grant applications from nonprofits that it has previously funded. Each topic of giving has its own giving categories, past deadlines have occurred on the first of the months of November, March, June, and September. Direct general questions to the foundation staff at yawkey@yawkey.org or 781-329-7470.

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