Grant funders / Massachusetts / Higher Education
Higher Education Grant Funders in Massachusetts
1988 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Massachusetts nonprofits in recent years, together directing $785.1M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 1988 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
1988
Higher education funders
$785.1M
Given to Massachusetts nonprofits
23,796
Grants on record
2026
Most recent giving
Most active higher education funders in Massachusetts
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Massachusetts giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation | California | $59.6M | 2 | 2024 |
| 2 | Umass Memorial Health Care Inc & Affiliates | Massachusetts | $35.3M | 7 | 2024 |
| 3 | Catholic Schools Foundation Inc | Massachusetts | $33.3M | 159 | 2025 |
| 4 | The Flatley Foundation | Massachusetts | $22.9M | 185 | 2024 |
| 5 | Adopt a Student Foundation | Massachusetts | $21.6M | 8 | 2025 |
| 6 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Massachusetts | $19.3M | 5 | 2024 |
| 7 | Salem State University Alumni Association | Massachusetts | $14.9M | 4 | 2025 |
| 8 | The San Francisco Foundation | California | $12.8M | 18 | 2023 |
| 9 | Cape Cod Community College | Massachusetts | $11.4M | 4 | 2023 |
| 10 | The George F & Sybil H Fuller | Massachusetts | $11.3M | 5 | 2024 |
| 11 | The Stephen Phillips Memorial | Massachusetts | $10.3M | 1533 | 2024 |
| 12 | Timothy and Michele Barakett Foundation | New York | $9.7M | 5 | 2024 |
| 13 | The Andrew W Mellon Foundation | New York | $9.6M | 22 | 2024 |
| 14 | Bridgewater State University Foundation | Massachusetts | $9.4M | 6 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Massachusetts — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 1988 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Higher Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in Massachusetts
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented higher education focus and that have funded Massachusetts nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Massachusetts recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.