The Ceres Foundation Inc
Groton, MA · EIN 91-2170962. Reported 188 grants totalling $20.6M to 82 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 Ceres Foundation Inc 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 $75,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $50,000 and $100,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $2,000,000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrive Scholars | Boston, MA | $2,400,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Thrive Scholars | Los Angeles, CA | $2,000,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc | Holyoke, MA | $1,400,000 | 8 | 4 | 2024 |
| Future Link Inc | Rockville, MD | $600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Monument Academy Inc | Washington, DC | $600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| STEM Advantage | Huntington Beach, CA | $600,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Schoolhouse Connection | Washington, DC | $590,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friendship Shelter Inc | Laguna Beach, CA | $510,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| DC Volunteer Lawyers Project | Washington, DC | $485,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| California Community Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $450,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kid Power Inc | Washington, DC | $400,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Orange County Community Foundation | Newport Beach, CA | $400,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Achievement Institute of Scientific Studies | Santa Ana, CA | $340,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Orangewood Foundation | Santa Ana, CA | $315,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Capital Partners for Education Dba Spark the Journey | Washington, DC | $300,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Child Advocates of San Bernardino County | Rialto, CA | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lift Inc | Washington, DC | $300,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Jovenes Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $280,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| More Than Words Inc | Waltham, MA | $270,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Jobs Have Priority Inc | Washington, DC | $255,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Capital Partners for Education | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Corporation of the Washington Latin School | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hopewell Inc | Bedham, MA | $250,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Covenant House California | Hollywood, CA | $240,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Sanctuary Art Center | Seattle, WA | $235,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Harmony Project | Los Angeles, CA | $235,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Alliance for Early College | Weston, MA | $225,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Propel America | Boston, MA | $225,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Sierra House | East Orange, NJ | $225,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Taller San Jose Hope Builders | Santa Ana, CA | $225,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Triangle Family Services Inc | Raleigh, NC | $225,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Tech Foundry Inc | Springfield, MA | $220,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Youth Guidance | Chicago, IL | $210,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Eastside College Prep School Inc | East Palo Alto, CA | $205,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| College Bound Inc | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Friends of the Children Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| New Village Charter School Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Northwest Education Access | Seattle, WA | $200,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| CASA of Los Angeles | Monterey Park, CA | $190,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership Inc | Springfield, MA | $180,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Community Partners | Los Angeles, CA | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lost Angels Childrens Project Inc | Lancaster, CA | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| DC Public Charter School Cooperative Inc | Washington, DC | $160,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Manifestworks | Los Angeles, CA | $155,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Wooden Floor for Youth Movement | Santa Ana, CA | $155,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Fund for Educational Excellence Inc | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Roca Inc | Chelsea, MA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Caroline Freiss Center Inc | Baltimore, MD | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| New Directions for Women Foundation | Newport Beach, CA | $140,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| La Cocina Va | Arlington, VA | $125,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Best Kids Inc | Washington, DC | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| College Tribe | Washington, DC | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Collegiate Directions Inc | Bethesda, MD | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Convention of P E Church of the Diocese of Washington | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Edc 413 Works Inc | Springfield, MA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Families Forward | Irvine, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| New Directions for Women | Costa Mesa, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| San Miguel School Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Steadfast - Standing Firm Against Youth Homeless | Frederick, MD | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of Compass Inc | Washington, DC | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| William Wendt Center for Loss and Healing | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Young Eisner Scholars | Inglewood, CA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| La Family Housing Corporation | North Hollywood, CA | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ada Developers Academy | Seattle, WA | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Service Workers Training and Education Partnership | Columbia, MS | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Service Workers Training and Education Partnership | Columbia, MD | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Caroline Friess Center Inc | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fore Batten Foundation | Chapel Hill, NC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Per Scholas Inc | Bronx, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Steadfast - Standing Firm Against Youth Homelessness | Frederick, MD | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Center on Race Poverty & the Environment | Delano, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| El Sereno Community Land Trust | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fostering Media Connections | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Free Arts for Abused Children | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Los Angeles Room & Board | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pregnancy Justice Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs | Calabasas, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| South Bay Center for Counseling | Wilmington, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tenemos Que Reclamar Y Unidos Salvar La Tierra-South La | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Voices of a Sustainable Future Inc | Takoma Park, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Childrens Fund Inc | San Bernardino, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| La Compost | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
55 of 82 (67%) 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 76%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. 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.
- Thrive Scholars
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR THE THRIVE SCHOLARS' LOS ANGELES AND BOSTON PROGRAMS - Friendship Shelter Inc
SUPPORT THE HOME FOR GOOD INITIATIVE AND HENDERSON HOUSE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM - Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc
SUPPORT AND EXPAND THE BARD MICROCOLLEGE PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN - Schoolhouse Connection Inc
SUPPORT THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOUTH HAVING EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS - Future Link Inc
SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF PROGRAMMATIC MODEL - Lift Inc
SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF FINANCIAL COACHING MODEL FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN LOS ANGELES AND WASHINGTON D.C.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 148 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 | 22 | $2,025,000 | $82,500 |
| 2022 | 39 | $3,985,000 | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 63 | $6,740,000 | $70,000 |
| 2024 | 64 | $7,865,000 | $82,500 |
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.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Ceres Foundation Inc has 39 of them, worth $14.5M. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Thrive Scholars | Boston, MA | $5,000,000 |
| Thrive Scholars | Los Angeles, CA | $3,000,000 |
| Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc | Holyoke, MA | $750,000 |
| Schoolhouse Connection Inc | Washington, DC | $565,000 |
| Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc | Holyoke, MA | $500,000 |
| Future Link Inc | Rockville, MD | $400,000 |
| STEM Advantage | Huntington Beach, CA | $400,000 |
| Massachusetts Alliance for Early College | Weston, MA | $300,000 |
| Capital Partners for Education | Washington, DC | $300,000 |
| Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc | Holyoke, MA | $250,000 |
| College Bound Inc | Washington, DC | $225,000 |
| New Village Charter School Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $225,000 |
| Friends of the Children Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 |
| STEM Advantage | Huntington Beach, CA | $200,000 |
| Future Link Inc | Rockville, MD | $200,000 |
Where its money goes
39% of its giving went to organizations in California. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
Get funders for your state and cause by email
We email you funders that gave to organizations in your state and cause, up to five at a time each week and never the same one twice, from their own IRS filings. Free. The weekly email has not started yet.
Unsubscribe in one click from any email. We never sell or share your address. To match on your organization and typical grant size too, keep a private profile.
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 $75,000. 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 California.
- 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 Ceres Foundation Inc'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: Po Box 578, Groton, MA, 01450. 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 91-2170962 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.