A Look at Shopping Center Magnate Stephen Karp’s Boston Philanthropy

Boston Children’s Hospital. Photo: michusa/shutterstock

After graduating from Boston University, Stephen Karp went on to enter the shopping center development business in the late 1960s and created one of the first enclosed malls in the northeast. The real estate developer founded New England Development, which boasts a portfolio of retail destinations, mixed-use projects and master-planned endeavors. In 1994, Karp and his wife, Jill, launched their own philanthropic organization to channel charitable donations in the Boston area.

Here are some top things to know about the Karp Family Foundation (KFF) for grantseekers in the Northeast.

Topics of interest are broad

KFF takes a broad approach to grantmaking and supports various causes in its home region. Top interests include health, education, arts and culture, human services and Jewish organizations. Health organizations tend to receive the most significant support from the Karps, with grants going to the Boston Children’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.

Aside from hospital grantees, education is a top interest, especially local high schools, music academies and schools for blind children. The couple is involved in the local art scene and supports the Museum of Fine Arts and the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket.

Nearly all grants stay within the state of Massachusetts and range from $2,500 to $725,000. Grantees are based in the Massachusetts cities and towns of Boston, Nantucket, Newton, Cambridge and Natick.

The foundation lacks transparency

Although KFF has been operating for decades, it does not have a website or publicly share information about its grantmaking guidelines and processes. Therefore, it can be a challenge for Boston nonprofits to connect with this funder or gauge what it is currently looking to support. KFF is very much a family-run foundation — Stephen and Jill Karp run it as co-trustees and employ no additional staff members.

It does not accept unsolicited requests

According to recent tax records, KFF does not accept unsolicited funding requests and only supports preselected charitable organizations. It does not provide application forms or a clear way to get in touch about grant inquiries; however, a general phone number is available for foundation-related questions.

KFF has been awarding approximately $1.5 million in annual grants lately. To learn more about this funder, read IP’s profile of the Karp Family Foundation in our Boston and Massachusetts grants guide.