James and Lisa Mooney
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Baupost Group
FUNDING AREAS: (Catholic) Education, Health & Human Services, Youth
OVERVIEW: James and Lia Mooney conduct their philanthropy through the Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation. According to available tax filings, the foundation disbursed $9.86 million in grants in 2017. The family's philanthropy mainly centers around the Boston area, where the Mooneys have a special interest in supporting Catholic and Jesuit education. Mooney has strongly supported his alma mater College of the Holy Cross.
BACKGROUND: James F. Mooney graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in political science, and received his MBA from Georgetown University. He is currently the head of Baupost's public investments group.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION: Several years ago, the Mooneys gave a $1 million gift to Mooney's alma mater, College of Holy Cross, to endow the Jim '90 and Lisa Mooney Scholarships targeting middle-class students from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Boston. Not only did Mooney attend the school but so did his father.
Apart from College of the Holy Cross, where Mooney also established the The Joan Marie Mooney Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother, the couple has supported places like Catholic Schools Foundation, Campaign for Catholic Schools, Nativity Preparatory School, and St. Sebastian's School. Other grantees have included New England Conservatory of Music, and Newton Country Day School.
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Mooneys have given especially strong support to Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The family's interest in Catholic outfits extends beyond education. Mooney and Lisa have also supported places like Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, Boston Children's Hospital, Mt. Auburn Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The Mooneys have supported a Uganda hospital's pediatric malnutrition clinic and an emergency medical fund. MGH has built strong ties with this hospital and the Mooney's teenaged son has also traveled to the region with MGH.
YOUTH: Grantees have included Year Up and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.
OTHER: The couple has also supported places like Archdiosese of Boston and Emerald Necklace Conservatory. Another important grantee is JESUITS USA Northeast Province. Away from their Boston base, the couple has given support to American Enterprise Institute, the think tank.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family's Boston focus to hold, though their international work with MGH and other outfits should be watched.
CONTACT:
The Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is an address:
The Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation
166 Edmunds Rd.
Wellesley, MA 02481
