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Champions Of Love Foundation Inc. is a private corporation based in BOSTON, MA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 2021. The principal officer is Brenda Bancel. It holds total assets of $57.9M. Annual income is reported at $38.7M. Total assets have grown from $22.9M in 2021 to $57.9M in 2024. The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2021 to 2024. The foundation primarily funds organizations in Boston, Massachusetts and United States. According to available records, Champions Of Love Foundation Inc. has made 507 grants totaling $50.8M, with a median grant of $25K. Annual giving has decreased from $28.5M in 2022 to $22.3M in 2023. Individual grants have ranged from $3K to $2.7M, with an average award of $100K. The foundation has supported 230 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, which account for 66% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 34 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
Champions of Love Foundation is a Boston, MA-based private foundation (assets ~$57.9M) founded by Brenda and Stéphane Bancel (the Moderna CEO) and structured as a trust-based, invitation-only grantmaker. This is NOT a foundation you apply to — the website explicitly states: "To ensure their focus can stay on the amazing work they do, we prefer to protect their privacy. To learn more about our giving, please visit Bancel Philanthropies." The model is a "Champions of Love" program that identifies individual leaders in communities experiencing hardship, and commits a minimum of three years of unrestricted funding plus a separate annual discretionary allocation that the Champion advises on (effectively a donor-advised sub-grant). Approach this funder strategically: do NOT submit unsolicited proposals or cold emails — they will be ignored. Instead, focus on becoming the kind of grassroots leader the foundation identifies: embedded in a specific community, demonstrated track record of change, courageous and community-trusted leadership, and aligned with social justice / wealth redistribution themes. Alignment signals: proximity to suffering, trust-based relationships, community-led change, social justice orientation, unrestricted need. This is a "trust-based philanthropy" funder — one of the cleanest examples in the US.
Grantmaking structure is unusual and worth understanding in detail. Each Champion (selected individual leader) receives: (1) Multi-year unrestricted core operating support — minimum 3 years with explicit expectation that funding will increase over time, and (2) An annual Discretionary Allocation Fund that the Champion themselves advises on — they direct these sub-grants to other organizations based on their community knowledge. Grant sizes are not disclosed, but with ~$57.9M in assets and the standard 5% minimum payout, annual grantmaking is likely in the $2.5M-$3.5M range split across a small number of Champions. Expect per-Champion commitments in the $100K-$500K+ range annually across both core support and discretionary allocations. Geographic distribution is not restricted but skews global — consistent with a trust-based, individual-led giving model and the Bancels' international networks through Moderna and Boston-area philanthropy. Frequency: not a calendar — Champions are identified over time and relationships continue indefinitely. There are NO application cycles.
Champions of Love sits in a distinct category of trust-based, individual-led philanthropy that differentiates it from conventional private foundations. Peers are other high-net-worth individual and couple-led "Champion" or "fellowship"-style funders.
| Peer comparison | Champions of Love | Trust-based peer funders | Conventional private foundations ($50M-$100M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | ~$57.9M | $20M-$500M+ | $40M-$100M |
| Model | Multi-year unrestricted + Champion-advised | Participatory, trust-based grantmaking | Program-area RFPs, reporting |
| Grantees | Individual leaders (Champions) | Grassroots/frontline orgs | 501(c)(3) institutions |
| Application | Invitation only | Often invitation or nomination | LOI/full proposal |
| Grant term | 3+ years unrestricted | 3-5 years unrestricted | 1-3 years, often restricted |
| Reporting | Minimal/relational | Light-touch, trust-based | Detailed evaluation |
| Transparency | Low (privacy-first) | Varies | Public grantee lists |
| Peers by name | Echoing Green, Ashoka, Draper Richards Kaplan, Mulago, Tipping Point (at smaller scale) | Hewlett, MacKenzie Scott Yield Giving | Typical family foundations |
Champions of Love's closest peer in philosophy is MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving model — large unrestricted checks to leaders with demonstrated community impact, minimal reporting burden. The scale is much smaller, but the posture (trust, privacy, unrestricted multi-year commitment) is aligned.
The foundation is relatively new (a 2020s-era vehicle tied to Stéphane Bancel's wealth growth from Moderna's pandemic-era success) and operates under the broader "Bancel Philanthropies" umbrella referenced on the Champions of Love website. The site is minimalist, updated, and currently shows a copyright of 2025 (indicating active maintenance). No press releases, grantee announcements, or leadership changes are publicly visible — consistent with the foundation's explicit privacy-first stance. Brenda and Stéphane Bancel are the founders and signers on the "Who We Are" page. Given the founders' affiliation with Moderna and the Boston-area biotech/philanthropy ecosystem, the foundation is likely in active deployment mode. Notably, no grantee names, public events, or Champions are listed — this is deliberate, not a gap. The closest public window into giving may come from the annual 990-PF filed with the IRS (available via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer) which will list actual grantees and amounts.
(1) Do not submit an unsolicited application. There is no application. Cold outreach will not work and may harm your standing. (2) If you believe you are the kind of leader the foundation identifies, focus on building a public track record that attracts attention organically: community-embedded work, measurable impact on suffering, trust-based relationships, and visible courage in leadership. (3) Relationships matter more than proposals. Connections via the Boston philanthropy network, Moderna-adjacent networks, or trust-based philanthropy networks (Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, MacKenzie Scott grantee alumni, Echoing Green, etc.) are the realistic path in. (4) If you are already a Champion grantee's community partner, you may receive funding through the Discretionary Allocation Fund that Champions direct — work with them on shared priorities. (5) Read the 990-PF on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer to see past grantees. This is the only public grantee list. (6) Do not lead with institutional branding, 5-year strategic plans, or conventional proposal structures. Lead with lived experience, community proximity, and specific examples of impact. (7) Privacy-first: if selected, expect the foundation to minimize public acknowledgment — do not plan on this being a marquee donor for your website or annual report. Note: no application portal, no program officer contact, no public RFP. This is fundamentally an invitation-only funder.
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Organizations receive a minimum of three years of unrestricted support with funding anticipated to increase as partnerships develop.
Unrestricted funds for the charity's primary work.
Annual allocation that Champions advise on, allowing them to direct resources based on their community knowledge and expertise.
Grantmaking structure is unusual and worth understanding in detail. Each Champion (selected individual leader) receives: (1) Multi-year unrestricted core operating support — minimum 3 years with explicit expectation that funding will increase over time, and (2) An annual Discretionary Allocation Fund that the Champion themselves advises on — they direct these sub-grants to other organizations based on their community knowledge. Grant sizes are not disclosed, but with ~$57.9M in assets and the st.
Champions Of Love Foundation Inc. has distributed a total of $50.8M across 507 grants. The median grant size is $25K, with an average of $100K. Individual grants have ranged from $3K to $2.7M.
Champions of Love Foundation is a Boston, MA-based private foundation (assets ~$57.9M) founded by Brenda and Stéphane Bancel (the Moderna CEO) and structured as a trust-based, invitation-only grantmaker. This is NOT a foundation you apply to — the website explicitly states: "To ensure their focus can stay on the amazing work they do, we prefer to protect their privacy. To learn more about our giving, please visit Bancel Philanthropies." The model is a "Champions of Love" program that identifies .
Champions Of Love Foundation Inc. is headquartered in BOSTON, MA. While based in MA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 34 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephane Bancel | CO-CHAIR | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Marine Brotons | TREASURER | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Chloe Bancel | CLERK | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Olivia Bancel | DIRECTOR | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Brenda Bancel | PRESIDENT | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$57.9M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$57.9M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
507
Total Giving
$50.8M
Average Grant
$100K
Median Grant
$25K
Unique Recipients
230
Most Common Grant
$10K
of 2023 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titus FoundationGENERAL | Denever, CO | $100K | 2023 |
| Love Does ParadeGENERAL | San Diego, CA | $2.7M | 2023 |
| Epiphany School IncGENERAL | Dorchester, MA | $2.1M | 2023 |
| Equal Justice InitiativeGENERAL | Montgomery, AL | $2M | 2023 |
| Thistle Farms IncGENERAL | Nashville Tennessee, TN | $2M | 2023 |
| Homeboy IndustriesGENERAL | Los Angeles, CA | $2M | 2023 |
| Boston Health Care For The Homeless Program IncGENERAL | Boston, MA | $1.1M | 2023 |
| The Roxbury Presbyterian Church Social Impact CenterGENERAL | Boston, MA | $1.1M | 2023 |
| God'S PantryGENERAL | Chino Hills, CA | $750K | 2023 |
| Center For Contemplative JusticeGENERAL | Nashville, TN | $591K | 2023 |
| Saint Cecilias Parish SchoolGENERAL | Boston, MA | $500K | 2023 |
| Health Equity InternationalGENERAL | Newton, MA | $500K | 2023 |
| Proyecto PastoralGENERAL | Los Angeles, CA | $500K | 2023 |
| Joseph House IncGENERAL | Cincinnati, OH | $250K | 2023 |
| Louisiana Parole Project Inc Aka Parole Project Or LppGENERAL | Baton Rouge, LA | $200K | 2023 |
| Campaign For The Fair Sentencing Of YouthGENERAL | Washington, DC | $200K | 2023 |
| Valiant Cross AcademyGENERAL | Montgomery, AL | $200K | 2023 |
| Partners In HealthGENERAL | Boston, MA | $150K | 2023 |
| Shalom Mennonite FellowshipGENERAL | Tucson, AZ | $133K | 2023 |
| Cristo Rey Boston High SchoolGENERAL | Boston, MA | $125K | 2023 |
| Camp Harbor View Foundation IncGENERAL | Boston, MA | $110K | 2023 |
| St Columbkille SchoolGENERAL | Brighton, MA | $100K | 2023 |
| Ringling College Of Art And DesignGENERAL | Sarasota, FL | $100K | 2023 |
| Georgia Justice ProjectGENERAL | Atlanta, GA | $100K | 2023 |
| First Church In Cambridge Congregational UccGENERAL | Cambridge, MA | $100K | 2023 |
| Bethel Institute For Community DevelopmentGENERAL | Jamaica Plain, MA | $100K | 2023 |
| Visible Men AcademyGENERAL | Bradenton, FL | $100K | 2023 |
| Saint Teresa Of Calcutta ParishGENERAL | Dorchester, MA | $100K | 2023 |
| Vietaid Fbo Words As WorldsGENERAL | Dorchester, MA | $100K | 2023 |
| St Mary'S Episcopal ChurchGENERAL | Boston, MA | $95K | 2023 |
| Community ServingsGENERAL | Jamaica Plain, MA | $85K | 2023 |
| Sarasota African American Cultural CoalitionGENERAL | Sarasota, FL | $75K | 2023 |
| Boston Area Church League IncGENERAL | Boston, MA | $70K | 2023 |
| The Home For Little WanderersGENERAL | Brighton, MA | $60K | 2023 |
| Hope HealsGENERAL | Atlanta, GA | $60K | 2023 |
| Neighborhood VillagesGENERAL | Jamaica Plain, MA | $60K | 2023 |
| Youth With A Mission San Diego BajaGENERAL | Chula Vista, CA | $60K | 2023 |
| Social Mobility Project IncGENERAL | Boston, MA | $55K | 2023 |
| Lovin' Spoonfuls IncGENERAL | Newton, MA | $55K | 2023 |
| The Sportmen'S Tennis & Enrichment CenterGENERAL | Dorchester, MA | $50K | 2023 |
| Africatown Heritage Preservation FoundationGENERAL | Mobile, AL | $50K | 2023 |
| Ekvn-YefolecvGENERAL | Weogufka, AL | $50K | 2023 |
| Build Health InternationalGENERAL | Beverly, MA | $50K | 2023 |
| Camp O-At-KaGENERAL | Sebago, ME | $50K | 2023 |
| Hearth IncGENERAL | Boston, MA | $50K | 2023 |
| The Interfaith Counseling CenterGENERAL | Edwardsville, IL | $50K | 2023 |
| Howard University Psychology DepartmentGENERAL | Washington, DC | $50K | 2023 |
| Black Ministerial AlliancetenpointGENERAL | Roxbury, MA | $50K | 2023 |
| MasinyusaneGENERAL | Gqeberha | $50K | 2023 |