Saab Family Foundation

The Saab Family Foundation is a relationship-oriented, family-run private foundation that favors organizations deeply rooted in the four-county Merrimack Valley service area (Middlesex and Essex counties in MA; Rockingham and Hillsborough counties in NH). Founded in 2010 by Mark and Elisia Saab after the sale of their medical device company Advanced Polymers, the foundation is now managed day-to-day by the founders' two daughters, Analise Brown (Director of Programs) and Alana Saab, giving it an unusually personal, multigenerational character.

Key approach principles:

1. Hyperlocal focus is non-negotiable. The trustees voted in 2013 to concentrate dollars in their four-county catchment area. Applicants whose programs extend into that geography — even if headquartered elsewhere — are eligible, but organizations without a direct Merrimack Valley presence should not apply.

2. Online-only, cycle-based applications. All submissions must go through the foundation's online portal (SmarterSelect for scholarships; its own grant portal for nonprofits). Nothing submitted outside the open window is considered. The grant deadline is November 10, 2026; the scholarship deadline is March 15. Organizations should calendar these dates well in advance and build their applications during the open window.

3. Broad programmatic scope, but clear human-services lean. The foundation funds education, youth development, housing/homelessness, food security, elderly care, and general human services. Arts, journalism, historic preservation, and reproductive health appear as secondary interests in 990 data. The strongest fit is organizations directly serving low-income individuals, homeless populations, and youth in the Merrimack Valley.

4. Multi-year grantees are common. The foundation's grant history shows many of the same organizations receiving repeated awards (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, Lazarus House Ministries, Open Table Inc, Merrimack College scholarships). A first grant should be treated as the beginning of a relationship, not a one-time ask.

5. Contact Analise Brown directly. As Director of Programs and a trustee, Analise Brown (analise@saabfamilyfoundation.org) is both the programmatic decision-maker and the family member most engaged with grantees. A thoughtful pre-application email introducing your organization and confirming eligibility is appropriate and likely welcomed.

The Saab Family Foundation distributes approximately $875,000–$960,000 annually across two programs: nonprofit grants and individual scholarships. Based on 990-PF filings and third-party grant databases, the following patterns emerge:

Grant size distribution: - Range: $1,500–$33,000 per award - Median award: approximately $4,000 - Most common single award size: $25,000 (reserved for larger, anchor organizations) - The vast majority of awards fall in the $2,500–$10,000 range

Volume trend (total awards per year): - 2020: 155 awards - 2021: 144 awards - 2022: 148 awards - 2023: 112 awards - 2024: 123 awards - 2025: 45 nonprofit grants + 70 scholarships (cycle not yet fully reported)

The decline from ~150 awards in 2020–2022 to ~112–123 in 2023–2024 likely reflects a deliberate shift toward fewer, more targeted grants rather than a reduction in total grantmaking (annual disbursements have remained ~$875K–$960K throughout).

Program split: Scholarships historically account for roughly $200,000–$250,000 of annual disbursements (based on the 2019 figure of $245,000 to 88 students), with nonprofit grants making up the remaining $625,000–$700,000+.

Asset base: $15.4 million (end of 2024), down modestly from a peak near $19M. The foundation is endowed and does not fundraise, so payout levels are driven purely by trustee decisions and investment returns.

Geographic allocation: The Lowell metro area receives the largest share of nonprofit grants. NH recipients (Nashua, Manchester, Salem area) receive a meaningful but smaller portion. Occasional grants flow to Maine and Connecticut for organizations with programs explicitly serving the catchment counties.

Key funded sectors by estimated share of disbursements: - Youth development and out-of-school programming: ~25% - Education and scholarships: ~25–30% - Food security and nutrition: ~15% - Housing/homelessness services: ~15% - Health and social services (elderly, disabled, general): ~15%

The Saab Family Foundation occupies a distinctive niche in the Merrimack Valley philanthropic landscape: it is the largest purely private family foundation focused exclusively on the four-county catchment area, operating without a community foundation structure or public fundraising. Below is a comparison with key regional peers:

Key differentiators of the Saab Family Foundation vs. GLCF: - SFF covers both sides of the MA/NH border; GLCF is MA-only - SFF awards individual scholarships directly to students; GLCF awards scholarships separately through its own program - SFF is responsive to a single annual application cycle; GLCF runs multiple programs on different timelines - SFF median grant (~$4,000) is smaller than some GLCF discretionary awards, but SFF funds more organizations per year - SFF does not require a match or fiscal sponsorship; GLCF occasionally does

For a Merrimack Valley nonprofit serving both MA and NH residents, the Saab Family Foundation is the highest-priority private family foundation to cultivate, as there are few direct comparables with its combination of cross-border scope, accessible application process, and consistent multi-year grantmaking.

2025 (partial year): - Awarded grants to 45 nonprofit organizations - Awarded scholarships to 70 students - Scholarship deadline: March 15, 2026 (for 2025–2026 academic year cycle) - Next confirmed grant deadline: November 10, 2026

2024: - 123 total awards - Total charitable disbursements: $910,146 - Notable grantees include: Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, Catie's Closet Inc, D'Youville Life & Wellness Community, Lawrence General Hospital, Lazarus House Ministries, Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School, Merrimack College, Nashua Children's Home

2023: - 112 total awards - Total disbursements: $876,000

2022: - 148 total awards (recent high) - Disbursements: $960,815

2020–2021: - COVID-19 emergency grants were added as a third program track, funding nonprofits assisting individuals impacted by the pandemic - 2020: 155 awards, $885,584 disbursed - 2021: 144 awards, $869,623 disbursed

Organizational development: - In 2013, trustees formally restricted the geographic catchment to four counties, sharpening focus from a broader MA/NH footprint - Daughters Analise Brown and Alana Saab took on active management roles, ensuring generational continuity - The foundation has consistently avoided requiring elaborate reporting, keeping the application burden low for grantees

Financial trajectory: - Assets peaked near $19M and have settled near $15.4M as of end-2024, reflecting consistent annual payout of ~$900K against investment returns - No debt, no liabilities reported in 990-PF filings

1. Confirm geographic eligibility first. Your organization must be a 501(c)(3) serving individuals in at least one of these four counties: Middlesex County (MA), Essex County (MA), Rockingham County (NH), or Hillsborough County (NH). If headquartered outside the region but running a program there, clearly document the program's geographic reach in your application.

2. Apply online — no exceptions. The foundation's portal is the only accepted channel. Do not email proposals, mail letters of inquiry, or attempt to submit outside the open grant window. Scholarship applicants must use their own (the student's) name and email for SmarterSelect accounts — not a parent's or counselor's.

3. Target the November 10 deadline for nonprofits. Mark it on your calendar and begin preparing 6–8 weeks early. The foundation's website is Wix-based and may load slowly in some browsers; test the application portal early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

4. Frame your ask around direct human impact. The foundation was built on Mark and Elisia Saab's desire to help low-income individuals, youth, and homeless neighbors in their community. Applications that lead with specific, quantified stories of people served — not organizational overhead or capacity-building abstractions — will resonate most strongly with the family trustees.

5. Right-size your ask. The median award is ~$4,000 and the ceiling is $33,000. First-time applicants should aim for the $3,000–$7,500 range unless they have a strong existing relationship. Larger asks ($15,000–$33,000) appear reserved for long-standing anchor grantees like the Boys & Girls Club or Merrimack College.

6. Cultivate the relationship before the deadline. Analise Brown (analise@saabfamilyfoundation.org) is the appropriate point of contact. A brief, professional email introducing your organization, confirming eligibility, and asking whether there is anything helpful to know before applying is appropriate and aligns with the foundation's family-run, community-embedded character.

7. Scholarship applicants: the March 15 deadline is firm. Students must complete their own applications; parent/guardian completion is not permitted. The scholarship supports both private high school tuition and two- or four-year undergraduate degrees. Students from all four service counties are eligible.

8. Do not submit unsolicited materials. The foundation explicitly states that materials submitted outside the grant cycle — including by mail or email — will not be accepted. There is no formal LOI process; the online application is the first official touchpoint.

9. Plan for multi-year engagement. The foundation's grantee list shows a high degree of repeat funding. Treat the first grant as a relationship-building investment: submit timely and accurate progress reporting if required, maintain communication with Analise Brown, and reapply consistently each cycle.

10. Secondary interests worth noting: 990 data surfaces arts, historic buildings, journalism, and reproductive health as secondary funding areas. If your organization touches any of these in the Merrimack Valley, note it in your application — but do not lead with these themes if your primary work is human services, which is clearly the foundation's highest priority.