Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc
Boston, MA · EIN 23-7423946. Reported 192 grants totalling $6,117,370 to 87 organizations 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. Lincoln & Therese Filene 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 $15,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $20,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $1,175,000. 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. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts | Vienna, VA | $2,425,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY | $700,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Neighborhood Developers Inc | Chelsea, MA | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Jewish Vocational Services | Boston, MA | $140,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Found in Translation | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ria House Inc | Framingham, MA | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bill of Rights Institute | Arlington, VA | $95,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Zumix Inc | East Boston, MA | $79,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Primary Source | Watertown, MA | $75,070 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friends of the Children-Boston | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Generation Citizen Inc | New York, NY | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Project Citizen | Calabasas, CA | $65,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Icivics | Cambridge, MA | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice | Boston, MA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Sportsmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center | Dorchester, MA | $56,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| CASA Myrna Vazquez Inc | Boston, MA | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Musiconnects | Roslindale, MA | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Read to a Child | Wellesley, MA | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Boy's and Girls Club of Dorchester | Dorchester, MA | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Discovering Justice | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Courageous Sailing | Boston, MA | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| My Life My Choice a Program of Justice Resource | Boston, MA | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Shelter Music Boston | Arlington, MA | $45,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ascentria Community Services | Worcester, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Boston CASA | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Economic Mobility Pathways | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Empath | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Epiphany School | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Family Services of the Merrimack Valley | Lawrence, MA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| La Colaborativa Inc | Chelsea, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| La Vida Inc | Lynn, MA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Achieve | Washington, DC | $38,100 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Boston Education Development Foundation Inc | Roxbury, MA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Entrepreneurship for All | Lowell, MA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Longy School of Music of Bard College | Cambridge, MA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Boston Area Rape Crisis Center | Cambridge, MA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Education Through Music-Massachusetts | Boston, MA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Elevated Thought Inc | Lawrence, MA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Emerge Inc | Columbia, MD | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Girlstart | Austin, TX | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Meryl's Safe Haven Inc | Worcester, MA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lower Cape Community Access Television Inc | North Eastham, MA | $27,700 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Mab Community Services | Brookline, MA | $25,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Berks County Community Foundation Inc | Reading, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Boston Lyric Opera | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Boston Music Project | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| League of Women Voters of Massachusetts | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Help Ukraine | Gaithersburg, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Suffolk University Law School | Boston, MA | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bird Street Community Center | Dorchester, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Boston College High School | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Brookline Interactive Group | Brookline, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee Inc | Cambridge, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Combined Jewish Philantropies | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Enroot | Cambridge, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jeremiah Program | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Maine Boys to Men | Portland, ME | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Playworks Massachusetts | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tech Goes Home Digital Inclusion Programs | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Connecticut Democracy Center | Hartford, CT | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Union of Minority Neighborhoods | Jamaica Plain, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Victim Rights Law Center | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Welcome Project Inc | Somerville, MA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Youth Development Organization | Lawrence, MA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Boston Day and Evening Academy | Roxbury, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Chelsea Collaborative Inc | Chelsea, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hyde Square Task Force | Boston, MA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Julie's Family Learning Program Inc | Boston, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Love Life Now Foundation | Avon, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Making Music Matters Inc | West Roxbury, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Museum of Science | Boston, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Potencia Inc | Malden, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Civic Series Boston Fellowship | Bala Cynwyd, PA | $13,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| 826 Boston Inc | Roxbury, MA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bard College | Annandaleonhudson, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Catholic Charities Worcester County | Worcester, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Global Impact | Alexandria, VA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Guerilla Opera | Boston, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Haven Project | Lynn, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lowell's Boat Shop | Amesbury, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Maine Community Foundation | Ellsworth, ME | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Route One Ministry | Boston, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| School on Wheels of Ma | East Bridgewater, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dedham School of Music | Dedham, MA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| All Newton Music School | West Newton, MA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
51 of 87 (59%) 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 71%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
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.
- Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
BUILDING IMPROVEMENT COSTS AT THE PARK - Skidmore College
FILENE MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP/HELEN FILENE LADD CONCERT H - Bill of Rights Institute
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BOSTON AREA TEACHERS - The Neighborhood Developers Inc
CONNECT ONE-ON-ONE FINANCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT COACHING PROGRAM - Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice
EXPANDING ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN BOSTON - Sportsmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center
SCHOOL TO SPORTSMEN'S PROGRAM
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 135 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 49 | $1,059,500 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 51 | $2,114,500 | $15,000 |
| 2023 | 45 | $1,447,800 | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 47 | $1,495,570 | $15,000 |
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.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 41% of this one's giving went to organizations in Virginia. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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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 the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $15,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Virginia.
- 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 Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: Nutter Mcclennen Fish Llp Pob 514, Boston, MA, 02205. 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 23-7423946 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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