Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation logo

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wellesley, MA EIN: 46-1560816 Website

The Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Established in 2012, it directs grants and contributions primarily to programs and institutions supporting education, children’s health and welfare, communities, and the environment.

Key facts about Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation

In short: Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation gave $665K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), top state Maine. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
46-1560816
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$665,000
Grants made (2024)
14
Average grant
$47,500
Median grant
$37,500
Total assets
$7,378,575
Primary geography
Maine (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$7.4M

-0.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$665K

+96.2% YoY

Grant Count

14

+100.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$48K

-1.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $366K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 26% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 182% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated focus is education, children’s health and welfare, communities, and the environment. It says its grant decisions consider an organization’s effectiveness, how a contribution could further its impact or reach, and the quality of its stewardship and governance. The website states there is no set minimum or maximum grant amount.

Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. WGBH Educational Foundation describes its work as providing programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain. Vital CxNs says it partners with communities to build a more accessible, effective, and equitable health ecosystem. Other 2024 recipients included colleges, a children’s hospital, and community organizations.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $665,000. The grants ranged from $5,000 to $125,000, with a median of $37,500. The website lists cumulative grant and donation commitments of more than $4 million since the charitable gift fund began in 1998.

Among the 2024 grants, Colby College received $125,000 and a separate $75,000 grant; Duke University and Stanford University each received $100,000. WGBH Educational Foundation received grants of $50,000 and $25,000, and Boston Children’s Hospital received two grants of $50,000 each. The listed grants specify unrestricted purposes.

The foundation’s website says it currently does not accept solicitations, and its 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants may be funded by the foundation or by the charitable gift fund, with the funding source determined case by case.

How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 grants went to recipients in Maine (36% of grant dollars), Massachusetts (34%), North Carolina (15%), and California (15%). The website says the foundation makes grants to both local and national organizations.

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.

Cities

WatervilleNewtonBostonDurhamBrunswickPortlandBelgrade LakesWest RoxburyWilliamstownBethlehemDedhamWestonArlingtonAuburnChestnut HillLemayNeedhamNew YorkOaklandPhiladelphia

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M21 grants2020 24 grants2021 18 grants2022 7 grants2023 14 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $339K (2023) to $898K (2021). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $665K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2024

Colby College: $235K across 4 grantsColby College$235K · 4 grantsDuke University: $100KDuke University$100KStanford University: $100KStanford University$100KBoston Children's Hospital: $100K across 2 grantsBoston Children's Hospital$100K · 2 grantsWGBH Educational Foundation: $75K across 2 grantsWGBH Educational Foundation$75K · 2 grantsVital CXNS: $25KVital CXNS$25KMaine Film and Video Association: $15KMaine Film and VideoAssociation$15KFriends of Belgrade Lakes Village: $10KFriends of Belgrade LakesVillage$10KBowdoin College: $5KBowdoin College$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was Colby College ($235K across 4 grants). Together the top 9 received $665K.

Grant Size Distribution

84 grants across all recorded years

56<$50K9$50–100K19$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 84 (67%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Colby College Waterville, MEUnrestricted$125,000
Duke University Durham, NCUnrestricted$100,000
Stanford University Stanford, CAUnrestricted$100,000
Colby College Waterville, MEUnrestricted$75,000
WGBH Educational Foundation Boston, MAUnrestricted$50,000
Boston Children's Hospital Boston, MAUnrestricted$50,000
Boston Children's Hospital Boston, MAUnrestricted$50,000
Vital CXNS Newton, MAUnrestricted$25,000
Colby College Waterville, MAUnrestricted$25,000
WGBH Educational Foundation Boston, MAUnrestricted$25,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2024 $7,378,575 $284,287 $667,118 $665,000 14
2023 $7,396,682 $608,198 $347,373 $339,000 7
2022 $6,857,581 $2,024,510 $794,687 $783,000 18
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$7,378,575$7,396,682$6,857,581
Revenue$284,287$608,198$2,024,510
Expenses$667,118$347,373$794,687
Qualifying Distributions$665,000$339,000$783,000
Net Investment Income$275,672$601,422$954,175
Distributable Amount$365,614$366,080$315,478

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Seth W. Lawry and Cynthia C. Lawry as trustees.

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Cynthia C. Lawry

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Seth W. Lawry

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 184 Cliff Road, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 235-4161
Website: https://lawryfamilyfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation

How much does Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation give each year?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation gave $665K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $339K across 7 grants.

What is Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $37,500, and its average grant was $47,500, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation give grants?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's top state is Maine, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (34%) and North Carolina (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants) and Waterville, ME (3 grants).

Does Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Colby College ($235,000 across 4 grants), Duke University ($100,000) and Stanford University ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $665K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $366K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation fund?

The foundation’s stated focus is education, children’s health and welfare, communities, and the environment. It says its grant decisions consider an organization’s effectiveness, how a contribution could further its impact or reach, and the quality of its stewardship and governance. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's EIN?

Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1560816. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Cynthia C and Seth W Lawry Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

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