Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc

BOSTON, MA EIN: 23-7423946 Website

The Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Lincoln and Therese Filene, innovators in Boston's early philanthropic community, the foundation has maintained a tradition of family philanthropy spanning five generations. The foundation makes grants to tax-exempt organizations and institutions that provide services to individuals and localities, with a primary focus on the Greater Boston region and some consideration given to other New England-based programs.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$16.9M

+12.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.5M

+3.3% YoY

Grant Count

+4.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$32K

-1.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation's major goals are:

To enable those who are disadvantaged to help themselves and others
To reduce social conflicts and create harmonious communities
To encourage informed civic participation on local, state, and regional levels
To promote participation in the performing arts

The foundation focuses on four specific program areas:

Civic Education — Supporting informed civic participation and community engagement
Human Development and Self-Sufficiency — Programs enabling disadvantaged individuals to help themselves and others
Music and Performing Arts Education — Supporting participation in the performing arts
Citizenship and Public Education — Promoting engaged and educated citizens

Grantmaking

The foundation accepts grant applications through an online application portal. Current grantees should note that the application system has transitioned to a new site, requiring returning organizations to create new accounts for 2025 applications. Historical files remain accessible via the previous site through December 31, 2025.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts, with a focus on the Greater Boston region. Some consideration is given to other New England-based programs.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $3.1M (45%)

Virginia $2.6M (37%)

New York $980K (14%)

California $70K (1%)

Maryland $65K (1%)

Delaware $50K (1%)

District of Columbia $38K (1%)

Pennsylvania $38K (1%)

+4 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Massachusetts Maryland Maine New Hampshire New York Pennsylvania Texas Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaAmesburyAnnandaleonhudsonArlingtonAustinAvonBala CynwydBostonBrooklineCalabasasCambridgeChelseaColumbiaDedhamDorchesterEast BostonEast BridgewaterEllsworthFraminghamGaithersburg

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2023 Financial Data:

Total Assets: $15,009,172
Total Revenue: $2,680,000
Total Expenses: $1,860,000
Total Liabilities: $0
Total Giving: $1,447,800

Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since May 1940 (IRS ruling year: 1940) EIN: 23-7423946

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$16,916,082	$15,009,172	$14,182,622
Revenue	$3,727,475	$2,681,164	$1,770,847
Expenses	$1,820,565	$1,864,582	$2,515,684
Qualifying Distributions	$1,634,632	$1,612,030	$2,295,561
Net Investment Income	$3,607,082	$2,501,257	$1,557,268
Distributable Amount	$1,421,823	$1,334,978	$1,399,921

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

241 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc

Foundation

Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation Grant

LINCOLN & THERESE FILENE FOUNDATION INC

Amount

US $10,000 - US $20,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts ($550,000), Skidmore College ($175,000), Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice ($40,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
826 BOSTON INC ROXBURY, MA	AMPLIFYING YOUTH VOCIE THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL WRITING AND TUTORING	$12,000
ACHIEVE WASHINGTON, DC	COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS SUMMER 2023	$8,000
ALL NEWTON MUSIC SCHOOL WEST NEWTON, MA	CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION TO ALL NEW MUSIC SHCOOL	$6,000
BARD COLLEGE ANNANDALEONHUDSON, NY	CONTRIBUTION FOR LONGY SCHOOL OF MUSIC AT BARD	$10,000
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER BOSTON, MA	GENERAL FUND	$5,000
BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE ARLINGTON, VA	PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BOSTON AREA TEACHERS	$25,000
BOSTON CASA BOSTON, MA	INCREASING BOSTON CASA'S IMPACT ON TRADITIONAL AGED YOUTH	$20,000
BOSTON COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL BOSTON, MA	CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION ENGAGING DIVERSE HS YOUTH AS VOLUNTEERS IN ENGLISH AND CITIZENSHIP CLASSES FOR ADULT IMMIGRANTS	$20,000
BOSTON DAY AND EVENING ACADEMY ROXBURY, MA	TO SUPPORT BOSTON DAY AND EVENING ACADEMY	$15,000
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA BOSTON, MA	CREATE YOUR OWN OPERA	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
GILLIAN LAUTENBACH	PRESIDENT	—	—
HEATHER C SEARS	VICE PRESIDENT	—	—
DEBORAH MANUS	TREASURER/SECRETARY	—	—
J SCOTT LADD	ASSISTANT TREASURER	—	—

Contact Information

Website: www.filenefoundation.org
Phone: 617-439-2498
Address: PO Box 514, Boston, MA 02205

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc fund?

The Foundation's major goals are: • To enable those who are disadvantaged to help themselves and others • To reduce social conflicts and create harmonious communities • To encourage informed civic participation on local, state, and regional levels • To promote participation in the performing arts The foundation focuses on four specific program areas: 1. **Civic Education** — Supporting informed civic participation and community engagement 2. **Human Development and Self-Sufficiency** — Programs…

How do I apply for a grant from Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc?

**Grant Activity:** • Total assets: $15,009,172 • Total giving: $1,447,800 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing for 2023) • Funds are largely committed to long-term support of existing projects **Application Process:** The foundation accepts grant applications through an online application portal. Current grantees should note that the application system has transitioned to a new site, requiring returning organizations to create new accounts for 2025 applications. Historical files remain accessi…

Where does Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts, with a focus on the Greater Boston region. Some consideration is given to other New England-based programs.

What size grants does Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc awarded 47 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc's EIN?

Lincoln & Therese Filene Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7423946. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.