Lookout Foundation Inc
Lookout Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing reports $2,322,200 in grants to 18 organizations, including organizations working on land conservation, youth and justice-related programs, health services, and environmental storytelling.
Lookout Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Lookout Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $129K), mostly in Massachusetts. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,322,200
- +58.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $129,011
- +41.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $43,428,074
- +6.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (50% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lookout Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2 Liberty Square Suite 500, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 426-7080
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lookout Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (Jdai) ($387K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 109 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Massachusetts (50%), Vermont (21%), Maine (13%), New York (11%), and California (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Lookout Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $136K; repeat grants $137K. How we count
Medians: $65K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2023) to $2.6M (2021). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (Jdai) Boston, MA | Jdai Year 2 of 2 | $387,200 |
| Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc Lincoln, MA | To protect and steward natural and working lands, year 1 of 3 | $310,000 |
| Open Space Institute Land Trust Inc New York, NY | Appalachian Landscapes Protection Initiative: Northern New England | $250,000 |
| United Teen Equality Center Lowell, MA | Addressing complex trauma for justice-involved young adults: three opportunities, pymt 3 of 4 | $250,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, ME | Trauma Learning Policy Initiative | $200,000 |
| Shelburne Farms Shelburne, VT | Windmill hill conservation project at shelburne farms involving land conservation, integration and trail costs, and landconservation, agriculture and youth educational programs at windmill hill | $200,000 |
| Boston Medical Center Boston, MA | For the violence intervention advocacy program (VIAP) - payment 2 of 3 | $100,000 |
| Center for an Agricultural Economy Hardwick, VT | General Operations Support | $100,000 |
| Loon Echo Land Trust Bridgton, ME | Fbo sebago clean waters initiative pymt 1 of 3 | $100,000 |
| Redford Center San Francisco, CA | To support the production of the documentary my planet now | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lookout Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $43,428,074 | $2,490,164 | $2,845,648 | $2,322,200 | 18 | $2,497,216 | $2,067,675 | $2,047,647 |
| 2023 | $40,935,885 | $488,511 | $1,986,333 | $1,463,518 | 16 | $1,665,614 | $304,074 | $1,865,816 |
| 2022 | $37,162,675 | $1,646,707 | $2,393,461 | $1,955,533 | 16 | $2,129,362 | $1,456,930 | $1,927,888 |
| 2021 | $46,902,384 | $4,199,003 | $3,435,490 | $2,578,183 | 28 | $2,798,574 | $3,577,379 | $2,174,523 |
| 2020 | $43,661,086 | $2,526,012 | $2,619,527 | $1,991,003 | 31 | — | $2,050,331 | $1,838,041 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lookout Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including land conservation and stewardship, youth education and conservation, responses to trauma among justice-involved young adults, and health services.
Among its grantees, Massachusetts Audubon Society describes its mission as protecting Massachusetts nature for people and wildlife through education, land conservation, advocacy, research, and habitat stewardship and restoration. Open Space Institute Land Trust says it supports a mission to protect land for clean drinking water, recreation, healthy communities, and wildlife habitat, and to conserve forests and floodplains. Shelburne Farms describes its mission as inspiring and cultivating learning for a sustainable future. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $2,322,200. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $387,200, with a median grant of $100,000.
The largest 2024 grants included $387,200 to Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative for “JDAI Year 2 of 2”; $310,000 to Massachusetts Audubon Society for land protection and stewardship; $250,000 to Open Space Institute Land Trust for its Appalachian Landscapes Protection Initiative in Northern New England; and $250,000 to United Teen Equality Center for work addressing complex trauma for justice-involved young adults. Other grants included $200,000 to Shelburne Farms for its Windmill Hill Conservation Project and $100,000 to Boston Medical Center for its Violence Intervention Advocacy Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Dinah L Buechner-Vischer as director and president, Anne Stetson as director and secretary, and Roberto Rodriguez as director and treasurer.
Lookout Foundation Inc is led by Dinah L. Buechner-Vischer, Director & President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dinah L. Buechner-Vischer
Director & President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $3K (2024)
Anne Stetson
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $13K (2024)
Roberto Rodriguez
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $13K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $13K, to Anne Stetson (Director and Secretary). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Lookout Foundation Inc
How much does Lookout Foundation Inc give each year?
Lookout Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 16 grants.
What is Lookout Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Lookout Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $129,011, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lookout Foundation Inc that year got $136K on average.
Where does Lookout Foundation Inc give grants?
Lookout Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Vermont (21%) and Maine (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants).
Does Lookout Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 22% of Lookout Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lookout Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Lookout Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (Jdai) ($387,200), Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc ($310,000) and Open Space Institute Land Trust Inc ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lookout Foundation Inc?
Lookout Foundation Inc reported $43.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lookout Foundation Inc fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including land conservation and stewardship, youth education and conservation, responses to trauma among justice-involved young adults, and health services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lookout Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lookout Foundation Inc's EIN?
Lookout Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2981081. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lookout Foundation Inc 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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Lookout Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lookout Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lookout-foundation-inc-morg_541e1e22c7774efc83c60d54c52a5cad
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_272981081_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lookout Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lookout-foundation-inc-morg_541e1e22c7774efc83c60d54c52a5cad},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Lookout Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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