The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation is a private foundation based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing lists grants for religious and charitable programs, education and research, historic preservation, cultural activities, and open-space conservation.
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation gave $341K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Massachusetts. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $340,500
- +17.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +4.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,477
- +12.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $4,708,564
- +4.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 285 Reservoir Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-1449
Phone: (617) 277-3388
Website: https://www.selwynfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($160K). Together the top 10 received $311K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 105 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to Massachusetts recipients, 3% to New York recipients, 3% to California recipients, and less than 1% to Rhode Island recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 22 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $255K (2021) to $341K (2025). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $341K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, MA | Support Religious & Charitable Programs | $160,000 |
| MIT Department of Chemistry Cambridge, MA | Support research & educ activities | $50,000 |
| MIT Hillel Cambridge, MA | Support educational and religious activities | $25,000 |
| Revolutionary Spaces Boston, MA | Support historic preservation | $20,000 |
| The Forward Association New York, NY | Support cultural and religious activities | $10,000 |
| Buzzards Bay Coalition New Bedford, MA | Support research programs | $10,000 |
| Pasadena Jewish Temple Pasadena, CA | Support recoveryreconstruction | $10,000 |
| Jewish Journal Salem, MA | Support cultural and religious activities | $10,000 |
| Mattapoisett Land Trust Mattapoisett, MA | Support open space conservation | $10,000 |
| New Bedford Art Museum New Bedford, MA | Support educational and cultural activities | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,708,564 | $533,176 | $347,786 | $340,500 | 22 | $347,786 | $161,162 | $339,352 |
| 2024 | $4,522,360 | $302,172 | $294,283 | $289,147 | 21 | $294,283 | $167,532 | $293,669 |
| 2023 | $4,512,057 | $238,617 | $275,265 | $269,700 | 23 | $275,265 | $157,769 | $258,996 |
| 2022 | $4,548,705 | $225,090 | $279,601 | $275,600 | 21 | $279,601 | $89,089 | $282,295 |
| 2021 | $4,603,216 | $404,557 | $260,704 | $255,200 | 18 | — | $59,053 | $276,471 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $339K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including religious and charitable programs, education and research, historic preservation, cultural activities, and conservation.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate this range: Revolutionary Spaces says it brings people together to explore the American struggle to create and sustain a free society; Buzzards Bay Coalition says it works to protect and restore Buzzards Bay and its watershed; and Mattapoisett Land Trust describes its purpose as acquiring land and interests in land for open-space protection. The Forward says its mission is to strengthen engagement with Jewish ideas and communities through media and public events. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 22 grants totaling $340,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $160,000, with a median grant of $5,500.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $160,000 to Combined Jewish Philanthropies for religious and charitable programs, $50,000 to MIT Department of Chemistry for research and educational activities, $25,000 to MIT Hillel for educational and religious activities, and $20,000 to Revolutionary Spaces for historic preservation. Other grants included $10,000 each to The Forward Association for cultural and religious activities, Buzzards Bay Coalition for research programs, Pasadena Jewish Temple for recovery and reconstruction, Jewish Journal for cultural and religious activities, and Mattapoisett Land Trust for open-space conservation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lee L Selwyn and Judith E Selwyn as trustees, along with Amanda Selwyn, Mark D Selwyn, and Jeremy G Selwyn.
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Amanda Selwyn
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy G. Selwyn
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark D. Selwyn
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lee L. Selwyn Judith E. Selwyn
Trustees
Trustee → Trustees, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Judith E. Selwyn (2021–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation
How much does The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation give each year?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation gave $341K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $289K across 21 grants.
What is The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $15,477, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation give grants?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (5 grants), New Bedford, MA (4 grants), Cambridge, MA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support religious activities" (5 grants).
Who are The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($160,000), MIT Department of Chemistry ($50,000) and MIT Hillel ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $348K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $339K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including religious and charitable programs, education and research, historic preservation, cultural activities, and conservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's EIN?
The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3876011. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lee-l-and-judith-e-selwyn-foundation-morg_d6837729b2b2447baac95b2aab4c35d2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263876011_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lee-l-and-judith-e-selwyn-foundation-morg_d6837729b2b2447baac95b2aab4c35d2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Lee L and Judith E Selwyn Foundation'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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