The Lowndes Foundation Inc

BOSTON, MA EIN: 57-1027898

The Lowndes Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1997, it operates as a company-sponsored foundation with a focus on supporting nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$13.6M

+6.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$935K

+0.0% YoY

Grant Count

17

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$55K

+0.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lowndes Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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 supports organizations involved with:

  • Education
  • Civil liberties
  • Economic development
  • Public policy
  • Government and public administration

Grantmaking

Grant Range

** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $100,000

Average Grant

amount: $241

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states, including:

  • Alabama
  • California
  • District of Columbia
  • Georgia
  • Michigan
  • South Carolina
  • Virginia

Funded projects have been located in cities such as Arlington, Auburn, Atlanta, Clemson, Columbia, Greenville, Hillsdale, Oakland, and Washington.

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Cities

ArlingtonAtlantaAuburnClemsonColumbiaGreenvilleHillsdaleOaklandWashington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

  • Total Assets: $12.78 million to $13.58 million
  • Total Annual Giving: $935,000
  • Annual Expenses: Approximately $1.11 million
  • Annual Revenue: Approximately $1.06 million
  • Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since November 1995
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$729K$1M$2M$3M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$13,579,576$12,780,378$11,974,167
Revenue$1,672,477$1,063,061$173,602
Expenses$1,022,693$1,107,939$1,153,731
Qualifying Distributions$950,335$950,162$970,433
Net Investment Income$1,604,537$986,256$231,802
Distributable Amount$1,075,729$900,543$950,302

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$239K$478K$716K$955K17 grants202017 grants202117 grants202217 grants202317 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC$100KTHE CLEMSON INSTITUTE$100KPalmetto Promise Institute$100KTHE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE$75KCATO INSTITUTE$70KMERCATUS CENTER$50KHERITAGE FOUNDATION$50KHILLSDALE COLLEGE$50KSTUDENTS FOR LIBERTY$50KTHE FEDERALIST SOCIETY$50K

Grant Size Distribution

85 grants across all recorded years

30<$50K44$50–100K11$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Foundation for Economic ($100,000), The Clemson Institute ($100,000), Palmetto Promise Institute ($100,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
MERCATUS CENTER ARLINGTON, VACONTRIBUTION$50,000
THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OAKLAND, CACONTRIBUTION$75,000
INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE ARLINGTON, VACONTRIBUTION$30,000
HERITAGE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DCCONTRIBUTION$50,000
FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC Atlanta, GACONTRIBUTION$100,000
HILLSDALE COLLEGE HILLSDALE, MICONTRIBUTION$50,000
CATO INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DCCONTRIBUTION$70,000
STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY Arlington, VACONTRIBUTION$50,000
SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION Greenville, SCCONTRIBUTION$25,000
THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE CLEMSON, SCCONTRIBUTION$100,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • William Lowndes III – President and Treasurer (serves without compensation)
  • Henrietta M. Lowndes – Secretary and Trustee (serves without compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
WILLIAM LOWNDES IIIPRES/TREAS, AS REQUIRED
HENRIETTA M LOWNDESSEC/TRUSTEE, AS REQUIRED

Contact Information

Address: 100 Federal Street, Floor 37, Boston, MA 02110-1802

Telephone: 864-583-3635

EIN: 57-1027898

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Lowndes Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation supports organizations involved with: • Education • Civil liberties • Economic development • Public policy • Government and public administration

How do I apply for a grant from The Lowndes Foundation Inc?

**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $935,000 (most recent year) • Average grant amount: $241 • Total grants awarded (previous year): 3,871 • Open to new applicants: Yes • Percentage of new applicants funded: 12% **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $100,000

Where does The Lowndes Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states, including: • Alabama • California • District of Columbia • Georgia • Michigan • South Carolina • Virginia Funded projects have been located in cities such as Arlington, Auburn, Atlanta, Clemson, Columbia, Greenville, Hillsdale, Oakland, and Washington.

What size grants does The Lowndes Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Lowndes Foundation Inc awarded 17 grants totaling $935K — an average of about $55K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Lowndes Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Lowndes Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Lowndes Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Lowndes Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1027898. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

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Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

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

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