Lovett-Woodsum Family Charitable Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,232,736 (2023)
Total Assets: $87.6 million (2024)
Grant Range: $350 - $200,000
Typical Grant: $5,000 - $5,500 (median)
Number of Grants: 82 awards (2023)
Geographic Focus: Boston MA, New Hampshire Lakes Region, South Florida
Application Status: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 21 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02116-2102
Phone: 617-247-2515
Email: ksimpson@l-wf.org (Kimberly Simpson)
Website: None (the foundation does not maintain a public website)

Overview

The Lovett-Woodsum Family Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 by Anne B. Lovett and Stephen G. Woodsum. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the foundation holds approximately $87.6 million in assets and distributes over $1.2 million annually to charitable organizations.

The foundation's mission centers on supporting organizations and projects that primarily benefit underserved populations and disadvantaged communities. Their strategic approach focuses on three core areas: strengthening education, independence, and capabilities of adults, children, and families; increasing economic opportunity, social justice, and empowerment within low-income communities; and promoting conservation and environmental sustainability.

Stephen Woodsum is a prominent figure in Boston's business and philanthropic communities, having co-founded Summit Partners, a global growth equity firm, in 1984. Anne Lovett, a Yale graduate with studies at the Sorbonne, previously worked at Coopers & Lybrand and the Yankee Group. Both founders maintain deep philanthropic engagement beyond their foundation through numerous board positions at major Boston institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides primarily unrestricted general operating support to pre-selected organizations. Grant sizes vary significantly:

Major grants: $100,000 - $200,000 (select organizations with deep relationships)
Substantial grants: $50,000 - $100,000
Standard grants: $5,000 - $25,000 (most common)
Smaller grants: $350 - $5,000

Priority Areas

Education: Strengthening educational opportunities for children and families, workforce development programs
Social Justice & Economic Opportunity: Organizations addressing poverty, economic mobility, and community empowerment
Human Services: Programs supporting families, youth development, and vulnerable populations
Arts & Culture: Cultural institutions and arts organizations
Environment & Conservation: Land conservation, environmental sustainability
Animal Welfare: Animal rescue and protection organizations
Health: Healthcare organizations and children's health initiatives

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's giving patterns indicate they do not fund:

Organizations outside their geographic focus areas
Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, marital status, beliefs, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability
Unsolicited proposals from organizations without pre-existing relationships

Governance and Leadership

Officers

Anne R. Lovett - President
- B.A., Yale University; graduate studies, Sorbonne (Paris)
- Former employee, Coopers & Lybrand and Yankee Group
- Board Emeritus, GreenLight Fund
- Board member, The Squam Lakes Conservation Society
- Treasurer, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
- Honorary Director & Chair of Audit Committee, Boston Children's Museum
- Long-time member, EdVestors' School on the Move Prize Committee
Stephen G. Woodsum - Treasurer
- B.A. Psychology, Yale University (1976); M.M., Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (1979)
- Co-Founder and Founding Managing Director, Summit Partners
- Chair Emeritus, City Year Inc.
- Board of Directors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston
- Board of Overseers, Museum of Fine Arts
- Board of Trustees & Chair of Finance & Real Estate Committee, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Honorary Trustee, Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
- Honorary Trustee, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
David H. Hopfenberg - Clerk

Foundation Character

The foundation operates with no paid staff, reflecting its nature as a family-managed philanthropic vehicle. The founders' extensive personal involvement in Boston's nonprofit community through board service at major institutions shapes their giving decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Organizations that have been invited to apply do so through the Common Grant Application system at commongrantapplication.com. There are no fixed deadlines; invited applications are accepted on a continuous/rolling basis.

Getting on Their Radar

Given that this is an invitation-only foundation, prospective grantees may consider the following approaches based on the founders' documented activities:

Board Overlap: The Woodsums serve on numerous Boston nonprofit boards including Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, City Year, Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Boston Children's Museum. Organizations with leadership connections to these institutions may have pathways to visibility.
GreenLight Fund Boston: Anne Lovett serves on the board of GreenLight Fund, which identifies promising nonprofits for replication. Being selected as a GreenLight Fund site organization could provide exposure to the Lovett-Woodsum family.
Squam Lakes Region: Organizations in the New Hampshire Lakes Region, particularly those focused on conservation and environmental education, align with the family's personal interests. The Woodsums have donated conservation easements and serve on boards of Squam Lakes Conservation Society and Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.
EdVestors: Anne Lovett's long-time involvement with EdVestors' School on the Move Prize Committee suggests visibility through Boston education reform circles.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly documented. As an invitation-only foundation, decision timelines likely vary based on relationship depth and trustee meeting schedules.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applicants, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented.

Recent Grant Recipients

Major Grants (2022-2023)

Year Up (Boston): $200,000 - Workforce development for young adults
Inner-City Scholarship Fund (Boston): $100,000 - Educational access
Mory's Preservation Inc. (New Haven): $98,711 - Historic preservation
Alexander Twilight Academy (Boston): $75,000 - Education
Boston Children's Museum: $50,000 - Children's education
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City: $50,000 - Economic development

Other Notable Recipients

Catholic Schools Foundation
Animal Rescue League of Boston
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
Friends of the Children Boston
Northwestern University

Geographic Distribution (2022)

Massachusetts: 37 grants
New Hampshire: 20 grants
Florida: 10 grants
Other states including Connecticut, New York, California, and Washington DC

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation, success factors relate to alignment with the founders' documented priorities and values:

Demonstrated Impact on Underserved Populations: The foundation explicitly prioritizes organizations benefiting disadvantaged communities. Year Up's $200,000 grant reflects their commitment to economic mobility for underserved young adults.
Education and Workforce Development: Strong support for programs that strengthen capabilities of adults, children, and families - particularly workforce readiness programs like Year Up.
Geographic Alignment: Organizations must be located in or primarily serving Boston, the New Hampshire Lakes Region, or South Florida.
Institutional Credibility: Many grantees are established institutions where the Woodsums have board relationships (Boston Children's Museum, organizations in the Squam Lakes region).
Non-Discrimination: The foundation requires grantees to have policies against discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, marital status, beliefs, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
Environmental/Conservation Focus: For New Hampshire-based organizations, conservation and environmental education align with the family's personal interests and land stewardship activities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only foundation: Do not submit unsolicited proposals. The foundation explicitly states it funds only pre-selected organizations.
Relationship-driven: Getting on the foundation's radar requires building connections through the extensive network of boards where the Woodsums serve, including City Year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, GreenLight Fund, and various Squam Lakes organizations.
Focus on Boston: While three geographic areas are served, Boston receives the highest concentration of grants (37 of 67 grants in a recent year).
Unrestricted support preferred: The foundation primarily provides general operating support rather than project-specific grants.
Modest median grants: While large grants up to $200,000 occur, the typical grant is $5,000-$5,500, suggesting a strategy of supporting many organizations at moderate levels.
Long-term relationships valued: The consistent support for certain organizations across years indicates loyalty to effective grantees.
Personal philanthropy extends beyond foundation: The Woodsums personally support many organizations through board service and individual giving, so foundation grants often reflect these personal connections.

References

Information compiled December 2025