Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3.27 million (2023)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts and regional
• Total Assets: $54.1 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: C/o Stanton & Company, Woburn, MA

Note: The foundation does not have a publicly listed website, phone number, or email contact.

Overview

The Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc was established in 2005 as a Delaware corporation and operates as a private grantmaking foundation based in Woburn, Massachusetts. With total assets of $54.1 million as of 2023, the foundation maintains a consistent grantmaking programme distributing approximately $2.7-3.3 million annually. Led by Executive Director Pam Solo, a 1989 MacArthur Fellow and renowned peace activist, the foundation focuses its charitable giving on the arts, Christian agencies and churches, education, and human services. Charitable disbursements represent approximately 81% of the foundation's annual expenses, demonstrating a strong commitment to active grantmaking despite operating as a preselected, invitation-only foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than formal grant programmes. All grants are made to preselected charitable organisations.

Priority Areas

The foundation provides grants primarily for:

• The Arts: Support for arts organisations and cultural programmes
• Christian Agencies and Churches: Religious organisations and faith-based initiatives
• Education: Educational institutions and programmes
• Human Services: Organisations addressing human welfare and social needs

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Pam Solo - Executive Director (Compensation: $210,940)

• 1989 MacArthur Fellow recognised for work in arms control and peace advocacy
• Founder and President of the Civil Society Institute
• Co-founder of the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign
• Author of "From Protest to Policy"
• Directs a consortium of small and midsized foundations committed to stimulating grassroots involvement in political process and public debate on domestic and foreign policy issues

Sarah Lutz - President, Secretary, and Treasurer (Volunteer position)

John Van Rens - Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer (Volunteer position)

Foundation Structure

The foundation operates as a private foundation under 501(c)(3) classification with minimal administrative overhead, directing the vast majority of expenses towards charitable disbursements.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation explicitly states that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to organisations with which they have existing relationships or knowledge.

Organisations cannot apply directly for funding. All grantmaking decisions are made internally by foundation leadership and trustees.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through internal trustee discretion rather than a competitive application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation does not accept applications from organisations outside their preselected network.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, understanding the foundation's characteristics may provide context:

Foundation Characteristics:

• The foundation focuses on four specific areas: arts, Christian agencies/churches, education, and human services
• Leadership has strong background in peace and social justice work, particularly through Executive Director Pam Solo's MacArthur Fellowship and work with grassroots political engagement
• The foundation maintains consistent annual giving patterns, suggesting stable relationships with existing grantees
• With approximately $3.3 million in annual giving, the foundation supports a focused portfolio of organisations rather than making numerous small grants

If Already Known to the Foundation:

• Alignment with the four priority areas (arts, faith-based work, education, or human services) is essential
• The foundation's leadership background suggests potential interest in organisations working on social justice, civic engagement, and community empowerment
• Demonstrate clear mission alignment and proven track record in your field

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - do not submit inquiries or proposals
• Preselected organisations only: Grants are made exclusively to organisations already known to the trustees
• Focused giving areas: Arts, Christian organisations, education, and human services are the primary funding priorities
• Consistent grantmaking: The foundation maintains steady annual giving of approximately $2.7-3.3 million
• Strong leadership: Executive Director Pam Solo brings extensive experience in social justice, peace advocacy, and foundation consortium work
• Relationship-based: Success depends entirely on existing relationships with foundation leadership or trustees
• Not a fit for most applicants: Unless you have a pre-existing connection to the foundation's trustees or have been specifically contacted by them, this foundation is not accessible for new partnerships

References

• Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Financial data and Form 990 filings (Accessed December 2024)
• Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation - Cause IQ - Foundation overview and statistics (Accessed December 2024)
• Grantmakers.io Profile - Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc. - Grantmaking data (Accessed December 2024)
• Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc - GuideStar Profile - Nonprofit profile information (Accessed December 2024)
• The Lucretia Philanthropic Foundation Inc - Candid Foundation Directory - Foundation directory listing (Accessed December 2024)
• Pam Solo - MacArthur Foundation - MacArthur Fellow biography (Accessed December 2024)
• Pam Solo - Wikipedia - Background on Executive Director (Accessed December 2024)