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Flatley Foundation

Annual Giving
$36.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M

Flatley Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $36,618,882 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $680,733,810 (2023)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $500,000 (grants have reached tens of millions in exceptional cases)
  • Typical Grant: $100,000 (most common amount)
  • Number of Grants: 155 (2022), 147 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Boston, Massachusetts and surrounding area

Contact Details

Address: Braintree, MA

Note: The Flatley Foundation does not maintain a public website and does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries. The foundation operates through pre-existing relationships and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Flatley Foundation was established in 1982 by the late Thomas J. Flatley, founder of The Flatley Company, a major commercial real estate development firm in the Northeast. With total assets exceeding $680 million and annual giving of approximately $36.6 million, the Flatley Foundation is one of Boston's five largest family foundations. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on education (particularly Catholic education at all levels from K-12 through higher education), healthcare, human services, and Roman Catholic organizations throughout the Boston metropolitan area. The foundation is currently steered by Daniel T. Flatley, the founder's son, who serves as a trustee and continues his father's philanthropic legacy. The foundation also operates the Flatley Discovery Lab, an independent nonprofit laboratory dedicated to discovering a cure for cystic fibrosis through drug discovery research and development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Flatley Foundation does not operate structured grant programs with defined application cycles. Instead, the foundation makes grants to pre-selected charitable organizations based on trustee discretion and established relationships.

Typical Grant Amounts:

  • Standard grants: $10,000 - $500,000
  • Most common amount: $100,000 (median grant)
  • Exceptional grants: Have reached into the tens of millions for strategic initiatives

Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process

Priority Areas

Catholic Education (Primary Focus):

  • Catholic K-12 schools including Lawrence Catholic Academy, Cathedral High School, Chesterton Academy, Bishop Fenwick High School, and Cardinal Spellman High School
  • Higher education institutions, with particular emphasis on Boston College (where Thomas Flatley served as a trustee)
  • Thomas Aquinas College
  • The Catholic Schools Foundation (received $500,000 grant)

Healthcare & Medical Research:

  • Cystic fibrosis research through the Flatley Discovery Lab
  • Community healthcare organizations throughout the Boston area
  • Healthcare institutions serving underserved populations

Human Services:

  • Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Boston (significant ongoing support)
  • Emergency relief efforts (provided tents and food supplies following 2010 Haiti earthquake)
  • NPH USA, supporting children of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (multi-million dollar gift and matching grant in 2023)

Catholic Organizations:

  • Parish and diocesan initiatives
  • Catholic service organizations
  • Faith-based community development

What They Don't Fund

Given the foundation's invitation-only structure, they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited grant applications
  • Organizations outside the Boston metropolitan area (with rare exceptions)
  • Non-Catholic religious institutions
  • Political organizations or campaigns

Governance and Leadership

Daniel T. Flatley - Trustee and primary steward of the foundation's philanthropic legacy. Daniel, son of founder Thomas J. Flatley, was introduced to his father's nonprofit contacts toward the end of Thomas's life and, along with his siblings, took over leadership of the foundation. In an interview with Thomas Aquinas College, Daniel explained: "Toward the end of his life, he started introducing my sisters, my brother, and me to his contacts in the non-profit world... We got involved toward the end of his life and took over the Foundation."

Leadership Philosophy: The foundation continues Thomas J. Flatley's approach to "doing good on the ground" through direct, substantial support to organizations that align with the family's values, particularly in Catholic education and charitable causes.

Founder's Legacy: Thomas J. Flatley (deceased 2008) was an Irish immigrant who built one of New England's largest commercial real estate development companies. At Boston College, he co-founded the Urban Catholic Teachers Corps, a two-year service program for teachers, and endowed the Margaret O'Brien Flatley chair in Catholic theology in honor of his mother.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Flatley Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships.

Grants are awarded based on:

  • Pre-existing relationships with the foundation or trustees
  • Organizations already known to the Flatley family
  • Strategic initiatives identified by the trustees
  • Invitations extended by the foundation to specific organizations

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on trustee discretion rather than application cycles or fixed timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation only funds pre-selected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process to which organizations can apply or reapply.

Application Success Factors

Since the Flatley Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have successfully received funding share these characteristics:

Alignment with Foundation Values:

  • Strong Catholic identity or mission (for faith-based organizations)
  • Focus on education, particularly serving underserved populations
  • Healthcare initiatives, especially those addressing serious illnesses
  • Direct service to communities in need

Geographic Connection:

  • Located in or serving the Boston metropolitan area
  • Strong local roots and community impact

Established Track Record:

  • Demonstrated organizational stability and effectiveness
  • Clear mission alignment with the foundation's priorities
  • Proven capacity to use significant grants effectively

Notable Funded Initiatives:

  • Boston College's Urban Catholic Teachers Corps and endowed theology chair
  • Catholic Schools Foundation's scholarship and school support programs
  • Flatley Discovery Lab's cystic fibrosis research
  • NPH USA's work supporting children in Latin America
  • Multiple Catholic K-12 schools in the Boston area serving working-class families

Foundation's Giving Pattern: The foundation appears to favor sustained relationships over one-time grants, supporting many organizations repeatedly over multiple years. Grants to higher education institutions have included both programmatic support and endowment gifts reaching into the millions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation operates exclusively through trustee-identified organizations and pre-existing relationships. Do not submit cold applications.

  • Catholic focus is paramount: The overwhelming majority of grants support Catholic institutions, Catholic education, or Catholic charitable organizations. Non-Catholic organizations should not expect funding unless addressing extraordinary circumstances.

  • Boston-area geographic restriction: While exceptions exist (such as NPH USA's international work), the foundation's primary focus remains the Boston metropolitan area.

  • Relationship-based grantmaking: The foundation values long-term partnerships. Organizations that receive funding typically maintain ongoing relationships with the trustees.

  • Education is the cornerstone: Catholic education at all levels represents the foundation's largest funding category, from K-12 schools serving working-class families to higher education endowments.

  • Substantial grant sizes: With median grants of $100,000 and total annual giving exceeding $36 million across approximately 150 grants, this foundation provides meaningful, often transformational support to chosen organizations.

  • Family stewardship: Understanding the Flatley family's values and Thomas J. Flatley's legacy of supporting Irish-American causes, Catholic education, and direct service to those in need provides insight into funding priorities.

References

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