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The Lynch Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.7M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.5M
Decision Time
8mo

The Lynch Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7.7 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $130+ million
  • Decision Time: 6-9 months from initial submission to final decision
  • Grant Range: Typically capped at 5% of organization's total budget
  • Awards in 2023: 105 grants
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts, with emphasis on Greater Boston
  • Application Method: Rolling basis via online portal

Contact Details

Address: 109 State Street, Suite 404, Boston, MA 02109-2909
Phone: (617) 639-1280
Website: thelynchfoundation.com
Email: victoria@thelynchfoundation.com (Victoria Prudden, Vice President of Programs)
Application Portal: CyberGrants system via foundation website

Overview

Established in 1988 by philanthropist Peter Lynch (legendary Fidelity Magellan Fund manager) and his late wife Carolyn Lynch, The Lynch Foundation has invested over $150 million in more than 300 nonprofit organizations over three decades. With assets exceeding $130 million and annual giving of approximately $7.7 million (105 grants in 2023), the foundation takes a strategic, long-term approach to philanthropy. Following Carolyn Lynch's passing in 2015, the foundation continues under Peter Lynch's leadership as President and Chairman, with their daughters Mary, Annie, and Elizabeth serving as trustees. Katie Everett has served as Executive Director since 1997, leading the foundation's strategic philanthropy with a focus on creating sustainable social change. The foundation views philanthropy as investment, preferring to support organizations and ideas that can scale and spread, exemplified by early investments in Teach for America and the First Night New Year's Eve festival concept.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Lynch Foundation offers several types of grants, all through a rolling application process:

  • Challenge Grants ($7.7 million awarded historically) - Matching grants to incentivize fundraising
  • Multi-Year Grants - Common approach reflecting the foundation's belief in strengthening nonprofits for the long-term; some partnerships have lasted 30+ years
  • Capacity-Building Grants - Supporting organizational infrastructure and growth
  • Program and Operating Grants - Core mission support
  • Endowment Grants ($17.8 million awarded historically) - Long-term sustainability funding
  • Capital Grants ($36.7 million awarded historically) - Physical infrastructure and facilities
  • Scholarship Grants ($14.4 million awarded, benefiting 3,339 students)

Grant Sizing Policy: Grants typically do not exceed 5% of an organization's total budget. The foundation avoids emergency funding, preferring to support long-term organizational strengthening rather than short-term needs.

Priority Areas

  1. Education - The foundation's largest focus area

    • Catholic schools and inner-city education
    • Teacher training and development programs
    • Youth development and mentoring programs
    • College access and completion programs
    • Examples: Teach for America, City Year, Urban Catholic Teacher Corps, Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, Catholic Schools Foundation, Cathedral High School, Thrive Scholars, Posse Foundation, Cambridge College

  2. Healthcare and Wellness (including social determinants of health)

    • Medical research and innovation
    • Community health initiatives
    • Examples: Massachusetts General Hospital, Partners in Health, Harvard Medical School Department of Systems Biology

  3. Cultural and Historic Preservation and Open Space Access

    • Arts and cultural organizations
    • Historic preservation
    • Parks and recreation facilities
    • Examples: Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Community Music Center of Boston, Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Peabody Essex Museum, The Children's Museum, Lynch Family Skatepark, Boston Schoolyard Initiative (completed 29 schoolyard renovations)

  4. Religious and Educational Efforts of the Roman Catholic Church

    • Catholic educational institutions
    • Religious leadership and formation programs
    • Parish-based initiatives

  5. Housing and Homelessness

    • Recently expanded focus area
    • Solutions addressing housing insecurity

What They Don't Fund

  • Emergency or short-term relief funding
  • Organizations primarily working outside of Massachusetts
  • Grants exceeding 5% of an organization's total budget
  • Organizations must wait during reapplication restriction periods (see below)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

  • Peter S. Lynch - President and Chairman (Co-founder)
  • Elizabeth de Montrichard - Secretary (Daughter)
  • Annie Lukowski - Trustee (Daughter)
  • Mary Witkowski, M.D. - Trustee (Daughter)
  • Richard Spillane - Treasurer
  • Nancy R. Coolidge - Trustee
  • Jack Regan - Trustee
  • Ralph C. Sweetland, M.D. - Trustee

Staff:

  • Katie Everett - Executive Director (joined 1997; Boston College graduate with executive programs from Stanford Business School and Harvard Graduate School of Education)
  • Victoria Prudden - Vice President of Programs
  • David Badeau - Investment Research Associate
  • Kim Sheridan - Grants and Operations Manager

Philosophy from Leadership:

Peter Lynch has stated that philanthropy is "more than just about numbers; it's about believing in potential when it's still in its infancy." He views philanthropy as a form of investment and prefers to give money to support ideas that can spread and scale. The foundation is driven by "a deep belief in trust, integrity, empathy, and genuine respect for people to rise to their fullest potential."

The foundation's approach emphasizes taking reasonable risks on unproven organizations, citing its early investment in Teach for America as a prime example. Lynch has said he prefers to support ideas that can spread, such as First Night, the New Year's Eve festival that began in Boston in 1976 and has inspired similar events in more than 200 other communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Lynch Foundation accepts unsolicited applications year-round through a rolling application process:

  1. Initial Concept Paper - Submit electronically through the foundation's CyberGrants portal at thelynchfoundation.com

    • Must include: concise overview of the organization, relevant program information, description of how the request aligns with the foundation's mission
    • Organizations must be 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entities
    • Work must be performed primarily in Massachusetts

  2. Foundation Review - Once a complete concept paper is received, thorough research and review generally takes 1-3 months

  3. Full Application (if invited) - If the concept paper is approved, the foundation will invite the organization to submit a full application

  4. Site Visits - Common after full application submission; staff may schedule these (applicants should not initiate contact for site visits)

  5. Final Decision - The complete process from initial submission through final decision typically takes 6-9 months and can take up to one year

Decision Timeline

  • Concept Paper Review: 1-3 months
  • Total Process: 6-9 months (can extend to one year)
  • Notification: Organizations receive responses via email regarding concept paper acceptance/rejection and final grant decisions

Reapplication Policy

The Lynch Foundation has strict reapplication restrictions:

  • Rejected Concept Paper: Must wait 18 months before reapplying if similar organizations in your sector are currently being funded by the foundation
  • Rejected Full Application: Must wait 5 years before reapplying
  • Awarded Grant: Must wait 5 years before applying for another grant

These restrictions reflect the foundation's commitment to deep, sustained partnerships rather than frequent small engagements.

Application Success Factors

The Lynch Foundation provided specific guidance for applicants:

What They Value:

  1. Long-Term Sustainable Impact - "Make sure to craft a pitch centered on creating sustainable social change for the long-term." The foundation explicitly supports organizations that promise long-term benefits rather than addressing short-term needs.

  2. Scalability and Replicability - Peter Lynch prefers to support ideas that can spread beyond their initial implementation. The Posse Foundation challenge grant that helped establish a $20 million endowment resulted in the program expanding to five new cities and supporting over 6,300 schools.

  3. Potential Over Proof - The foundation believes in "believing in potential when it's still in its infancy" and is willing to take reasonable risks on unproven organizations. Their early backing of Teach for America exemplifies this approach.

  4. Broad Community Impact - The foundation values "networking with organizations that impact the most people." The Boston Schoolyard Initiative they supported renovated 29 schoolyards, reclaimed 130 acres for learning and play, and benefits 30,000 students annually.

  5. Partnership Mindset - The foundation views its grantees as partners, not recipients. Multi-year grants are common, and some relationships have lasted 30+ years with organizations like Teach for America, City Year, and Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston.

Demonstrated Success Examples:

  • Posse Foundation: Lynch's challenge grant helped create a $20 million endowment. Posse recipients achieved a 90% college graduation rate.
  • InnerCity Scholarship Fund: The foundation's 2000 endowment gift, which was matched by an anonymous donor, has distributed over $3 million in scholarships to 2,300+ students.
  • Harvard Medical School Systems Biology: Startup grants in 2003 and ongoing fellowship support created the "Lynch Fellows Program," now with 120+ program alumni leading laboratories worldwide.

Alignment Factors:

  • Demonstrate how your work creates sustainable, long-term change
  • Show potential for growth, scaling, or replication
  • Align clearly with one or more of the five priority areas
  • Focus on Massachusetts, particularly Greater Boston
  • Emphasize community-wide impact and the number of people served
  • Present a vision for how funding could catalyze broader change

What to Avoid:

  • Requests for emergency or short-term relief
  • Grant requests exceeding 5% of your organization's total budget
  • Applications focused on immediate needs rather than sustainable solutions
  • Proposals without clear Massachusetts connection
  • Reapplication during restriction periods

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Think Long-Term: The foundation explicitly favors sustainable social change over short-term solutions. Frame your proposal around lasting impact and organizational strengthening.

  • Demonstrate Scalability: Peter Lynch looks for ideas that can spread. If your program has potential to be replicated or scaled beyond its initial scope, emphasize this.

  • Be Patient: The 6-9 month decision timeline requires advance planning. Don't apply for urgent funding needs.

  • Understand the 5% Rule: Calculate 5% of your organization's total budget before applying. This is typically the maximum grant size they'll consider.

  • Build for Partnership: Multi-year grants are common, and some relationships last decades. Position your organization as seeking a long-term partner, not a one-time donor.

  • Accept the Risk: The foundation takes "reasonable risks on unproven organizations." Don't be discouraged if your organization is relatively new or your idea is innovative.

  • Respect Reapplication Rules: The strict 18-month and 5-year waiting periods mean your concept paper and full application must be thoroughly prepared. You may only get one chance every several years.

References

  1. The Lynch Foundation Official Website - Accessed December 17, 2024
  2. How to Apply - The Lynch Foundation - Application process details - Accessed December 17, 2024
  3. Our Impact - The Lynch Foundation - Grant impact data and examples - Accessed December 17, 2024
  4. Who We Are - The Lynch Foundation - Leadership and governance information - Accessed December 17, 2024
  5. Lynch Foundation - GuideStar Profile - Financial data - Accessed December 17, 2024
  6. The Lynch Foundation - Cause IQ - Annual giving statistics - Accessed December 17, 2024
  7. Lynch Foundation - Inside Philanthropy - Grantmaking philosophy and recipient examples - Accessed December 17, 2024
  8. Lynch Foundation - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990 data - Accessed December 17, 2024
  9. At Lynch Foundation, new generation steps in - Boston Globe - Leadership transition and philosophy - Accessed December 17, 2024
  10. Katie Everett Executive Director - The Lynch Foundation - Staff information - Accessed December 17, 2024
  11. Lynch Foundation - Instrumentl 990 Report - 2023 financial data - Accessed December 17, 2024
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