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E M Lynn Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $3.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,993,700 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only/preselected organizations)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $100 - $3,000,000
  • Grant Median: $7,800
  • Total Assets: $92,378,283
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Florida (also New York, New Hampshire, Georgia, Virginia)

Contact Details

Address: 1905 NW Corporate Blvd, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Phone: 561-994-4445

EIN: 59-1788859

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The E M Lynn Foundation was established in 1977 by Eugene M. Lynn, a multimillionaire philanthropist and former head of Lumbermen's Insurance. Following Eugene's death in 1999, his wife Christine E. Lynn has continued the foundation's philanthropic mission as trustee. The foundation is a private independent foundation with total assets of approximately $92 million and has been tax-exempt since March 1978. In 2024, the foundation distributed approximately $6 million in grants across 97 awards, primarily supporting healthcare and education initiatives in Florida. The foundation's giving primarily reflects the Lynn family's deep commitment to Boca Raton area institutions, particularly those bearing the Lynn name, including Lynn University, FAU's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and multiple institutes at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs with public application processes. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organizations.

Grant Range: $100 - $3,000,000 (median grant: $7,800)

Award Distribution: 97 grants in 2024, 59 grants in 2023, 64 grants in 2022

Priority Areas

Based on 2023 and 2024 grant distributions, the foundation primarily funds:

Healthcare:

  • Hospital care and medical institutes
  • Heart and vascular care
  • Cancer research and treatment
  • Spinal cord injury research and paralysis cure initiatives
  • Women's health programs
  • Nursing education and simulation facilities

Education:

  • Higher education institutions
  • Scholarships for students
  • Faculty retention programs
  • University capital projects and endowments

Human Services:

  • Community support programs
  • Job training initiatives
  • General charitable contributions to community organizations

Major Recipients

Based on available 990-PF data, significant beneficiaries include:

  • Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation (including Heart Vascular Institute grants of $3,000,000 in 2023)
  • The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis ($820,000 in 2023)
  • FAU Foundation (including $500,000 for nursing simulation in 2023)
  • Lynn University ($250,000 for scholarships in 2023)
  • Stetson University (Eugene M. Lynn was a 1941 graduate)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's focus on preselected organizations suggests they do not fund:

  • Organizations outside their established relationships
  • Unsolicited grant requests
  • Organizations without connection to the Lynn family's philanthropic interests

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Christine E. Lynn - Trustee (3 hours/week, uncompensated)

Christine E. Lynn is a prominent businesswoman and healthcare philanthropist residing in Boca Raton, Florida. She serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for both Lynn University and Boca Raton Regional Hospital. She was a 2013 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and is recognized as one of the country's leading philanthropists.

The E.M. Lynn Foundation was established by her late husband, Eugene M. Lynn '41 (Stetson University class of 1941), who died in 1999 at age 81. Eugene M. Lynn first contributed to what would become Lynn University in 1963, and together with Christine, donated more than $7.5 million to the institution, which changed its name from College of Boca Raton to Lynn University in 1991.

Foundation History

In 1978, under Eugene's leadership, the LIG Insurance Agency, Inc. was established in Boca Raton, Florida. The Lynn family's philanthropic legacy includes naming gifts for:

  • Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute (Boca Raton Regional Hospital)
  • Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute (Boca Raton Regional Hospital)
  • Christine E. Lynn Women's Health & Wellness Institute (Boca Raton Regional Hospital)
  • Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at FAU ($10 million gift in 2001)
  • Christine E. Lynn University Center at Lynn University ($15 million gift)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on pre-existing relationships and the foundation's long-standing philanthropic priorities. The majority of grants support institutions in Boca Raton, Florida, particularly those with established connections to the Lynn family.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Grants are made on a rolling basis throughout the year based on trustee decisions.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation works only with preselected organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, an analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals:

Established Relationships: The foundation consistently supports the same core group of institutions year after year, particularly those in Boca Raton with direct ties to the Lynn family legacy.

Healthcare Focus: The largest grants go to Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation, reflecting Christine E. Lynn's role as Chair of the hospital's Board of Trustees and her passion for healthcare philanthropy.

Education Commitment: Significant support for higher education, particularly Lynn University (where Christine serves as Board Chair) and FAU (where multiple buildings and programs bear the Lynn name).

Spinal Cord Injury Research: Notable ongoing support for The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, suggesting a specific interest in this medical research area.

Florida-Centric: While the foundation has made grants in other states (New York, New Hampshire, Georgia, Virginia), the vast majority of funding stays in Florida, particularly South Florida.

Range of Grant Sizes: While the median grant is relatively modest ($7,800), the foundation is capable of transformational gifts in the millions, particularly for capital projects and endowments at their core institutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Do not submit applications.
  • Relationship-Based Grantmaking: The foundation operates through pre-existing relationships with select charitable organizations, primarily in South Florida.
  • Healthcare and Education Focus: The Lynn family's philanthropic priorities center on healthcare institutions (particularly Boca Raton Regional Hospital) and higher education (particularly Lynn University and FAU).
  • Long-Term Commitment: Grant patterns show sustained, multi-year support for the same core institutions rather than one-time grants to diverse organizations.
  • Transformational Giving Capacity: While many grants are modest, the foundation has demonstrated capacity for multi-million dollar gifts for major initiatives.
  • Local Impact Priority: Geographic focus is overwhelmingly on Boca Raton and South Florida organizations.
  • Family Foundation Model: Operating as a classic family foundation where the trustee directs giving based on personal interests and established relationships rather than responding to external applications.

References

  1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - E M Lynn Foundation (EIN 59-1788859). Accessed January 7, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/591788859

  2. Grantmakers.io Profile - E M Lynn Foundation. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/591788859-e-m-lynn-foundation/

  3. Instrumentl - Em Lynn Foundation 990 Report. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/e-m-lynn-foundation

  4. Candid Foundation Directory - Em Lynn Foundation. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=LYNN001

  5. Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation - "Christine E. Lynn | E.M. Lynn Foundation." Accessed January 7, 2026. https://keepingthepromise.brrh.com/ktp-donors/christine-e-lynn-e-m-lynn-foundation/

  6. Lynn University News - "Christine E. Lynn gives largest gift in university history" (2016). Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.lynn.edu/news/2016/christine-e-lynn-gives-largest-gift-in-university-history

  7. Stetson University - "Christine E. Lynn - Board of Trustees." Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.stetson.edu/administration/trustees/lynn.php

  8. Orlando Sentinel - "Eugene M. Lynn" obituary (November 30, 1999). Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1999/11/30/eugene-m-lynn/

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