A Quick Look at the Filene Foundation’s Local Giving

Editor's note: This article was revised and updated on 7/5/2021.

The Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation places a high priority on nonprofits in Boston, so this is a great local funder to get familiar with. Grantmaking is a family affair at this foundation, where five generations have worked to preserve the founders’ legacy.

Something else that’s great about this funder for local groups is that it accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits in Massachusetts. Although it does contribute to organizations outside the state on an occasional basis, those organizations must receive a direct invitation to apply.

Let’s take a quick look at Filene’s priorities and recent giving, especially as it relates to the Boston area.

A Big Priority on Community & Civic Engagement

The founders, Lincoln and Therese, were passionate about community and civic engagement during their lives, and this theme continues on in their foundation’s grantmaking today. This goes towards achieving the foundation’s goal of enabling people to help themselves and get involved in their communities at the local, state and regional levels.

The Filene foundation has awarded grants to the Bill of Rights Institute for Constitutional seminars and to Discovering Justice for a children’s program. The board and committee look for programs that train teachers and student leaders to educate, engage and encourage citizens to get involved.

Media for the Underserved

Filene combines public education and broadcasting in one program focus area, but a common theme, here, is education of underserved populations through media. The board and committee look for programs that provide equal access and provide media to help the disabled and underprivileged. One recent media grant went to Press Pass TV to fund a media leadership institute.

A Shift from Early Childhood Education to Music Education

In the past, the foundation’s early childhood grants are what really stood out. But these days, music education is where it’s at for this funder. Past early childhood grants went to the Boston Children’s Museum for school readiness and the Northeastern University Marine Science Center for its From School to Sea program, which introduces middle school students to oceanography. Music education support largely goes toward continuing programs at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Other music education grants are considered on a limited basis and typically assist music instruction programs to low-income people.

A Wide Variety of Human Services Support

The foundation’s human development and self-sufficiency program area is the broadest one of all. It includes everything from domestic violence to job training programs and homelessness. There’s also a big emphasis here on serving youth causes. Past grants were awarded to Housing Families, Inc. for its eviction and stabilization programs, and also to Straight Ahead Ministries for its youth reentry program in Worcester.

Application deadlines typically occur on the 15th of both March and September. Just make sure that your request is for program support because Filene does not fund general operating costs or capital requests.

To learn more about this funder, check out IP’s full profile, Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation: Boston Grants. Questions about applying for a grant should be directed to Alene Willis at 617-439-2498 or via email at awallis@nutter.com.