The Karen and Kevin Lynch Foundation concentrates its giving on large, unrestricted gifts to higher-education institutions and to other charitable foundations. Grants are directed at universities for general operating or program support and to a foundation intermediary, suggesting a preference for institutional impact over small community projects. Recipients span the Northeast and Florida, and several organizations receive repeat funding.
The Karen and Kevin Lynch Foundation’s most visible pattern is repeat, unrestricted support for higher-education institutions and a small number of charitable intermediaries. Two recipients stand out in the recent record: The Quell Foundation received $100,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for general charitable purposes, and Pennsylvania State University received $45,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for the same broad purpose. That repetition points to a funder that favors sustained institutional backing rather than one-time project grants. Their giving also reaches beyond a single campus. Boston College Trustees received $100,000 in 2025, while Lynn University Inc. received $92,273 in 2023 and another $50,000 in 2025. The grants are labeled current use for general charitable purposes, which is consistent with flexible support for universities, foundations, and related nonprofit institutions. The recipient list is entirely U.S.-based and includes organizations in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, California, and Connecticut-adjacent institutions in the broader Northeast context.
Higher education is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s grant record. Boston College Trustees received $100,000 in 2025 for current use for general charitable purposes, and Pennsylvania State University received $45,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. The foundation also supports university-related institutions in Florida. Lynn University Inc. was granted $92,273 in 2023 and $50,000 in 2025, both for current use for general charitable purposes. That pattern suggests ongoing institutional support rather than a one-time award. Outside universities, the foundation has backed a charitable intermediary and several nonprofit organizations with broad charitable mandates. The Quell Foundation received $100,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025, while the John F Kennedy Library received $20,000 in 2024. Smaller grants also went to International Bipolar Foundation, New Alternatives for Children Inc, Proprietors of the Ware, and Birch Hill Behavioral Health.
Typical grant size clusters in the mid-to-large range, with a p25 of $10,000, a median of $45,000, and a p75 of $94,205. The recent record shows both repeat awards and one-off grants: The Quell Foundation, Pennsylvania State University, and Lynn University Inc. each appear more than once, while several other recipients appear only once. All listed awards are current-use gifts for general charitable purposes. The foundation is not described as making grants to individuals or program-related investments, and the recent record does not show an application process.
$1.1M
$1.4M
$987K
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $94K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$94K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants with a small number of recipients; repeat funding to several grantees and emphasis on general/current-use support rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: The Quell Foundation, Lynn University, Boston College, Pennsylvania State University
Grantmaking is regional but concentrated in the Northeast and Florida. Pennsylvania leads by grant count, driven by repeated support for University Park. Massachusetts has multiple recipient locations, including Chestnut Hill, North Falmouth, Boston, Wellesley, and Ware. Florida appears through Boca Raton, and there are single grants to New York, California, and Connecticut-related institutions in the broader recipient mix. All recent grants shown are to U.S. organizations.
The recent record is dominated by universities and other charitable nonprofits. Boston College Trustees, Pennsylvania State University, and Lynn University Inc. all received general charitable-purpose grants, and The Quell Foundation received repeat support as a charitable intermediary. The foundation also funded organizations such as the John F Kennedy Library and Birch Hill Behavioral Health.
Yes. The Quell Foundation received $100,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Pennsylvania State University received $45,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Lynn University Inc. received $92,273 in 2023 and $50,000 in 2025. That pattern indicates ongoing relationships with some grantees.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $45,000 at the median, and $94,205 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include both smaller gifts and six-figure grants, but the center of the distribution sits at $45,000.
Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count. Recent grants there include multiple awards to University Park. Massachusetts is also prominent, with recipient locations in Chestnut Hill, North Falmouth, Boston, Wellesley, and Ware. Florida appears through Boca Raton as well.
The foundation does not fund individuals. The recent grant record is entirely made up of organizational recipients, including universities, a library, a behavioral health nonprofit, and a charitable foundation intermediary.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LYNN UNIVERSITY INC | BOCA RATON, FL | $1,000,000 | 2026 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $45,000 | 2026 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| THE QUELL FOUNDATION | NORTH FALMOUTH, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BIRCH HILL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH | WELLESLEY, MA | $4,000 | 2026 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BOSTON COLLEGE TRUSTEES | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| THE QUELL FOUNDATION | NORTH FALMOUTH, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LYNN UNIVERSITY INC | BOCA RATON, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $45,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| INTERNATIONAL BIPOLAR FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BIRCH HILL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH | WELLESLEY, MA | $4,000 | 2025 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| THE QUELL FOUNDATION | NORTH FALMOUTH, MA | $100,000 | 2024 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $45,000 | 2024 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| JOHN F KENNEDY LIBRARY | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NEW ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| PROPRIETORS OF THE WARE | WARE, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| LYNN UNIVERSITY INC | BOCA RATON, FL | $92,273 | 2023 | CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$45,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BIRCH HILL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
$4,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$45,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
INTERNATIONAL BIPOLAR FOUNDATION
$10,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BIRCH HILL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
$4,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$45,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
JOHN F KENNEDY LIBRARY
$20,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
PROPRIETORS OF THE WARE
$10,000CURRENT USE FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES