About Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation
The Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation makes relatively large, targeted grants to Boston-area institutions focused on education, health/rehabilitation, and veteran services. Their giving favors established nonprofits and cultural institutions (a major university, medical centers, museum, and local service providers) that deliver direct services or build institutional capacity in the region. Recipients are a mix of healthcare (including veteran care), higher education, and community social services such as shelters and YMCAs.
Focus Areas
Support for veteran mental health and rehabilitation programs in Massachusetts (e.g., Home Base, New England Center & Home for Veterans)Major institutional support for Boston-area higher education (large gifts to Northeastern University)Funding for hospital-based specialty programs and medical servicesInvestment in local community social services for vulnerable populations (women & children’s shelters, YMCA programs)Support for cultural and STEM public education institutions (Museum of Science)
Who They Fund
veteransmilitary families
About Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation
A $1,017,165 general-support grant to Northeastern University in 2024 is the largest recent award in the Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation’s record here, and it points to the foundation’s pattern of making substantial, unrestricted gifts to Boston institutions. The foundation’s recent giving also includes a $733,600 award to Massachusetts General Hospital for Home Base Veteran and Family Care, showing a second major line of support in veteran and family services. Across the file, the foundation’s grants are often sized for operating support rather than small project awards, and they frequently go to established organizations with broad institutional reach. That includes higher education, health and rehabilitation, museums, food and shelter providers, and veteran-focused organizations. The mix of recipients suggests a funder that backs both large anchor institutions and direct-service nonprofits. Recent grants to Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, St. Francis House, Caritas Communities, and the Museum of Science show that the foundation supports a range of community-serving institutions while keeping a clear emphasis on Massachusetts-based organizations.
What Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation Funds
Veteran services are a clear priority. In 2023, the foundation gave $500,000 to New England Center & Home for Veterans for general support, and it also awarded $100,000 to Fisher House Foundation in Rockville, MD. Health and rehabilitation appear in both institutional and community settings: Linn Health & Rehabilition in East Providence received $289,616 in 2024 and another $114,154 in 2023, while Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center in Boston received $350,000 in 2025. The foundation also supports housing and basic-needs organizations, including $250,000 to Caritas Communities in 2025 and $150,000 to Pine Street Inn in 2023. Educational and cultural institutions are part of the portfolio as well, with grants such as $500,000 to the Museum of Science in 2023 and $208,000 to Plimoth Patuxet Museums in 2025.
How Ruby W and Lavon P Linn Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is substantial: the 25th percentile is $45,300, the median is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $225,000. Recent awards cluster around general support, which is consistent with the foundation’s stated emphasis on unrestricted and project grants. Some recipients appear more than once across years, including Northeastern University and Linn Health & Rehabilition, suggesting a recurring relationship with selected organizations rather than one-off gifts only. The foundation is a regular funder and accepts unsolicited requests in both listed programs, with giving framed around charitable, educational, religious, scientific, and veterans-related purposes.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.7M
Total Assets
$68.8M
Total Revenue
$4.6M
Total Expenses
$3.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $45K and $225K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$45K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$225K
Geographic Reach
Local7 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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