The Lenny Zakim Fund Grant

The Lenny Zakim Fund Grant is sponsored by The Lenny Zakim Fund. This grant empowers grassroots organizations throughout eastern Massachusetts by providing unrestricted funding to those with annual budgets under $350,000.

The Lenny Zakim Fund – Bridging Communities Deeply committed to social justice and to the fundamental rights and dignity of all people, The Lenny Zakim Fund helps to change the course of people’s lives. Meet Our Grantee Partners For 30 years, the Lenny Zakim Fund has built on Lenny Zakim’s belief that communities know what they need.

Explore our newly published 30-Year Impact Report to see what our decades of partnership have made possible.

As efforts are made to limit the rights of immigrants and refugees, budget cuts threaten services for families living in poverty, and systemic racism continues to affect even the youngest in our communities, The Lenny Zakim Fund (LZF) seeks and supports people and organizations with tangible solutions that promise positive change in their very own communities.

Achieving social change and equity in our communities requires building bridges between grassroots organizations, the people they serve, donors, volunteers, and community leaders. Building these bridges is the mission and purpose of The Lenny Zakim Fund. There are so many ways to get involved with The Lenny Zakim Fund.

LZF isn’t self-sustaining; we rely on fundraising and generous donations to operate. Financial contributions are always appreciated, but there are other ways to get involved too. Our grantee partners don’t just receive money from LZF, they receive support in everything from leadership coaching to pro bono legal support to access to experts that can help them with the skills and knowledge needed to continue their work.

Join the zakim legacy circle Nonprofit organizations based in eastern Massachusetts, with operating budgets under $350,000, that have an IRS 501(c)(3) status or a documented fiscal agent that has 501(c)(3) status are welcome to submit a proposal to The Lenny Zakim Fund during our annual grant cycle.

LZF’s primary funding areas are: Access to Food, Housing, and Economic Opportunity Child and Youth Development and Education Civil and Human Rights Advocacy and Support Health Promotion and Accessibility for All Organizing and Support for Immigrants and Refugees LGBTQIA Community Support and Organizing Violence Prevention, Criminal Justice Reform and Family Outreach Learn More About Applying 30 Years of Partnering with Grassroots Organizations 2025 marked the 30th anniversary of Lenny Zakim’s founding of The Lenny Zakim Fund.

We are pleased to celebrate this milestone anniversary by highlighting 30 of the hundreds of grassroots organizations LZF has been proud to partner with since 1995.