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Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
John C. Lincoln's industrial wealth seeded the Lincoln Foundation in 1946, and his son David C. Lincoln established the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in...
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
John C. Lincoln's industrial wealth seeded the Lincoln Foundation in 1946, and his son David C. Lincoln established the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in 1974 to channel that capital into a different kind of asset: the rules governing land itself. Based in Phoenix with offices in Cambridge, Washington, and Beijing, the Institute functions as a think tank and private operating foundation rather than a direct investment vehicle, but its endowment exists to fund that mission. The Institute's investment posture reflects an endowment allocated to five critical programs that span the lifecycle of land policy. Through the Center for Geospatial Solutions and the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, it funds work on water-scarcity mapping and resilience planning across the Colorado River Basin and internationally. The Urban Transformation program focuses on municipal finance, land value capture, and housing affordability — essentially underwriting research that helps cities like Detroit and Beijing fund infrastructure without deepening inequality. Publications and training programs extend that capital deployment into the operational layer, while the International Land Conservation Network and partnership with UN-Habitat embed the endowment's influence in global land-stewardship standards. The endowment operates from Phoenix and relies on a lean governance structure. Kathryn J. Lincoln — a member of the founding family — chairs the board after serving as chief investment officer, while President and CEO George W. McCarthy leads the executive team. The board includes Raphael Bostic, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, connecting the Institute's land-policy research directly to financial-system oversight. In September 2024, the Institute partnered with Peking University's Leo Koguan Building to maintain its Beijing-based PKU-Lincoln Institute Center, extending its footprint in Chinese land-policy training. Most foundations write checks to preserve land or build on it. The Lincoln Institute writes research that changes how the land gets taxed, valued, and governed — a structural position that multiplies the endowment's reach beyond any single property or portfolio holding.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1974
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Phoenix
Corporate office
Phoenix, MA, United States
Additional offices
Cambridge, MA · Washington, DC · Beijing, China
Principals
George W. McCarthy
President & CEO
Kathryn J. Lincoln
Board Chair
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy?
The endowment falls under the governance of the board, chaired by Kathryn J. Lincoln, a founding-family member and former chief investment officer of the Institute. Day-to-day leadership is managed by President and CEO George W. McCarthy, with board oversight from members including Raphael Bostic of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Where does the underlying capital come from?
The Lincoln Institute's endowment traces back to the industrial fortune of John C. Lincoln, who established the Lincoln Foundation in 1946. His son, David C. Lincoln, created the Lincoln Institute in 1974 as a private operating foundation, funded by that family capital.
Is the Lincoln Institute a grantmaking foundation or an operating foundation?
It is a private operating foundation. Rather than primarily issuing grants to outside organizations, the Institute directly runs its own research centers, training programs, and publications — deploying its endowment through internal programs such as the Center for Geospatial Solutions and the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy.
How is the Institute related to Claremont Lincoln University?
Claremont Lincoln University is an accredited partner institution that offers degree programs tied to the Institute's land-policy mission. The relationship extends the Institute's educational footprint beyond its own training programs into formal graduate-level credentials.
What is the Institute's posture on direct real estate investments?
The Institute does not act as a direct real estate investor. Its capital funds research and policy interventions — land value capture, property-tax reform, water-resilience planning — rather than acquiring or developing property for financial return.
Which international markets does the Institute actively operate in?
Beyond its US offices in Phoenix, Cambridge, and Washington, DC, the Institute maintains a permanent presence in Beijing through the PKU-Lincoln Institute Center at Peking University. It is also active in Latin America, Europe, and Africa through partnerships with UN-Habitat, the International Land Conservation Network, and various municipal governments.
Does the Institute engage in fund commitments or secondary transactions?
Public disclosures do not detail the endowment's asset-allocation model. The Institute operates as a think tank, not an institutional allocator publishing manager commitments, so the shape and structure of its investment portfolio remain private.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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