Open Foundations · Indiana

Lumina Foundation for Education Inc

Indianapolis, Indiana · EIN 351813228. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $29.8M across 350 grants in 2024, a median of $14K each.

All Indiana foundations · All states

$29.8M
paid in 2024
350
grants paid
$14K
median grant
40%
to first-time recipients
$1.5B
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
PROGRAM OFFICE NEW INQUIRY
Address
LUMINA FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION PO, Indianapolis, IN, 462061806
Phone
Not stated in the filing
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
Lumina Foundation does not have a formal letter of inquiry (LOI) policy. However, we do review unsolicited requests. Unsolicited requests are reviewed by the grants management team for alignment with the Foundation's current strategic priorities. If the request aligns with current work, it is referred to a program officer for further review. Requests considered viable are invited to submit concept papers for further consideration by Lumina Executive Team members. Formal invitations for full proposal may be advanced following initial evaluation.
Submission deadline
UNSOLICITED INQUIRIES RECEIVED BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER FOR THE YEAR
Restrictions on awards
Lumina carefully reviews every grant inquiry that meets foundation guidelines. Following the initial review, we will inform applicants within two months of receipt whether the inquiry fits our current priorities and resources. Due to limited resources, we cannot request proposals from all inquiries that meet our criteria. If we decide to request a full proposal, a Program Officer will contact the applicant to request additional information and to provide instructions on applying for a grant. An invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee funding. Lumina carefully considers all solicited proposals; occasionally, we invite external experts to review proposals as well. We are diligent in our efforts to respond promptly to proposals. Assuming potential grantees' timely responses to requests for information, the entire review and approval process typically takes approximately six months.

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2024, IRS filing object id 202533219349105458. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2024 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

conferencehighercommunitycollegepolicyconveningresearchstudent

Biggest grants in 2024

The 15 largest of the 350 grants paid in 2024, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Blackbaud Giving FundSC$2,508,511To support Lumina's 2023-2024 Gift Programs through the Blackbaud Giving Fund.
2Georgetown UniversityDC$900,000To strengthen the alignment of postsecondary education and workforce via research and technical assistance.
3Illinois Board of Higher EducationIL$750,000To implement direct admissions statewide in Illinois for community college transfer students and high school seniors, using the Common App
4Northern Arizona University FoundationAZ$750,000To expand Northern Arizona University's universal admissions program to nine Arizona community college districts
5Trustees of the California State UniversityCA$750,000To automate admissions to the CSU system through California's official K-12 college & career readiness platform
6The Third Way Foundation IncDC$745,000To assess the true costs of developing and offering short-term workforce development programs at community colleges and evaluate the implications of these costs for school administrators.
7Complete College AmericaIN$740,000to support the continued implementation of the Historically Black Community College Network
8Competency-based Education NetworkTN$700,000To pilot competency-based math course redesign models to foster more equitable pathways to success at community colleges
9John N Gardner InstituteNC$670,000To work with Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education institutions to create and implement five-year plans that transform the foundational postsecondary experience.
10Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association IncVA$650,000To support public television news broadcast segments related to the nation's need for increased educational attainment after high school.
11Washington Monthly Institute IncDC$650,000To support independent, policy-oriented journalism about issues vital to creating a better-educated country.
12Research for ActionPA$550,000To conduct research and evaluation on Lumina's Great Admissions Redesign Challenge grantees.
13Association of Community College TrusteesDC$450,000To support the Kids on Campus framework for co-locating Head Start programs on community college campuses
14Suny Impact Foundation IncNY$425,000To support the SUNY system in implementing the ASAP | ACE model with 10 institutions.
15Public Radio ExchangeMN$400,000To support coverage of immigrants seeking education and training after high school.

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
2020770$38.7M
2021416$56.2M
2022327$33.6M
2023329$54.5M
2024350$29.8M

Where the money went

Share of 2024 grant dollars by recipient state
Indiana31%
District of Columbia21%
California7%
New York7%
Illinois3%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

No officers or trustees are listed on the filing we hold.

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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