The Henry Luce Foundation Inc
Annual Giving
$49.3M+8% YoY
Grants
652
Median Grant
$50K
Organizations Funded
447
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Foundation Overview
Mission
The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. We do so by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.
Focus Areas
Grant Types
Funded Initiatives
$500,000 grant to Vanderbilt Divinity School Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative; $3 million grant to Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange for National Youth Purpose Survey; Religion and Theology grants ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 for projects on American West religion, Detroit Muslim storytelling, and Native American sacred places protection.
How to Apply
Each applicant must create an account on online portal. Submit Concept Note (formerly LOI) - brief description of institution's request, program, project summary, and funding amount. All Concept notes reviewed within eight weeks. Upon review, staff may invite institution to submit full proposal or contact for more information through online portal.
Does Not Fund
Healthcare, medical initiatives, disaster relief, or international development projects; Political parties, political campaigns, lobbyists or any political activities; Annual funds, fundraising events, endowments, or building campaigns; Performance art, film (including documentaries), creation of art, purchase of art, and work of emerging artists (American Art program); Conservation projects (rarely funded). Grants only made to institutions, not individuals except Luce Scholars Program.
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$49.3M
Grants
652
Median
$50K
States
46
$45.8M
Grants
585
Median
$45K
States
46
$47.4M
Grants
561
Median
$50K
States
43
Grant Size Distribution
$50K
Typical Grant (Median)
$75
Smallest
$4K
25th Pctile
$100K
75th Pctile
$1.3M
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $4K and $100K.
Largest Recent Grants
$1.3M
2024
American Council of Learned Societies
NY · Support for academic fellowships
$750K
2024
First Nations Development Institute
CO · Support for fellowships
$550K
2024
First Nations Development Institute
CO · Support for fellowships
$500K
2024
First Nations Development Institute
CO · Support for fellowships
$458K
2024
Villanova Preparatory School
CA · Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Geographic Focus
Top states by total grant dollars. Based on IRS filing data.
Financial Overview
Grants paid shown as percentage of total assets
Data sourced from IRS 990 and 990-PF filings and publicly available foundation websites. Grant data, financial figures, and organizational details reflect historical filings and may not represent current operations or funding priorities. Verify directly with the foundation before applying. See an issue? Let us know.