Lumina Foundation for Education Inc
Annual Giving
$30.0M-46% YoY
Grants
357
Median Grant
$13K
Organizations Funded
423
Is this foundation right for you?
SciRise maps the network of who funds whom to surface your next funders. Enter your nonprofit to check your fit.
Foundation Overview
Mission
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. They envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, addresses racial injustice, and meets the nation's talent needs through a broad range of credentials.
Focus Areas
Grant Types
Funded Initiatives
Goal 2040: 75% of working-age adults with post-secondary credentials by 2040; Four priority areas - Credentials of Value, Access, Student Success, Redesign; Strategic Social Investments program; Lumina Impact Ventures; Strategy Labs technical assistance; Open RFPs for specific topics; Focus on racial justice and equity efforts, community college support, adult learner participation.
How to Apply
Does not accept unsolicited requests. Grantmaking is primarily proactive with direct solicitation from partners. Has Strategic Social Investment portal and Lumina Impact Ventures portal for investment capital applications. Periodically holds open RFPs announced on website.
Does Not Fund
Seldom funds unsolicited proposals not designed for systemic, large-scale, or nationwide impact. Technical assistance fund excludes: activities already receiving Lumina funding, honoraria for experts/speakers, campaign contributions, lobbying expenditures, gift/ethics violations, payments to government officials. Cannot support or oppose specific legislation.
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$30.0M
Grants
357
Median
$13K
States
33
$55.2M
Grants
335
Median
$25K
States
35
$33.9M
Grants
337
Median
$25K
States
38
Grant Size Distribution
$13K
Typical Grant (Median)
$500
Smallest
$5K
25th Pctile
$100K
75th Pctile
$2.5M
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $5K and $100K.
Largest Recent Grants
$2.5M
2024
Blackbaud Giving Fund
SC · To support Lumina's 2023-2024 Gift Programs through the Blackbaud Giving Fund.
$900K
2024
Georgetown University
DC · To strengthen the alignment of postsecondary education and workforce via research and technical assistance.
$750K
2024
Illinois Board of Higher Education
IL · To implement direct admissions statewide in Illinois for community college transfer students and high school seniors, using the Common App
$750K
2024
Northern Arizona University Foundation
AZ · To expand Northern Arizona University's universal admissions program to nine Arizona community college districts
$750K
2024
Trustees of the California State University
CA · To automate admissions to the CSU system through California's official K-12 college & career readiness platform
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.