The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $614,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Grant Range: Varies widely - from ongoing program support to multi-million dollar capital gifts
• Geographic Focus: New York and Baltimore, with broader national reach

Contact Details

Website: https://reginaldflewis.com/foundation/

Note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and does not provide contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation was established in 1987 by Reginald F. Lewis, the pioneering financier who became the first African American to build a billion-dollar company. Following Lewis's instructions, 10% of his estate was directed to the Foundation upon settlement. Since its founding, the Foundation has distributed over $30 million in grants, positioning it as one of the largest African-American private foundations in the world. Led by Chair Loida Nicolas Lewis (Reginald's widow), the Foundation is committed to being "a force for economic and social justice in the United States and beyond, particularly for African American youth." The Foundation underwent a strategic review process beginning in August 2019, which resulted in a decision to discontinue funding new naming opportunities or capital campaigns. In December 2022, the Foundation announced a milestone $5 million grant to the Barack Obama Foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published application processes. Instead, it works through an invitation-only model with established grantee relationships. In 2024, the Foundation made 60 awards.

Priority Areas

• Social Justice: Addressing institutional discrimination and promoting equity
• Education: Empowerment through education, particularly for African American youth
• Diversifying the Professions: Creating pathways for underrepresented groups in business, law, and technology
• Cultural Diversity: Supporting arts and cultural institutions
• STEM Education: Increased focus post-2019
• Entrepreneurship Development: Supporting business creation and wealth building
• Closing the Wealth Gap: Systemic approaches to economic equity

Notable past recipients include Harvard Law School ($3 million), Reginald F. Lewis Museum ($5 million), Virginia State University ($1.5 million), Obama Foundation ($5 million), Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and All Star Code.

What They Don't Fund

• New naming opportunities (as of 2019)
• Capital campaigns (until further notice)
• Unsolicited grant requests from any organization

Governance and Leadership

Loida Nicolas Lewis - Chair and Director: A successful businesswoman who led TLC Beatrice International after her husband's death. She emphasizes that "the main purpose of the RFL Foundation is education because it is the sole guarantee of lifting someone out of poverty into the middle class."

Christina Lewis - Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Director: Social entrepreneur who founded All Star Code (2013) and Giving Gap/Give Blck (2020). Received a Champion of Change acknowledgement from the Obama administration in 2014.

Beverly A. Cooper - Vice President, Secretary, and Director

Anthony S. Fugett - Director

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Foundation explicitly states it "does not accept unsolicited grant requests" and instead "supports a stable of grantees with which it has formed deep relationships." Grants are made through invitation only, pre-existing relationships, strategic initiatives identified by the board, or organizations founded by family members.

Application Success Factors

While there is no application process, organizations aligned with the Foundation's values include those that:

• Honor Reginald F. Lewis's legacy of breaking barriers for African Americans
• Focus on education as a pathway out of poverty
• Work on systemic solutions to economic and social justice issues
• Have connections to New York, Baltimore, or the Foundation's leadership
• Propose transformational, large-scale initiatives
• Demonstrate long-term commitment to mission over trendy causes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - strictly invitation-only with pre-existing relationships
• Education is paramount - explicitly stated as the Foundation's main purpose
• They make fewer, larger grants - transformational gifts in the millions for major initiatives
• African American empowerment is central to all funding decisions
• Geographic ties to New York and Baltimore carry special significance
• Foundation values long-term relationships over one-time funding
• Post-2019 strategy focuses on STEM, entrepreneurship, and closing the wealth gap

References

• The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation official website: https://reginaldflewis.com/foundation/
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133429965
• Dan's Papers, "Successful Philanthropy: Loida Lewis" (April 2021)
• Globe Newswire, "Reginald F. Lewis Foundation Makes $5 Million Commitment to Obama Foundation" (December 7, 2022)
• Harvard Law School, "Reginald F. Lewis Foundation Gifts $1.5 Million to Harvard Law School"
• Cause IQ and Grantable.co foundation profiles