Henry Luce Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Henry Luce Foundation, based in New York, NY, funds across the U.S. in education and research, American art and museums, Asian studies and exchange, democracy and civic life, Indigenous knowledge, religion and theology, and women in STEM, so check that your work sits clearly within one of these programme areas before applying.
- Grants range from $10,000 to $1,000,000, and half of its 1,728 grants across its recent filings were $50,000 or less, so a modest request is realistic for most applicants.
- Application is rolling through an online portal, with no invitation needed for the first phase; only institutions selected at that stage are invited to submit a full proposal in a second phase, so be prepared for this two-step process and plan your timing accordingly.
- In its latest filing, 66% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, suggesting a lean towards continuing relationships, though the open first phase remains available to new applicants.
- The Foundation does not fund projects related to healthcare, medical initiatives, disaster relief, or international development, political parties, political campaigns, lobbying or other political activities, candidates for elected office, or projects related to annual funds, fundraising events, endowments, or building campaigns, so organisations seeking support for these should not apply.
Overview
Henry Luce Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation supports education, research, knowledge-driven leadership and the exchange of innovative ideas in the public realm. Its programme areas include American art, Asia, democracy and civic life, Indigenous knowledge, religion and theology, and women in STEM. Its American Art Program supports museums as forums for visual arts-centred dialogue about the United States. Its Asia work develops expertise in East and Southeast Asia and fosters cross-cultural understanding. The Democracy and Civic Life Initiative supports citizen involvement in governance and citizen-led efforts to solve community problems. The Foundation invests in Native culture bearers and institutions that preserve Native heritage, seeks deeper understanding of religion in public life, and aims to close gender gaps in STEM disciplines and leadership. Grants are made to institutions, typically U.S. not-for-profits or their international equivalents; the Luce Scholars Program is the exception for direct grants to individuals.
Themes
- Education and research
- American art and museums
- Asian studies and exchange
- Democracy and civic life
- Indigenous knowledge
- Religion and theology
- Women in STEM
Geographic Focus
U.S.
What They Don't Fund
- Projects related to healthcare, medical initiatives, disaster relief, or international development
- Political parties, political campaigns, lobbying, or other political activities
- Projects related to annual funds, fundraising events, endowments, or building campaigns
- Candidates for elected office
How to apply
Applicants apply through the online portal in the first phase; no invitation is required. Only selected institutions may submit a full proposal in the second phase.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 66% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,728 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Applicants should direct inquiries to the programme that best matches their organisation's mission and work.
- Applicants are asked to review the programme goals and guidelines and choose the one that best matches their interests.
- The Foundation seeks the most promising ideas and projects and partners with a wide range of organisations.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 11%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 30%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 66% of grant dollars went to organisations Henry Luce Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 4% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada, Singapore, Cambodia, Kenya).
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 617 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- American Council of Learned Societies · Support for academic fellowships$1,250,0002024 tax year
- First Nations Development Institute · Support for fellowships$750,0002024 tax year
- First Nations Development Institute · Support for fellowships$550,0002024 tax year
- First Nations Development Institute · Support for fellowships$500,0002024 tax year
- Villanova Preparatory School · Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program$458,2002024 tax year
- Santa Clara University · Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program$458,2002024 tax year
- University of Notre Dame · Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program$458,2002024 tax year
- Georgetown University · Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program$458,2002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dr Joanne Berger- Sweeney — Director
- Thomas L Pulling — Director
- Dr Debra S Knopman — Co-Chair & Director
- Dr Kenneth T Jackson — Director
- Dr John J Hamre — Director
- Margaret Boles Fitzgerald — Director
- Dr Mary Brown Bullock — Director
- Sean T Buffington — Vice President, Interim President as of 9/15/2024
- Dr Elizabeth Broun — Director
- Terrence B Adamson — Co-Chair & Director
- Kevin Gover — Director
- Andrew Blau — Director as of 9/18/2024
- Ian H Solomon — Director
- Sewell Chan — Director
- Brian F Murphy — CFO & Treasurer
- Dr Pauline Yu — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $59,746,032 | $47,413,132 | $1,070,353,319 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $62,248,104 | $45,815,205 | $1,090,872,427 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $75,869,553 | $49,274,542 | $1,132,206,450 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Henry Luce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 489-7700
- info@hluce.org
- grants@hluce.org
- GRANTS@HLUCE.ORG
- New York, NY
- hluce.org
Applying to Henry Luce Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 489-7700
- info@hluce.org
- grants@hluce.org
- GRANTS@HLUCE.ORG
- New York, NY
- hluce.org