Hobson Lucas Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $37.0 million (2023)
• Total Assets: $1.18 billion
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (invitation/inquiry-based)
• Grant Range: $300 - $500,000+ (can exceed $1 million)
• Geographic Focus: Bay Area, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation
PO Box 2009
San Rafael, CA 94912

Phone: (415) 746-5059
Email: publicity@skywalkerranch.com

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website and maintains a low public profile.

Overview

Established in 2005, the Hobson Lucas Family Foundation is the private grantmaking foundation of filmmaker George Lucas (creator of Star Wars) and Mellody Hobson (co-CEO of Ariel Investments). With over $1.18 billion in assets and distributing approximately $37.0 million annually in grants (2023), the foundation represents one of the most significant private philanthropic vehicles in the United States. The foundation achieved tax-exempt status in August 2007 and operates as a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation.

The couple signed the Giving Pledge in 2010, committing to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. They received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for their contributions to education, arts, and culture aimed at countering socioeconomic disadvantage. In recent years, the foundation has prioritised bringing the Los Angeles-based Lucas Museum of Narrative Art to life through $1 billion spent on construction and endowments.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Arts and Culture

• Museums and cultural preservation organisations
• Film history and preservation (Film Foundation, American Museum of the Moving Image, American Film Institute, National Film Preservation Foundation)
• Performing arts organisations (Apollo Theater Foundation, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Harlem School of the Arts)
• Visual storytelling and narrative art
• Historic preservation organisations (California Historical Society)

Film

• Established organisations focused on film history and preservation
• Film education institutions and film schools
• Diversity in cinematic storytelling

Education

• K-12 public education initiatives
• Higher education institutions, particularly those with film schools
• After-school programmes
• Educational technology and project-based learning
• Programmes specifically benefiting children in the San Francisco Bay area

Human Services

• Childhood development programmes
• Mentorship initiatives
• Cultural diversity initiatives
• Medical research institutions
• Gun control and environmental advocacy groups
• Social justice organisations (NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, ACLU)

Major Grant Examples

The foundation has made several significant multi-million dollar commitments:

• $25 million (2014) to University of Chicago Laboratory Schools to support the Gordon Parks Arts Hall, a three-storey, 86,000-square-foot arts building featuring performance halls, studios, rehearsal and practice rooms, and a digital media lab
• $25 million (2013) to After School Matters in Chicago over five years ($5 million annually) to fund student stipends and build a $5 million endowment
• $20 million (2016-2017) to USC School of Cinematic Arts through two separate $10 million endowments for the George Lucas Family Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity, supporting African-American and Hispanic students as George Lucas Scholars or Mellody Hobson Scholars
• $20 million (2018) to National Philanthropic Trust
• $5 million (2017) to NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Major gift to Princeton University to establish Hobson College, the first residential college at Princeton named for a Black woman
• $1 billion toward construction and endowments for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation's giving patterns indicate a clear focus on the four priority areas listed above. Organisations outside arts/culture, film, education, and human services are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a small board of directors who serve without compensation:

• George W. Lucas Jr. - President and Director
• Mellody Hobson - Vice President and Director
• Andrea Wishom - Vice President and Director
• Michael Rider - Treasurer
• Natalie Talbott - Secretary

Leadership Perspectives

On Education: Mellody Hobson has stated, "Our shared passion is education and its power to transform lives — as it did ours." George Lucas describes education as the "foundation of our democracy and a stepping-stone for youth to reach their full potential."

On Philanthropy: Hobson has emphasised their stewardship philosophy: "We've always said we're holding society's money, which we fully intend to give back."

On Diversity in Film: George Lucas noted the rationale for the USC diversity scholarship programme: "Hispanic and African American storytellers are underrepresented in the entertainment industry."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Hobson Lucas Family Foundation does not have a public application process or open grant cycles. The foundation accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry via post or email to the contact information provided above.

Given the foundation's low public profile and lack of formal application procedures, grants appear to be made primarily through:

• Trustee discretion and initiative
• Pre-existing relationships with organisations
• Invitation-only opportunities
• Strategic philanthropic priorities identified by the founders

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has been known to respond to well-crafted letters of inquiry. According to Inside Philanthropy, applicants should contact the foundation to cultivate relationships with grant officers, suggesting that relationship-building is important even without a formal application process.

Organisations that have received major grants typically align closely with the founders' personal interests and professional networks:

• Film and arts institutions where George Lucas has connections
• Chicago-based organisations where Mellody Hobson has strong ties (she chairs After School Matters)
• Institutions promoting diversity in arts and education
• Universities and educational institutions with which the founders have relationships

Decision Timeline

The foundation does not publish decision timelines. As grants are made through trustee discretion rather than scheduled review cycles, timing varies based on the foundation's strategic priorities and available funds.

Success Rates

The foundation is an active grantmaker. However, because there is no public application process, traditional success rate metrics are not applicable. The foundation appears to be proactive in identifying grantees rather than reactive to incoming applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates primarily through trustee-directed grantmaking, organisations seeking support should consider:

Alignment with Core Interests:

• Film preservation, narrative art, and visual storytelling are central passions, particularly given the $1 billion investment in the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
• Education initiatives, especially those serving underrepresented communities and promoting diversity
• K-12 programmes and higher education institutions with arts and film programmes
• Chicago-based organisations may have an advantage given Mellody Hobson's strong ties to the city

Geographic Connections: Organisations based in or serving the Bay Area (where George Lucas has his Skywalker Ranch), Chicago (Hobson's home base), Los Angeles (site of the Lucas Museum), New York City, or San Francisco appear to receive priority consideration based on recent 990-PF records.

Diversity and Inclusion Focus: Multiple major grants prioritise African-American and Hispanic communities, women, and underrepresented voices in arts and media. The Gordon Parks Arts Hall naming, Hobson College at Princeton, and USC diversity scholarships demonstrate this commitment.

Established Organisations: The foundation tends to support well-established institutions with proven track records rather than start-ups or experimental programmes. Major universities, national cultural institutions, and recognised service organisations dominate the grants list.

Scale and Impact: The foundation makes both small grants (starting at $300) and transformational multi-million dollar gifts, but the largest grants support capital projects, endowments, and programmes with measurable, lasting impact.

Personal Connection: Many grants reflect the founders' personal interests, educational backgrounds, and professional networks. George Lucas's founding of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in 1991 demonstrates a long-standing commitment to K-12 education reform through project-based and social-emotional learning.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - relationship building and strategic letters of inquiry are the only pathways for unsolicited requests
• Think big and transformational - the foundation makes grants ranging from hundreds to tens of millions of dollars, with major investments in capital projects and endowments
• Geographic focus matters - Bay Area, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco organisations have clear advantages based on recent 990-PF records
• Diversity is a core value - initiatives supporting African-American and Hispanic communities, women, and underrepresented storytellers align strongly with foundation priorities
• Four pillars dominate - arts/culture, film, education, and human services; organisations outside these areas are unlikely to receive funding
• Established institutions preferred - the foundation supports proven organisations with track records rather than emerging groups
• The Lucas Museum is the current centrepiece - with $1 billion committed to this project, the foundation's recent grantmaking has heavily emphasised narrative art, visual storytelling, and film preservation

References

• Inside Philanthropy - Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Hobson Lucas Family Foundation
• Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy - Mellody Hobson and George Lucas
• University of Chicago News - Hobson and Lucas honor Gordon Parks with $25 million grant for arts hall
• Chicago Reporter - After School Matters nets $25 mill from George Lucas Foundation
• USC Today - George Lucas Family Foundation increases support of diversity at USC School of Cinematic Arts
• Lucas Museum of Narrative Art - About
• InfluenceWatch - Hobson Lucas Family Foundation