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Lumina Foundation For Education Inc

Annual Giving
$34.0M
Grant Range
$50K - $1.8M
Decision Time
2mo
Success Rate
10%

Lumina Foundation For Education Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $34 million (2022 data)
  • Total Assets: $1.4 billion
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $1,800,000
  • Application Method: Invitation only / Open RFPs
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)
  • Accepts Unsolicited Applications: No

Contact Details

Address: 820 Massachusetts Ave Suite 1390, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Website: https://www.luminafoundation.org
Email: Available through website contact forms
Phone: Available on website

For Technical Assistance Fund inquiries (state-level organizations only), applications are submitted through the foundation's online portal.

Overview

Lumina Foundation for Education was established in 1991 and has grown to become one of the nation's top 100 private foundations, with an endowment exceeding $1.4 billion. The foundation's mission is to make opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all, preparing people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy. Since Jamie Merisotis became president and CEO in 2008, Lumina has set ambitious national goals for educational attainment. The foundation's current "Goal 2040" aims for 75 percent of working-age adults in the U.S. labor force to have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity by 2040. Lumina focuses on system-level transformation through strategic grantmaking, emphasizing racial justice and equity, with particular attention to supporting students of color, first-generation learners, and low-income populations. The foundation takes a proactive approach to grantmaking, typically soliciting proposals from organizations rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Strategic Grants: $150,000 - $1,800,000
These are invitation-only grants for major initiatives aligned with Lumina's strategic priorities. Recent examples include Georgetown University ($1.8 million for postsecondary education and workforce alignment research), Public Radio Exchange ($400,000 for immigrant education coverage), and State Higher Education Executive Officers ($250,000). Applications are by invitation only, based on organizations' demonstrated capacity for systemic change.

The Great Admissions Redesign Challenge: Variable amounts
A competitive grant program focused on simplifying college admissions processes. Recent awards (2024) included implementation grants of $750,000 each to Illinois Board of Higher Education, California State University System, and Northern Arizona University, plus planning grants of $150,000-$300,000 to state agencies in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas. Applications are through open RFP when announced.

Technical Assistance Fund: $5,001 - $25,000
Quick-turnaround microgrants exclusively for state governmental agencies and state-focused nonprofit organizations. Level 2 grants ($5,001-$15,000) support convenings, travel, stakeholder engagement, state data analysis, and one-time technology costs. Level 3 grants ($15,001-$25,000) support larger convenings, marketing campaigns, project coordination, and strategic consulting. Applications are on a rolling basis through an online portal, with decisions typically made within 2 weeks of initial eligibility submission.

Priority Areas

Lumina focuses on four strategic priorities aligned with Goal 2040:

Credentials of Value: Ensuring credentials deliver expected economic value, initially measured as earning at least 15% more than the national average for high school diploma holders. Funding supports transparent credentialing practices and quality assurance.

Access: Expanding access to quality education and training programs beyond high school, particularly for underrepresented populations including African American, Hispanic, and Native American students. Recent focus includes admissions redesign and community college enrollment.

Student Success: Designing solutions to ensure more students who start quality programs complete them. Emphasis on supporting adult learners, transfer students, and removing systemic barriers to completion.

Redesign: Fundamentally redesigning how education and training systems are organized, funded, and governed. Recent initiatives include FutureReady States (launched July 2024) to help states assess and strengthen short-term workforce credentials.

The foundation prioritizes work that advances racial justice and equity, supports nonpartisan policy research and analysis, and yields systemic, large-scale, or nationwide impact.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual scholarships or financial aid to students
  • Institutional scholarship programs
  • Capital campaigns or building projects
  • Endowments
  • K-12 education reform (focus is postsecondary only)
  • Lobbying or political campaign contributions
  • Honoraria for experts or speakers (in Technical Assistance Fund)
  • Projects that violate gift or ethics rules
  • Direct payments to government officials (except travel expenses)
  • Activities already receiving Lumina sponsorship or grant funding

The foundation explicitly states it focuses on "system-level change that can lead to large-scale impact" rather than individual or institution-specific support. Given limited resources, they seldom fund unsolicited proposals not designed to yield systemic, large-scale, or nationwide impact.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

The Lumina Foundation Board of Directors oversees the management of the foundation's $1.4 billion in assets.

Board Chair: Alisa A. Miller, tech entrepreneur (elected 2023)

Board Members include:

  • Dr. David Wilson, President of Morgan State University
  • Carmen Twillie Ambar
  • Christine Pambianchi, human resource executive with over 30 years of experience
  • William Serrata, President of El Paso County Community College District (since 2012)
  • Kaye Vitug, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Roche Diagnostics Corporation

Executive Leadership Team

President and CEO: Jamie Merisotis (since 2008)
An internationally recognized leader in higher education, human work, philanthropy, and public policy. At the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit, Merisotis emphasized: "Higher education has an opportunity to pursue systemic change." He has been vocal about increasing the value of higher education and addressing AI's impact on society and work.

Key Executive Team Members:

  • Erin Archer, VP and Chief Financial Officer - Directs investment strategies for the nearly $1.4 billion endowment
  • Courtney Brown - Oversees strategic planning, learning, impact, and effectiveness; leads international engagement
  • Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper - Nationally recognized advocate for college access, affordability, and value
  • Dr. Debra Humphreys - Directs student success efforts for four-year college degrees
  • Dr. Chauncy Lennon - VP for Learning and Work and Senior Strategy Advisor (New York-based)
  • Linh C. Nguyen - Leads racial equity efforts across grantmaking and operations
  • Tim Robinson - VP, General Counsel, and Chief of Staff

The foundation employs approximately 109 staff members (as of January 2025).

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Lumina Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. According to their website: "Lumina does not accept or respond to unsolicited requests/letters of inquiry."

The foundation pursues two pathways for grantmaking:

1. Direct Solicitation (Invitation Only)
Lumina proactively identifies and invites organizations to apply based on their unique capacities to leverage large-scale systemic change. The foundation reviews organizations' track records and strategic alignment before extending invitations.

2. Open Request for Proposals (RFPs)
Periodically, Lumina announces open RFPs or calls for work around specific topics on their website. These are publicized at https://www.luminafoundation.org/resources/grants/. Recent examples include The Great Admissions Redesign Challenge and various state-level initiatives.

3. Technical Assistance Fund (State Organizations Only)
State governmental agencies and state-focused nonprofit organizations can apply directly through Lumina's online portal for microgrants under $25,000. Organizations must first submit an initial eligibility application, after which Lumina reviews and grants portal access within 2 weeks.

Monitoring Opportunities: Organizations interested in Lumina funding should regularly check the foundation's grants page for announced RFPs rather than submitting unsolicited proposals.

Decision Timeline

Technical Assistance Fund: Initial eligibility review completed within 2 weeks of submission. Full application and decision timeline varies but designed for "quick-turnaround" support.

Open RFPs: Timeline varies by specific RFP and is announced with each opportunity. The Great Admissions Redesign Challenge received over 70 applications and announced winners approximately 2-3 months after the application deadline.

Invited Proposals: Timeline is negotiated directly with invited organizations and depends on project scope and complexity.

Success Rates

The Great Admissions Redesign Challenge (2024): Received over 70 applications and awarded 7 grants (approximately 10% success rate), totaling $3.1 million.

Specific success rates for other programs are not publicly disclosed, but the foundation's selective, invitation-based approach suggests highly competitive selection processes for most strategic grants.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented. Given the invitation-only nature of most grantmaking, organizations should focus on building relationships and demonstrating alignment with strategic priorities rather than reapplying. For open RFPs, specific reapplication guidance is typically included in each RFP announcement.

Application Success Factors

Given Lumina's proactive approach to grantmaking, success depends heavily on strategic alignment and demonstrated capacity for systemic impact:

1. Alignment with Goal 2040 and Strategic Priorities
Projects must directly advance Lumina's four strategic priorities: Credentials of Value, Access, Student Success, and Redesign. As President Jamie Merisotis emphasizes, the foundation seeks work that addresses "the nation's increasing workforce demands" and ensures "credentials of value that equip [adults] for a rapidly changing economy."

2. Evidence of System-Level Impact
Lumina explicitly states it focuses resources on "system-level change that can lead to large-scale impact." The foundation "seldom fund[s] unsolicited proposals not explicitly designed to yield systemic, large-scale, or nationwide impact." Recent grantees demonstrate this: statewide admissions redesign projects, multi-campus system transformations, and national policy research initiatives.

3. Racial Justice and Equity Focus
The foundation prioritizes "improving outcomes for African American, Hispanic and Native American students" and has committed to "racial justice and equity" as a cross-cutting theme. Organizations should demonstrate how their work addresses gaps between historically underserved students and their peers.

4. Nonpartisan Policy and Research Approach
Lumina supports "nonpartisan research and analysis" for stakeholders in postsecondary education and policymakers. The foundation operates "in accordance with section 4945 of the Internal Revenue Code" and does not fund lobbying. Policy work should be evidence-based and bipartisan.

5. Track Record and Organizational Capacity
Since most grants are invitation-only, Lumina seeks organizations with "unique capacities to leverage large-scale systemic change." Recent grantees include major university systems, state governmental agencies, established policy organizations (Century Foundation, Demos, Brookings Institution), and proven education nonprofits.

6. Collaborative and Stakeholder Engagement Approach
Successful projects demonstrate partnerships across sectors. The Great Admissions Redesign winners, for example, involved collaboration between state agencies, K-12 systems, community colleges, and universities.

7. Measurable Outcomes and Data-Driven Methods
The foundation values transparent data and measurable impact. Projects should clearly define how they will assess whether credentials deliver value, how many students will benefit, and what specific barriers will be addressed.

8. For Technical Assistance Fund Applicants
State organizations should demonstrate: (1) exclusive focus on one state, (2) sustainable funding plans for technology investments, (3) alignment with state education policy goals, (4) clear stakeholder engagement strategies, and (5) compliance with state ethics rules.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Don't apply unless invited or an RFP is announced - Lumina does not accept or respond to unsolicited proposals, so focus on monitoring their website for open opportunities and building visibility in the higher education policy community
  • Think nationally and systemically - Lumina seeks "large-scale, systemic change," not institution-specific or local projects; your work must demonstrate potential for nationwide impact or serve as a model for replication
  • Center racial equity explicitly - Projects must demonstrate how they will close gaps for students of color, first-generation learners, and low-income populations; this is not optional but core to Lumina's mission
  • Align tightly with Goal 2040 and the four strategic priorities - Proposals should explicitly connect to Credentials of Value, Access, Student Success, or Redesign, and show how they advance the goal of 75% of working-age adults holding valuable credentials by 2040
  • Build your track record in the sector - Since most grants are invitation-only, organizations should focus on establishing a strong reputation for systemic education work, publishing research, engaging in policy discussions, and demonstrating capacity for large-scale implementation
  • For state organizations, consider the Technical Assistance Fund - This is the one avenue for direct application (up to $25,000) and can serve as an entry point for demonstrating alignment with Lumina's priorities
  • Monitor for specific RFP opportunities - When Lumina announces open competitions like The Great Admissions Redesign, prepare comprehensive applications that demonstrate multi-stakeholder collaboration, clear implementation plans, and sustainable long-term vision

References

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