Lennar Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $31,454,190 (2023)
• Number of Grants: 66 awards (2023)
• Average Grant Size: ~$476,000
• Grant Range: $100,000 - $750,000+
• Geographic Focus: Communities where Lennar employees live and work, with emphasis on Miami, FL; operates in 30 states and 75 markets nationwide
• Application Method: Rolling basis, no deadlines

Contact Details

Lennar Foundation Inc.

• Address: 700 NW 107th Ave, Suite 400, Miami, FL 33172
• Phone: 305-229-6400
• Website: www.lennar.com/about/community

Overview

Established in 1989, the Lennar Foundation is the charitable arm of Lennar Corporation, one of the nation's leading homebuilders. The foundation was created to ensure the company's giving spirit had a permanent place in its blueprint. For more than 35 years, the foundation has served as a powerful extension of Lennar's values, supporting causes that include helping veterans transition to civilian life, offering job training to formerly incarcerated individuals in need of a second chance, funding life-saving medical research, and programmes serving at-risk children. The foundation receives a contribution of $1,000 per home delivered by Lennar, which funds its "Focused Acts of Caring" and other grant programmes. In 2024 alone, the foundation dedicated more than $80 million to helping individuals, families, and neighbourhoods thrive. In recognition of its longstanding commitment to strengthening communities, the Lennar Foundation was honoured with the 2025 Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award, the largest philanthropic award in the home building industry.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The Lennar Foundation operates on a rolling application basis with no set deadlines. Recent grants demonstrate significant investment in community programmes:

• Break-N The Cycle Nonprofit Corporation: $750,000
• Hope Builders Career Connection: $700,000
• Teach for America: $100,000
• Center for Housing Careers: $100,000

The foundation also makes major institutional gifts, including $50 million to establish the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center at City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, California, and $50 million to name the Lennar Foundation Medical Center at the University of Miami.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on organisations and programmes that assist people who are less fortunate, with giving distributed across several key areas:

• Social & Human Services (46% of giving): Homeless rehabilitation, veteran services, programmes for formerly incarcerated individuals
• Education (34% of giving): Job training programmes, educational access, workforce development
• Community Development (5% of giving): Neighbourhood revitalisation, community strengthening initiatives
• Medical Research: Life-saving medical research and healthcare access
• At-Risk Children: Programmes serving vulnerable youth
• Elder Care: Services for senior populations

The foundation provides support to nonprofit organisations that address the needs of communities where Lennar employees live and work, with particular emphasis on Miami, FL, and extending across 30 states and 75 markets nationwide where Lennar operates.

What They Don't Fund

Specific funding exclusions are not publicly documented. Organisations should contact the foundation directly for detailed grant guidelines and restrictions.

Governance and Leadership

Marshall Ames serves as President of the Lennar Foundation. Ames helps champion the foundation's efforts as it partners with organisations to assist the less fortunate across three pillars of focus: promoting self-sufficiency, building communities, and advancing health initiatives. The foundation's leadership reflects Lennar Corporation's commitment to community involvement, with the giving philosophy deeply integrated into the company's culture and operations.

Stuart A. Miller, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lennar Corporation, serves as a director of the Lennar Foundation. Miller has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to social responsibility and emphasises the importance of giving back to the community. He serves as Co-Chairman of the Miami Dolphins Foundation, focusing on education, healthcare, youth athletic programmes, and volunteer activities in Florida communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applicants must complete an online application on the foundation website. The foundation operates on a rolling basis with no deadlines for submitting grant proposals. Organisations should visit www.lennar.com/about/community or contact the foundation directly at 305-229-6400 for access to the online application portal and specific instructions.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. Given the rolling application structure, decision timeframes may vary. Applicants should contact the foundation directly for information about expected review periods for their specific application.

Success Rates

The foundation awarded 66 grants in 2023 from total giving of $31.5 million. Historical data shows:

• 2023: 66 awards
• 2022: 82 awards
• 2021: 81 awards
• 2020: 61 awards

Since 2020, the Lennar Foundation has awarded 290 individual grants totalling $92,714,434. Specific application-to-award success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly documented. Organisations should enquire directly with the foundation about reapplication procedures and any waiting periods.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented priorities and grant patterns, successful applications should demonstrate:

Alignment with Lennar's Community Footprint: The foundation explicitly supports "nonprofit organisations that address the needs of communities where company employees live and work." Organisations operating in the 30 states and 75 markets where Lennar builds homes, particularly in Miami, FL, appear to have strong alignment.

Focus on Helping the Less Fortunate: The foundation's stated mission centres on finding "organisations that assist people who are less fortunate," with special emphasis on programmes designed to assist these populations. Applications should clearly articulate how programmes serve vulnerable or underserved communities.

Strategic Programme Areas: Recent grants demonstrate particular interest in:

• Workforce development and job training programmes (Hope Builders Career Connection - $700,000)
• Breaking cycles of poverty and incarceration (Break-N The Cycle - $750,000)
• Educational access and opportunity (Teach for America - $100,000)
• Career pathways in specific industries (Center for Housing Careers - $100,000)

Sustainable Impact: The foundation's support for programmes helping veterans transition to civilian life and offering second chances to formerly incarcerated individuals suggests interest in programmes that create lasting change and pathways to self-sufficiency.

Capacity for Significant Partnership: With an average grant size of approximately $476,000 and examples ranging from $100,000 to $750,000 (excluding major institutional gifts), the foundation appears to make substantial investments in partner organisations. Applications should demonstrate organisational capacity to effectively deploy and steward significant funding.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic alignment is critical: Prioritise applications if your organisation serves communities in the 30 states and 75 markets where Lennar operates, especially Miami, FL
• No deadline pressure: The rolling application process allows time to develop a strong proposal without racing against fixed deadlines
• Substantial grant sizes: Prepare applications for significant funding ($100,000-$750,000 range), demonstrating capacity to manage and deploy larger grants effectively
• Focus on transformation: Emphasise programmes that create lasting change for vulnerable populations—job training, breaking cycles of poverty, second chances, and pathways to self-sufficiency resonate with the foundation's values
• Think beyond annual operating: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make major capital investments (e.g., $50 million gifts for medical centres), suggesting openness to transformational projects beyond traditional programme grants
• Align with "Focused Acts of Caring": Frame your work within the foundation's language of caring for the less fortunate, with specific, measurable community impact
• Rolling basis advantage: Contact the foundation before applying to ensure your organisation and programme align with current priorities and to clarify any application questions

References

1. Instrumentl - Lennar Foundation Inc 990 Report. Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/lennar-foundation (Accessed December 2024)

2. Candid Foundation Directory - Lennar Foundation Inc Profile. Available at: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=LENN008 (Accessed December 2024)

3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Lennar Foundation Inc. Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/650171539 (Accessed December 2024)

4. Builder Online - "Lennar Foundation Honored With 2025 Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award." Available at: https://www.builderonline.com/builder-100/leadership/lennar-foundation-honored-with-2025-hearthstone-builder-humanitarian-award_o (Accessed December 2024)

5. PR Newswire - "Lennar Foundation Honored with 26th Annual Hearthstone Builder Humanitarian Award." Available at: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lennar-foundation-honored-with-26th-annual-hearthstone-builder-humanitarian-award-302428959.html (Accessed December 2024)

6. Lennar Corporation - Leadership. Available at: https://www.lennar.com/about/leadership (Accessed December 2024)

7. FasterCapital - "Stuart A. Miller: The Philanthropic Heart Behind Real Estate Empire." Available at: https://fastercapital.com/content/Stuart-A--Miller--The-Philanthropic-Heart-Behind-Real-Estate-Empire.html (Accessed December 2024)

8. GrantStation - The Lennar Foundation. Available at: https://grantstation.com/grantmakers/lennar-foundation (Accessed December 2024)

9. Here-4-You Consulting - Lennar Foundation Inc Directory. Available at: https://npfunds.com/directory/lennar-foundation-inc-the/ (Accessed December 2024)