Lubert Family Foundation Inc - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $783,500 (2023)
Assets: $42.7 million (2024)
Grant Range: Varies widely; average ~$20,600 per grant
Number of Grants: 38 awards in 2023
Geographic Focus: Primarily Philadelphia/Pennsylvania region, with some national reach
Application Process: No public application process; invitation-only/trustee discretion

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
1325 N Beach Street, Unit 202
Philadelphia, PA 19125-4488

EIN: 66-0639002

Key Personnel:

Ira M. Lubert, President
Kristine Ives, Vice President
Tricia Billings, Secretary
Jonathan Lubert, Treasurer

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or email contact for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Lubert Family Foundation Inc was established in January 2006 as a private grantmaking foundation led by prominent Philadelphia philanthropist Ira M. Lubert and his family. With total assets of $42.7 million and annual charitable disbursements of approximately $1.45 million, the foundation focuses its giving on four core areas: children, veterans, education, and alternative healthcare. The foundation is managed by Ira Lubert (founder and president), his son Jonathan Lubert, and daughter-in-law Allison Lubert, who have expanded the foundation's reach from Philadelphia to include Naples, Florida, where they relocated in 2022. The Lubert family has distinguished itself through transformational gifts and strategic partnerships, including a $25 million commitment to Project HOME to combat Philadelphia's opioid crisis and a multi-million-dollar, multi-year commitment to United Way's Individual Development Account program for wealth-building among low-income families. Ira Lubert, a 1973 Penn State graduate and former Board of Trustees chair, has been recognized with Penn State's Distinguished Alumni Award and trustee emeritus status for his decades of philanthropic leadership.

Funding Priorities

Core Program Areas

The foundation's grantmaking concentrates on four primary areas:

Children & Youth
Support for programs serving children, particularly those addressing poverty, education access, and family stability.

Veterans
Programs supporting military veterans and their families, including services, housing, and reintegration support.

Education
Scholarships, educational access programs, and institutional support, particularly for STEM students and programs increasing diversity in higher education. Major focus on Penn State University initiatives including the Millennium Scholars Program (supporting high-achieving STEM students committed to increasing diversity).

Alternative Healthcare
Programs related to nutrition, wellness, addiction recovery, and non-traditional healthcare approaches.

Recent Major Initiatives

Addiction Recovery & Housing (2023):
$25 million commitment over 5 years to Project HOME's Estadt-Lubert Collaborative for Housing and Recovery, integrating addiction treatment, primary care, and permanent housing for unhoused individuals. Program aims to serve at least 300 people annually. Ira Lubert stated: "This city has been incredibly generous to me in my career. So we just wanted to find a way to help."

Wealth Building & Economic Mobility (2016-ongoing):
Multi-million dollar, multi-year commitment to United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey's Lubert IDA Program (renamed after Ira Lubert's support). The program provides 2:1 or 3:1 matched savings (up to $6,000 match on $2,000 saved) for low to medium-income families pursuing homeownership, higher education, or small business development. Expanded eligibility from 200% to 350% of Federal Poverty Line.

Penn State University:
Cumulative commitments exceeding $15 million, including:

$10 million (2024) for the Lubert Family Welcome Center at Beaver Stadium
$5 million (2017) for Millennium Scholars Program ($2.4M), Open Doors Scholarships ($500K at Abington), athletic facilities ($1.75M), and Lion's Pantry food security program ($100K)

Urban Development:
Support for Philadelphia greening initiatives through programs like Plant Center City.

Grant Distribution

Based on 2023 data, the foundation made 38 grants totaling $783,500, with an average grant size of approximately $20,600. Individual grants vary significantly based on project scope and organizational relationship with the foundation.

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Ira M. Lubert (President & Founder)
Chairman and co-founder of Independence Capital Partners and Lubert-Adler Partners, LP, with over 40 years of experience in real estate and private equity. A 1973 Penn State graduate who wrestled on athletic scholarship, Lubert became one of IBM's most successful sales executives (earning the #1 Salesperson award and "Coveted Eagle Award" in consecutive years, 1975-1976) before founding his investment firms. He served on Penn State's Board of Trustees from 1997 and as Board Chair from 2016, earning trustee emeritus status in recognition of over 35 years of volunteer leadership. He received Penn State's Distinguished Alumni Award (2006) and Alumni Fellow Award (1995). Inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American.

Pam Estadt (Ira Lubert's partner)
Co-philanthropist on major initiatives including the $25 million Project HOME commitment. Motivated by Philadelphia's record 1,276 overdose deaths in 2021, Estadt and Lubert committed to addressing the city's addiction crisis despite not having personal family experience with addiction.

Jonathan Lubert (Treasurer)
Founder and managing member of JL Squared Group, LLC, managing diverse assets in hedge funds, private equity, equities, private companies, and real estate. Previously owner and managing director of Valley Forge Casino and Resort (sold 2019). Full-time Naples, Florida resident since 2022, serving as trustee for Naples Children & Education Foundation.

Allison Lubert (Jonathan's wife)
Tufts University undergraduate, University of Pennsylvania Master's in Counseling, certified nutritional counselor, and founder of Sweet Freedom Bakery (successful allergen-free bakery chain). Focused on family, health, and philanthropy. Co-manages the foundation with husband Jonathan from Naples, Florida since 2022.

Kristine Ives (Vice President)
Compensated at $75,000 annually for foundation management responsibilities.

Tricia Billings (Secretary)

Governance Philosophy

The foundation operates through trustee discretion, with leadership identifying high-impact opportunities aligned with their core priorities. The Lubert family emphasizes long-term partnerships, multi-year commitments, and transformational giving that addresses systemic issues rather than providing temporary relief. As demonstrated by the Project HOME and United Way partnerships, the foundation seeks to create sustainable solutions with measurable community impact.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Lubert Family Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, with grants awarded through trustee discretion rather than open solicitation. The foundation identifies grantees through:

Existing relationships: Long-term partnerships with organizations the family knows and trusts
Board member initiatives: Trustees identify opportunities aligned with funding priorities
Strategic partnerships: Collaboration with major institutions (hospitals, universities, established nonprofits) on transformational projects
Geographic connections: Organizations in Philadelphia, PA and Naples, FL where family members reside

The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or maintain application forms, deadlines, or a public-facing website for grant seekers.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through trustee discretion on a rolling basis based on family priorities and relationships.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors characterize their grantmaking patterns:

Alignment with Core Priorities
Organizations must clearly align with one or more of the four funding areas: children, veterans, education, or alternative healthcare. The foundation shows particular interest in programs addressing poverty, addiction, educational access, and economic mobility.

Transformational Impact Potential
The foundation's major commitments (Project HOME's $25 million, Penn State's cumulative $15+ million, United Way's multi-million dollar commitment) demonstrate preference for high-impact initiatives that create systemic change. Smaller grants support established organizations with proven track records.

Geographic Connection
Priority for Philadelphia/Pennsylvania organizations, with growing interest in Naples, Florida area since 2022. Penn State University holds special significance due to Ira Lubert's deep alumni connection.

Multi-Year Partnership Approach
The foundation favors sustained relationships over one-time grants. The United Way IDA program (5-year commitment) and Project HOME collaborative (5-year commitment toward 10-year goal) exemplify this approach.

Collaborative Models
Recent major grants involve partnerships between multiple institutions (Project HOME + three health systems; United Way + financial institutions). The foundation values initiatives that leverage their support to engage additional partners.

Evidence-Based Solutions
Programs like the IDA matched savings program (proven AFI model) and addiction recovery integration (combining housing + medical care + treatment) demonstrate preference for approaches with demonstrated effectiveness.

Personal Connection or Awareness
Ira Lubert's quote about Project HOME funding—"This city has been incredibly generous to me in my career. So we just wanted to find a way to help"—suggests that personal connection to issues and communities drives giving decisions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Relationship-based: This foundation funds organizations they know and trust through personal connections, board relationships, or established partnerships—not through open applications
Think transformational, not transactional: Recent grants show preference for multi-million dollar, multi-year commitments addressing systemic issues over smaller one-time awards
Four funding pillars: All grants must align with children, veterans, education, or alternative healthcare; proposals outside these areas will not be considered
Philadelphia roots matter: While the family has expanded to Naples, FL, Philadelphia/Pennsylvania remains the primary geographic focus, with Penn State University as a signature beneficiary
Leverage matters: Major grants involve collaborative partnerships (Project HOME + health systems; United Way + financial institutions) that multiply impact beyond foundation dollars alone
Focus on prevention and wealth-building: Recent commitments emphasize upstream solutions (matched savings for economic mobility, integrated addiction treatment) rather than emergency relief
Family involvement signals commitment: Foundation is actively managed by three generations of the Lubert family (Ira, Jonathan, Allison), suggesting deep personal engagement with funded initiatives

References

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Lubert Family Foundation Inc (EIN 66-0639002). Form 990-PF filings 2021-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/660639002 (Accessed January 2026)
The Philadelphia Inquirer. "Project HOME receives $25M donation to combat addiction with primary care, housing." May 31, 2023. https://www.inquirer.com/news/addiction-homelessness-estadt-lubert-collaborative-housing-recovery-20230531.html (Accessed January 2026)
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. "Tackling Poverty by Building Generational Wealth: An In-depth Look at the Lubert IDA Program." https://unitedforimpact.org/ida-in-depth/ (Accessed January 2026)
Penn State University. "Penn State Board of Trustees chair commits $5 million for University-wide impact." 2017. https://www.psu.edu/news/impact/story/penn-state-board-trustees-chair-commits-5-million-university-wide-impact (Accessed January 2026)
Penn State University. "$10 million gift names the Lubert Family Welcome Center at Beaver Stadium." September 5, 2024. https://www.psu.edu/news/development-and-alumni-relations/story/10-million-gift-names-lubert-family-welcome-center-beaver (Accessed January 2026)
Penn State Office of the Board of Trustees. "Ira M. Lubert." https://trustees.psu.edu/ira-m-lubert/ (Accessed January 2026)
Life in Naples Magazine. "Naples Children & Education Foundation Welcomes New Trustees." https://lifeinnaples.net/naples-children-education-foundation-welcomes-new-trustees-5/ (Accessed January 2026)
Instrumentl. "The Lubert Family Foundation Inc | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/lubert-family-foundation-inc (Accessed January 2026)
Project HOME. "Project HOME Announces Plan Addressing Opioid Epidemic for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness." 2023. https://www.projecthome.org/estadt-lubert-collaborative (Accessed January 2026)
National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Ira Lubert." https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/581 (Accessed January 2026)