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Lumena Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.1M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

Lumena Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,120,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 60 days from deadline
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $50,000+ (up to multi-year commitments)
  • Geographic Focus: United States
  • Total Awards: 10 grants (2024)

Contact Details

Overview

Lumena Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established as a 501(c)(3) organization focused exclusively on advancing women's rights and well-being. The foundation operates as a "venture fund for nonprofits without the capitalism," providing trust-based, multi-year unrestricted grants to women-focused organizations across the United States. Lumena invests in organizations and individuals committed to securing the rights, autonomy, and choices of all women, including cis, trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals. The foundation envisions a future where all women in America have equal, inalienable, and permanent rights to live with complete autonomy. In 2024, the foundation made its largest grant to date—$2.1 million to HomeWorks Trenton—demonstrating its commitment to transformational investments in women-led initiatives.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Moon Fund

  • Amount: $10,000 - $50,000 per year
  • Duration: Minimum 1-year commitment
  • Type: Unrestricted grant
  • Application: Open application process with annual deadlines
  • Timeline: Applications typically open February 15, close March 31

Sun Fund

  • Amount: $50,000+ per year
  • Duration: 3-year commitment
  • Type: Unrestricted grant
  • Application: By invitation only
  • Timeline: Rolling applications for invited organizations

Star Fund

  • Amount: $10,000 - $50,000 per year
  • Duration: 1 year for new scholarship programs; up to 3 years for established programs
  • Type: Scholarship support
  • Eligibility: Only for nonprofits with existing or planned internal scholarship programs
  • Application: Available to organizations applying for Moon or invited to apply for Sun

Priority Areas

Lumena supports one or more of the five dimensions of well-being for women:

  1. Health - Including reproductive rights, abortion access, and gender-affirming healthcare
  2. Education - Educational opportunities and leadership development for women and girls
  3. Economic Empowerment - Programs advancing women's financial independence and opportunity
  4. Personal Safety - Initiatives protecting women from violence and ensuring safe environments
  5. Legal Rights - Advocacy and programs securing women's legal autonomy and rights

Special Focus Areas:

  • Reproductive rights and abortion access
  • Gender-affirming healthcare
  • Leadership development for women and girls
  • Programs serving marginalized genders (trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming individuals)

What They Don't Fund

  • Groups that seek to deny rights of women, girls, trans, or intersex people
  • Groups led by or dependent on political parties
  • Groups led by or dependent on religious institutions
  • For-profit businesses
  • Organizations headquartered outside the United States
  • Organizations serving constituents outside the United States
  • General organizations not focused on women or women-focused projects

Governance and Leadership

Michaela Finley, Co-Founder & Co-Director, articulates the foundation's philosophy: "Lumena Foundation searches for sources of light. Think of us as a venture fund without capitalism. We seek, find, and invest in inspired organizations and individuals committed to securing the rights, autonomy, and choices of all women."

On the foundation's approach to grantmaking, Finley has stated: "By investing in a permanent home for HomeWorks, we're saying a loud 'YES!'" This reflects Lumena's commitment to making transformational, trust-based investments in their grantees.

The foundation describes its ideal partners as "the dreamers and the doers—leaders with a rebellious spirit who are committed to doing the hard thing but most importantly, the right thing."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Moon and Star Funds:

  1. Visit the application portal at https://online.foundationsource.com/ws/index.jsp?site=lumena
  2. Complete the eligibility quiz to determine if your organization qualifies
  3. Submit applications during the open application period (typically February 15 - March 31)
  4. Organizations can apply to both Moon and Star funds simultaneously
  5. Duplicate questions can be copy-pasted between applications to streamline the process

Sun Fund:

  • Invitation-only process
  • Organizations are selected by foundation leadership based on strategic priorities
  • Invited organizations submit rolling applications

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) organization
  • Headquarters must be based in the United States
  • Target constituents must be in the United States
  • Must be either a women-focused nonprofit OR seeking funding for a women-focused project
  • Must support at least one of the five dimensions of well-being for women

Decision Timeline

  • Moon and Star Funds: Applicants can expect to hear from Lumena within 60 days of the application deadline
  • Sun Fund: Applicants can expect to hear within 60 days of submitting their full rolling application
  • Grant cycle runs from approximately January 21 through July 24 annually

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose application numbers or acceptance rates. With 10 awards made in 2024 totaling $2,120,000, the foundation maintains a selective but impactful grantmaking approach.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Organizations are encouraged to inquire directly with the foundation about reapplication opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and approach, successful applications likely demonstrate:

Mission Alignment

  • Clear focus on advancing women's rights to self-determination
  • Commitment to one or more of the five dimensions of well-being for women
  • Explicit inclusion of marginalized genders (trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming individuals)
  • Work on reproductive rights, abortion access, or gender-affirming healthcare

Organizational Characteristics Lumena Values

  • "Rebellious spirit" and willingness to do "the hard thing but most importantly, the right thing"
  • Leadership by those with lived experience
  • Courage in addressing controversial or challenging issues
  • Organizations at any stage—from "upstarts to experienced difference-makers"

Trust-Based Philanthropy Alignment

  • Ability to use unrestricted funds effectively
  • Clear vision for multi-year impact
  • Transparency about organizational needs and challenges
  • Willingness to build long-term partnership with funder

For Star Fund Applicants

  • Existing or concrete plans for internal scholarship programs
  • For established programs (operational 1+ years), demonstrate track record and need for multi-year support
  • Connection between scholarship program and broader organizational mission

Recent Grantee Example The $2.1 million grant to HomeWorks Trenton demonstrates Lumena's willingness to make transformational investments in organizations providing comprehensive support to women and girls. HomeWorks serves high school girls in Trenton through residential leadership programming, combining academic support with leadership development—a model that aligns with multiple dimensions of well-being (education, personal safety, economic empowerment).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Embrace the rebellious spirit: Lumena explicitly seeks organizations willing to take on challenging, controversial work in women's rights—don't downplay your advocacy edge
  • Unrestricted funding is the goal: Frame your proposal around organizational capacity and vision, not specific projects, since Lumena provides unrestricted grants
  • Inclusive language matters: Explicitly address how your work serves all women, including trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals
  • Think multi-year impact: Even for the 1-year Moon Fund, articulate how unrestricted support will build long-term organizational capacity
  • Time your application carefully: With a narrow window (typically mid-February to end of March) and 60-day decision timeline, plan ahead
  • Consider the Star Fund strategically: If you have an existing scholarship program, applying for Star funding alongside Moon or Sun can provide additional unrestricted support
  • Build toward Sun Fund invitation: Successful Moon Fund grantees may position themselves for invitation to the larger, multi-year Sun Fund

References

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