Luminate Foundation Inc
Preselected recipients only
Luminate Foundation Inc is a private foundation in Washington, District of Columbia. In tax year 2024 it gave $16.0 million in 91 grants; the typical grant was $200,000 and the largest $1.0 million. It only gives to organizations it selects itself and does not accept unsolicited applications.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$16.0 million
- Number of grants91
- Typical grant$200,000
- Largest grant$1.0 million
- Assets$11.0 million
- New grantees32%
Giving in 2024 was down from $19.6 million the year before.
32% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $19.6 million | 126 | $32.7 million |
| 2024 | $16.0 million | 91 | $11.0 million |
How to apply
Luminate Foundation Inc says in its IRS filing that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations, so unsolicited applications are unlikely to be considered. Organizations it funds are usually invited.
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Luminate Foundation Inc funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 5 states, the most to District of Columbia. It also paid $12.9 million in 60 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 9 | $3.8 million |
| New York | 10 | $3.5 million |
| California | 10 | $2.1 million |
| North Carolina | 1 | $125,000 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $48,811 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation | To meaningfully resource black feminist movements globally. | $1.0 million |
| East West Management Institute | Support Freedom of Expression cluster, via core institutional, capacity building | $860,673 |
| Data and Society Research Institute | Support social implications of data-centric technologies & automation. | $650,000 |
| Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D) | Protects digital rights and civic space against surveillance and AI. | $650,000 |
| Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) | Promoting racial action plans and protecting human rights in Americas. | $600,000 |
| Tifa Foundation | Protects digital rights and civic space against surveillance and AI. | $550,000 |
| CalMatters | Supports global AI reporting consortium, sharing expertise with newsrooms worldwide. | $500,000 |
| Inter-American Foundation | To strengthen the countrys civic space | $500,000 |
| Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) | General Operating Grant. | $500,000 |
| International Women's Media Foundation | Supports safety of women and non-binary journalists, anti-online violence. | $480,000 |
| Agencia Publica | Supports Agencia Publicas development, global influence, and Big Tech investigation | $450,550 |
| Access Now | Support digital rights of world users at risk. | $450,000 |
| Privacy International (PI) | Support Grantee's work on right to privacy for everyone, everywhere | $450,000 |
| Lighthouse Reports | Advances accountability journalism, GenAI, and surveillance technology newsroom. | $432,750 |
| Human Dignity Trust | Supports legal reform and protection for LGBT people worldwide. | $405,300 |
| Global Investigative Journalism Network - GIJN | Supports advanced investigations and safe tech infrastructure in newsrooms. | $400,000 |
| CLIP - Centro Latinoamericano de Investigacion Periodistica | To support achieving institutional objective of fostering public debate | $395,000 |
| Association for Progressive Communications (APC) | Building cohort organisations in Asia working on Big Tech accountability | $355,000 |
| Freedom Voices Network | To secure data of threatened journalists and publish their reporting. | $330,000 |
| Engage Media | Supports Indonesia's AI governance, youth activism, and tech surveillance research | $327,184 |
| Media Monitoring Africa | Supports healthy information ecosystems and informed citizenry in South Africa. | $310,000 |
| Atlantic Council | To benefit democracy and human rights in Colombia. | $300,000 |
| Katiba Institute | To entrench a culture and practice of constitutionalism in Kenya | $300,000 |
| School of Politics Policy and Governance | Builds new, skilled political class to solve Africas development. | $300,000 |
| Digital Freedom Fund (DFF) | Support digital rights in Europe through strategic litigation | $275,000 |
| Baraza Media Lab | Improve resilience, coordination and support media, journalism and creative spaces. | $270,000 |
| Instituto de Liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir | To support to Indigenous, Afro-Mexican, youth, and LBT+ women leaders | $267,000 |
| TechHer | Supports combating online gender violence and womens digital rights. | $260,000 |
| BudgIT | Supports BudgITs advocacy, civil society, and civic tech participation | $250,000 |
| Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (formerly Premium Times Ce | To improve the media and information ecosystem in Nigeria. | $250,000 |
| Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) | Investigates and campaigns against online and real-world harms in Pakistan. | $250,000 |
| Global Witness | Advocacy work in the areas of socioenvironmental and climate justice | $250,000 |
| Instituto Incube | To support Grantee's project, More in Common Brazil | $250,000 |
| Namati | Promoting paralegal outreach and awareness raising among communities facing discrimination | $250,000 |
| Media Defence | Supports free speech, journalists, litigation, and internal operations. | $240,000 |
| Accountability Counsel | Supporting communities via communities, Policy Advocacy and Research programme. | $230,000 |
| Phandeeyar | Core funding/reserve to grow their resilience to pursue organisational objectives. | $230,000 |
| Hadis Foundation | Improves young peoples responsible tech use and civic participation. | $210,000 |
| Caribe Afirmativo | support fostering LGBTIQ+ and public policy in Colombia | $204,000 |
| East West Management Institute | To implement Indigenous Knowledge and Data Sovereignty (IKDS) framework | $202,500 |
Officers and trustees
- Stephen King
- Jeffrey R Alvord
- Hoodo Mohamed
- Shaila Gupta
- Patricia Christen
- Tabitha Goldstaub
- Latanya Mapp Frett
- Alessandra Orofino Poubel
- Theodosia Sowa
Questions people ask
Does Luminate Foundation Inc accept grant applications?
No. Its IRS filing says it only makes contributions to preselected organizations.
How much does Luminate Foundation Inc give?
$16.0 million in tax year 2024, across 91 grants, with a typical grant of $200,000.
Who runs Luminate Foundation Inc?
Its 2024 filing lists Stephen King (CEO & Director), Jeffrey R Alvord (Director & Vice Chair), Hoodo Mohamed (Secretary) and Shaila Gupta (Treasurer) among 9 officers and trustees.
What does Luminate Foundation Inc fund?
Based on its grants, mainly international, community development and science and research.