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The Lemelson Foundation

EIN: 88-0391959 • Portland, OR
Total Assets
$414.4M
Foundation endowment scale
Annual Giving
$19.7M
Annual capital distribution
Typical Grant
$115,000
Most grants: $50K – $350K
Application Status
Invitation Only
Rolling review

About The Lemelson Foundation Grantmaking

The Lemelson Foundation is an institutional grantmaking foundation headquartered in Portland, OR (EIN: 88-0391959). According to verified IRS Form 990-PF filings, the foundation maintains $414.4M in total assets and distributed $19.7M across 120 grants. Its typical award size is $115,000, with the middle 50% of awards falling between $50K and $350K. Its primary funding focus includes Education & Literacy (51%), Environment & Animals (21%), Philanthropy & Grantmaking (12%), with the highest concentration of grants awarded in MA (38%) and OR (25%).

Top Funded Causes% Capital
Education & Literacy51%
$8.4M deployed23 awards
Environment & Animals21%
$3.5M deployed9 awards
Philanthropy & Grantmaking12%
$1.9M deployed8 awards
Arts, Culture & Humanities11%
$1.9M deployed13 awards
Human Services & Relief5%
$760K deployed4 awards
Top Recipient States% Dollars
MA State Recipients38%
$10.1M funded7 grants
OR State Recipients25%
$6.5M funded34 grants
DC State Recipients22%
$5.9M funded21 grants
VA State Recipients8%
$2M funded4 grants
NY State Recipients7%
$1.8M funded6 grants
Grant Size DistributionAward Scale
Major Grants ($100K+)57%
68 large institutional grants
Mid-Sized ($25K–$100K)30%
36 standard program grants
Micro & Small (<$25K)13%
16 grassroots micro-awards
Application Guidelines & DeadlinesPublic Filing Data
Application Policy
Invitation Only / Preselected Grantees
Submission Deadlines

Quarterly review cycles. Applications accepted continuously.

Geographic Focus & Restrictions

Priority given to organizations registered and operating in OR or regional districts.

Program Officer & Direct Contacts

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Recent Grant AwardsShowing 5 of 120 verified awards
Recipient OrganizationLocationTax YearAward AmountGrant Purpose
National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators AllianceHadley, MA2024$2,959,932To support inventive mindsets and skillsets among higher education students and to foster institutional conditions that nurture such students
National Science FoundationAlexandria, VA2024$1,650,000To enable innovative collaborative research on sustainability by fostering efforts to transform engineering education to prepare graduating engineers to address environmental and social sustainability
Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy INCWashington, DC2024$1,250,000To support pre-development activities necessary to support tribes seeking to develop renewable energy projects on their lands
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA2024$1,150,000To (1) support the lemelson-mits invention education work in developing the next generation of inventors, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and (2) advance the field of invention education
Rocky Mountain InstituteBoulder, CO2024$1,000,000To source, select, support, and scale promising startups through rmis third derivative and climate-aligned industries programs focused on decarbonizing three heavy industries: cement and concrete, petrochemicals, and steel
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Lemelson Foundation

Does The Lemelson Foundation accept unsolicited grant proposals?

The Lemelson Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and primarily funds preselected organizations. Direct unsolicited applications are not currently reviewed.

What is the typical grant size from The Lemelson Foundation?

The median grant size from The Lemelson Foundation is $115,000, with the middle 50% of awards ranging between $50K and $350K.

What causes does The Lemelson Foundation fund?

Over recent Form 990-PF filings, The Lemelson Foundation's primary funding areas have been Education & Literacy, Environment & Animals, Philanthropy & Grantmaking.

How do I contact The Lemelson Foundation about a grant?

The Lemelson Foundation is headquartered in Portland, OR. Verified NPO Grant subscribers can access direct program officer telephone extensions, primary office numbers, and detailed submission guidelines.