Print full grant guidelines.
Lumina Foundation solicits proposals for some of its grant initiatives. In addition, we welcome letters of inquiry from
eligible organizations (http://www.luminafoundation.org/grants/whowefund.html) that seek funds for projects that fit our mission and guidelines.
A letter of inquiry should describe the proposed project and respond to the following questions in 3-5 pages:
- What is the project's goal?
- What is the sponsoring organization?
- What special qualifications does the organization bring to this project?
- What other organizations are involved, if any? How will they contribute to the work?
- How does the proposed project relate to the applicant organization's mission?
- Whom will this project serve?
- What are the intended outcomes, and how will the project achieve them?
- What is the geographic scope of the proposed project?
- Why is this project important to pursue at this time?
- What is the total cost of the project? What amount do you seek from Lumina Foundation, for what period of time? What resources will others provide?
The Foundation accepts inquiries year-round. We consider only those inquiries that:
- Include a completed cover sheet (http://www.luminafoundation.org/grants/LOI_cover_sheet.doc), not to exceed one page.
- Are submitted on the letterhead of the sponsoring organization or institution.
- Specify the amount of financial support requested and the timeframe.
We review every inquiry that meets the above criteria. Following the review, we let applicants know whether or not the inquiry fits our current priorities and resources. If we request a full proposal, we will provide instructions on applying for a grant and will request additional information about the project.
Send grant inquiries to:
Program Office - "New Inquiry"
Lumina Foundation for Education
P.O. Box 1806
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1806
Grant inquiries can also be submitted electronically. Please send the Letter of Inquiry and completed cover sheet as attachments to our
e-mail address.
Grant size
Grants vary in size by their scope and potential for impact. Direct-service grants to students and families tend to be smaller than those that affect entire systems. The median size of a typical grant is approximately $150,000; the average size is about $400,000. The usual term for grants is one to three years, although exceptions sometimes apply to initiatives we sponsor.
