Foundation directory
The Lemelson Foundation Grants
Private foundation · EIN 88-0391959 · IRS 990-PF filings through tax year 2024
- Total grants paid
- $19.7M
- Grants reported
- 71
- Median grant
- $115K
- Future commitments
- $27.1M
Giving by tax year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 71 | $19.7M |
Where The Lemelson Foundation gives
States of grant recipients reported on the foundation's 990-PF filings, by dollars received.
Largest reported grants
The biggest individual grants on file, as reported by the foundation to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Tax year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL COLLEGIATE INVENTORS & INNOVATORS ALLIANCE | HADLEY, MA | TO SUPPORT INVENTIVE MINDSETS AND SKILLSETS AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS AND TO FOSTER INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS THAT NURTURE SUCH STUDENTS | 2024 | $3M |
| NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | TO ENABLE INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABILITY BY FOSTERING EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM ENGINEERING EDUCATION TO PREPARE GRADUATING ENGINEERS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY | 2024 | $1.7M |
| ALLIANCE FOR TRIBAL CLEAN ENERGY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT PRE-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT TRIBES SEEKING TO DEVELOP RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON THEIR LANDS | 2024 | $1.3M |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | TO (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 | 2024 | $1.2M |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE | BOULDER, CO | TO 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 | 2024 | $1M |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC | NEW YORK, NY | TO BE USED BY ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS AS FISCAL SPONSOR FOR THE URBAN MOVEMENT INNOVATION FUND | 2024 | $750K |
| WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY | HOUSTON, TX | TO INCREASE CAPACITY AND PARTNERSHIPS IN KENYAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN KENYA'S INNOVATION SYSTEM | 2024 | $600K |
| OIL CHANGE INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | 2024 | $500K |
| SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL VEREIN FUR NACHHALTIGE ENERGIE | WIEN | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | 2024 | $500K |
| ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CLEANUP AND DECOMMISSIONING OF METHANE-LEAKING INFRASTRUCTURE | 2024 | $500K |
| CLIMATE BREAKTHROUGH INC | BERKELEY, CA | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | 2024 | $500K |
| SEEDING JUSTICE | PORTLAND, OR | TO BE USED FOR BRIDGE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OREGON COMMUNITY CLIMATE INVESTMENTS FUND | 2024 | $500K |
| KENYA IMPACT INNOVATIONS FOUNDATION | NAIROBI, NAIROBI | TO SUPPORT BUSINESS INCUBATION ACTIVITIES, DEVELOP A PIPELINE OF INVENTION-BASED ENTERPRISES, AND STRENGTHEN AN INCLUSIVE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM THAT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND OTHER BIOTECH INNOVATIONS IN EAST AFRICA | 2024 | $500K |
| CLEARPATH INC | WASHINGTON, DC | TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF THE CLEAN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY CAMPAIGN TO ACCELERATE THE DECARBONIZATION OF DOMESTIC INDUSTRIAL SECTORS | 2024 | $400K |
| SELCO FOUNDATION | BANGALORE, KARNATAKA | TO SUPPORT A CLIMATE-FOCUSED, INCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND INCUBATION PROGRAM AND KNOWLEDGE CENTER | 2024 | $395.7K |
| VILLGRO INNOVATIONS FOUNDATION | CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU | TO SUPPORT THE INCUBATION AND LAUNCH OF HIGH-IMPACT, HIGHLY SCALABLE, INVENTION-BASED ENTERPRISES IN INDIA THAT IMPROVE LIVES OF THE POOR AS WELL ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THESE IBES FACE IN PREPARING TO SCALE, AND TO STRENGTHEN THE RESILIENCE OF INVENTION ECOSYSTEM IN INDIA | 2024 | $375.6K |
| WINDWARD FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | TO SCALE UP COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS IN METHANE MITIGATION | 2024 | $360K |
| ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY INC | CHARLESTOWN, MA | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | 2024 | $350K |
| PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, OR | TO SUPPORT THE INVENT OREGON PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND TO IMPLEMENT STATEWIDE COLLEGIATE INVENTION AND PROTOTYPING COMPETITION IN OREGON | 2024 | $334K |
| NEW VENTURE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE CATALYTIC CAPITAL COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND SUPPORT INNOVATION THAT ADVANCES THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE AND THE PLANET IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES | 2024 | $300K |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED | NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT METHANESAT, AN ORBITAL EYE IN THE SKY THAT COULD MONITOR INDUSTRIAL METHANE LEAKS ALL OVER THE PLANET | 2024 | $300K |
| CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE INC | BOSTON, MA | TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN AFRICA WORKING TO ADDRESS METHANE EMISSIONS | 2024 | $250K |
| NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO INC | WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | 2024 | $250K |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT A MULTI-POINT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE THEM THROUGH SCIENCE FAIRS HELD ACROSS THE COUNTRY | 2024 | $225K |
| THE EDISON INSTITUTE INC | DEARBORN, MI | TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IN THEIR INVENTION EDUCATION WORK, IN ADDITION TO SUSTAINING A NATIONAL NETWORK OF INVENTION CONVENTION AFFILIATE PROGRAMS | 2024 | $205.9K |
How to apply
This foundation reports on its 990-PF that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications.
About this data
Figures are aggregated from The Lemelson Foundation's IRS Form 990-PF electronic filings (1 filing on file, most recent tax year 2024). Totals reflect grants the foundation reported as paid, and can lag the current year because foundations file annually and often on extension. Source: IRS 990-PF e-file archive.