The Lemelson Foundation
Portland, Oregon · EIN 880391959 · Private foundation
Based in Portland, Oregon, The Lemelson Foundation has awarded $75.7M across 307 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.
What The Lemelson Foundation funds
The Lemelson Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on adult education, arts & culture, civil rights & social justice, community improvement, economic development, and related causes.
Populations it has supported include black communities, children, foster youth, hispanic communities, indigenous, low-income communities.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Lemelson Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM INCLUDING THE LEMELSON-MIT PRIZE, STUDENT PRIZE PROGRAM, INVENTEAM PROGRAM, AND JV INVENTEA | Cambridge, MA | $4.5M | 2020 |
| National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance TO SUPPORT EARLY-STAGE STUDENT INVENTORS TO DEVELOP AND COMMERCIALIZE PRODUCTS THAT CREATE SOCIAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND TO SUPPORT FA | Hadley, MA | $3.1M | 2019 |
| National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance TO SUPPORT PROMISING, EARLY-STAGE STUDENT INVENTORS IN THE VENTURE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND TO SUPPORT FACULTY TO CULTIVATE THE CONDITIONS T | Hadley, MA | $3.1M | 2020 |
| National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance TO SUPPORT PROMISING, EARLY-STAGE STUDENT INVENTORS IN THE VENTURE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND TO SUPPORT FACULTY TO CULTIVATE THE CONDITIONS T | Hadley, MA | $3.1M | 2022 |
| National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance TO SUPPORT INVENTIVE MINDSETS AND SKILLSETS IN COLLEGIATE STUDENTS AND TO SUPPORT FACULTY TO CULTIVATE INVENTION EDUCATION. | Hadley, MA | $3.0M | 2023 |
| National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance TO SUPPORT INVENTIVE MINDSETS AND SKILLSETS AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS AND TO FOSTER INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS THAT NURTURE SUCH STUDENT | Hadley, MA | $3.0M | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology TO SEEK TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF INVENTORS, WITH A FOCUS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, AND SPECIFICALLY TO EXPAND INCLUSIVE | Cambridge, MA | $2.3M | 2023 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology TO SEEK TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF INVENTORS, WITH A FOCUS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, AND SPECIFICALLY TO EXPAND INCLUSIVE | Cambridge, MA | $2.3M | 2022 |
| National Science Foundation TO ENABLE INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABILITY BY FOSTERING EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM ENGINEERING EDUCATION TO PREPARE GRADUATING | Alexandria, VA | $1.6M | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM INCLUDING THE LEMELSON-MIT PRIZE, STUDENT PRIZE PROGRAM, INVENTEAM PROGRAM, AND JV INVENTEA | Cambridge, MA | $1.5M | 2019 |
| Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy Inc TO SUPPORT PRE-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT TRIBES SEEKING TO DEVELOP RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON THEIR LANDS | Washington, DC | $1.2M | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology TO (1) SUPPORT THE LEMELSON-MITS INVENTION EDUCATION WORK IN DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INVENTORS, WITH A FOCUS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, | Cambridge, MA | $1.1M | 2024 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute TO SOURCE, SELECT, SUPPORT, AND SCALE PROMISING STARTUPS THROUGH RMIS THIRD DERIVATIVE AND CLIMATE-ALIGNED INDUSTRIES PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON DE | Boulder, CO | $1.0M | 2024 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute TO ACCELERATE INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION BY SOURCING, SELECTING, SUPPORTING, AND SCALING CLIMATE TECH STARTUPS THROUGH RMIS THIRD DERIVATIVE | Boulder, CO | $1.0M | 2023 |
| Instituto Clima E Sociedade TO BRING INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO THE GUARDIANS OF THE AMAZON AND DEVELOP A ROADMAP FOR INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION AND CLIMATE JUSTICE IN NO | — | $1.0M | 2023 |
The Lemelson Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Lemelson Foundation
The Lemelson Foundation's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal. You can review the foundation directly at lemelson.org.
Is The Lemelson Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The Lemelson Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Lemelson Foundation
- Does The Lemelson Foundation accept grant applications?
- The Lemelson Foundation's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
- What does The Lemelson Foundation fund?
- The Lemelson Foundation's grants focus on adult education. Recent recipients include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Lemelson Foundation give in grants?
- The Lemelson Foundation reported $14.9M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $75.7M over 307 grants.
- Where is The Lemelson Foundation located?
- The Lemelson Foundation is based in Portland, Oregon. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 880391959.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Lemelson Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Lemelson Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
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