The Lukis Foundation concentrates its giving in Minnesota with a strong emphasis on education at multiple levels—major gifts to both higher education and independent K–12 schools—alongside targeted support for youth development and regional civic capacity. Grants are directed to established institutions (colleges, university foundations, and community foundations) and grassroots youth organizations, indicating an interest in both institutional impact and community-level programming. The foundation’s priorities appear place-based (Minnesota/Twin Cities area) and education-centered, with spare funding for community/civic initiatives.
Concentrated portfolio of a few large grants rather than many small awards; funding is place-based (Minnesota) and institution-focused, skewing toward established grantees and major one-time or multi-year commitments.
A $1,050,000 unrestricted gift to Gustavus Adolphus College in 2025 stands out as the largest recent grant from Lukis Foundation and signals the scale of its education-centered giving. The foundation backs institutions across the education pipeline, from colleges and university foundations to independent K–12 schools, while also supporting youth programs and select civic organizations. Its recent awards show repeated support for Minnesota-based institutions such as the University of Minnesota Foundation, The Blake School, and Minnesota Waldorf School, alongside place-based grants in Maine and other regions. Unrestricted support is a consistent feature of the portfolio, suggesting a preference for flexible funding rather than tightly restricted project grants. The foundation’s pattern is institutionally focused but not limited to higher education. It has made repeated awards to schools with different educational models, including Waldorf education, and has also supported youth-serving organizations such as Camp Amnicon and Put Me in Inc. Community infrastructure appears in the mix as well, with grants to entities like the Minneapolis Foundation, Maine Community Foundation, and Wayzata Conservancy. Across the recent record, the foundation favors established organizations and recurring relationships over one-off experimentation.
Education is the clearest throughline. Lukis Foundation gave $600,000 to University of Minnesota Foundation in 2024 and $200,000 to University of Maine Foundation in 2025, pairing public higher-education support with regional institutional giving. It also funded independent schools directly, including $300,000 to Minnesota Waldorf School in 2023. Waldorf education appears as a distinct strand within K–12 support. The foundation awarded $50,000 to Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2023 and again in 2024, extending the same unrestricted approach to a school serving a different region. Youth development is another recurring area. Camp Amnicon received $75,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Put Me in Inc received $250,000 in 2023 plus $120,000 in 2024, indicating continued support for youth-oriented programming. The portfolio also includes civic and community capacity, with $200,000 to Minneapolis Foundation in 2024 and $100,000 to Wayzata Conservancy in 2024.
$2.1M
$30.6M
$1.6M
$2.4M
Most grants fall between $21K and $81K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$81K
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Notable grantees: Gustavus Adolphus College, University of Minnesota Foundation, Minnesota Waldorf School, Put Me In Inc, Minneapolis Foundation
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $21,250, a median of $25,000, and a p75 of $81,250. Recent grants also include several much larger awards, showing a long tail toward institutional gifts. The foundation uses unrestricted support across the grants listed and gives in a regional pattern rather than nationally broad dispersion. Recurring relationships are visible: several recipients appear in multiple years, including one college, one public university foundation, and several schools and youth-serving groups. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Lukis Foundation gives primarily in the United States, and 56% of its grants go to recipients in Minnesota. Minneapolis appears repeatedly in the record through grants to the University of Minnesota Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, and Trivent Charitable Impact. Outside Minnesota, Maine is the top state by grant count, with recipients including University of Maine Foundation in Orono and Maine Community Foundation in Elsworth. Other recipient cities in the list include Freeport, South Range, St. Peter, Hopkins, and Wayzata.
The foundation concentrates on higher education, independent and alternative K–12 schools, youth development and enrichment, and regional civic or community foundations. Recent grants include support for colleges, Waldorf schools, youth organizations, and community foundations.
Yes. The recent grants listed are all marked unrestricted, including large awards to colleges, university foundations, schools, and community organizations.
The grant-size distribution centers on mid-five-figure awards: p25 is $21,250, median is $25,000, and p75 is $81,250. The recent record also includes larger institutional gifts above $100,000.
Minnesota receives 56% of grants, but Maine is the top state by grant count. Recipient cities in the record include Minneapolis, St. Peter, St. Paul, Hopkins, Orono, Elsworth, and Freeport.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Camp Amnicon, The Blake School, University of Minnesota Foundation, Gustavus Adolphus College, Maine Coast Waldorf School, Put Me in Inc, Mate II, and Robonation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE | ST PETER, MN | $1,050,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF MAINE FOUNDATION | ORONO, ME | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OCEAN DISCOVERY LEAGUE | SAUNDERSTOWN, RI | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MATE II | MONTEREY, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ROBONATION | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAMP AMNICON | SOUTH RANGE, WI | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE BLAKE SCHOOL | HOPKINS, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PUT ME IN INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO FOUNDATION | BUFFALO, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MINNESOTA WALDORF SCHOOL | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL | FREEPORT, ME | $40,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD NORTH CENTRAL STATES | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN MIGRAINE FOUNDATION | MOUNT ROYAL, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MN NETWORK OF HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE | ARDEN HILLS, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GREATER MPLS CRISIS NURSERY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TREEHOUSE | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND | ST PAUL, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| EDEN PRAIRIE SCHOOLS | EDEN PRAIRIE, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PMC JIMMY RIDE | BROOKLINE, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $600,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TRIVENT CHARITABLE IMPACT | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ELSWORTH, ME | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PUT ME IN INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $120,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ROBONATION | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MATE II | MONTEREY, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WAYZATA CONSERVANCY | WAYZATA, MN | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAMP AMNICON | SOUTH RANGE, WI | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL | FREEPORT, ME | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE BLAKE SCHOOL | HOPKINS, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE | ST PETER, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MINNESOTA WALDORF SCHOOL | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO FOUNDATION | BUFFALO, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SANDY HOOK PROMISE | NEWTOWN, CT | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MN NETWORK OF HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE | ARDEN HILLS, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GREATER MPLS CRISIS NURSERY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD NORTH CENTRAL STATES | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION | ST PAUL, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN MIGRAINE FOUNDATION | MOUNT ROYAL, NJ | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| EDEN PRAIRIE SCHOOLS | EDEN PRAIRIE, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND | ST PAUL, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TREEHOUSE | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PMC JIMMY RIDE | BROOKLINE, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MINNESOTA WALDORF SCHOOL | ST PAUL, MN | $300,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
MATE II
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
ROBONATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
CAMP AMNICON
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
THE BLAKE SCHOOL
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL
$40,000UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN MIGRAINE FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
MN NETWORK OF HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
GREATER MPLS CRISIS NURSERY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
TREEHOUSE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
EDEN PRAIRIE SCHOOLS
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
PMC JIMMY RIDE
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
TRIVENT CHARITABLE IMPACT
$200,000UNRESTRICTED
ROBONATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
MATE II
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
WAYZATA CONSERVANCY
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
CAMP AMNICON
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
THE BLAKE SCHOOL
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
MN NETWORK OF HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN MIGRAINE FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
EDEN PRAIRIE SCHOOLS
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
TREEHOUSE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
PMC JIMMY RIDE
$1,000UNRESTRICTED