The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world by boosting access to knowledge and forward-thinking ideas.
The Henry Luce Foundation Inc has a clear pattern of funding scholarship, fellowships, and institutional programs that build public knowledge in religion, Asia studies, Native American communities, American art, and women in STEM. Among its recent grants, one of the largest is $1,250,000 to the American Council of Learned Societies for academic fellowships, alongside repeated support for the Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies. That combination points to a funder that often backs research pipelines rather than one-time projects. The foundation also makes large commitments to community-centered intellectual work: First Nations Development Institute received multiple six-figure awards for fellowships and for cohorts supporting public/community intellectuals in Native American communities. In higher education, the foundation supports designated STEM programming at a wide set of colleges and universities through the Clare Boothe Luce program family. Its grant record also includes support for public scholarship on race, justice, and religion, showing that it funds both academic inquiry and work that reaches broader publics. The foundation’s grants are generally national in scope, but the recent record shows recurring investments in named programs and institutional partners over multiple years.
In Asia-related scholarship, the foundation backed the American Council of Learned Societies with $750,000 in 2023 and another $750,000 in 2024 for the Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies. It also gave $600,000 to the University of California Berkeley for the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative, linking Asia studies with religion and public scholarship. In Native American knowledge work, First Nations Development Institute received $500,000 awards in both 2023 and 2024 for Cohort 4 and Cohort 5 supporting public/community intellectuals in Native American communities, plus another $450,000 for Cohort 3. Religion and theology are also visible through $450,000 to Northeastern University for Sacred Writes: Public Scholarship on Race, Justice, and Religion. On the STEM side, $458,200 grants to multiple colleges and universities support the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program.
Typical grant size is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $125,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record includes much larger program grants and fellowships. The same organizations appear across multiple years, including the American Council of Learned Societies and First Nations Development Institute, which suggests recurring institutional partnerships rather than isolated awards. The foundation is a regular funder and funds individuals, with several active programs structured as fellowships, professorships, and designated institutional grants. The record also shows program-restricted and escrow-style funding in the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program family.
$57.6M
$1.1B
$81M
$75.9M
Most grants fall between $3K and $125K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$125K
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Henry Luce Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 1,754 | $138M | 97.2% |
| 2 | Canada | 8 |
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Most grants go to recipients in the United States, and 31% of grants are to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state of New York. Recent recipient cities include New York, Longmont, Berkeley, Baltimore, Boston, Omaha, South Hadley, South Orange, Waterville, Washington, and The Bronx. Outside the US, the recipient-country distribution is small but present, with grants recorded in Canada, Kenya, Japan, Senegal, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, Thailand, Brazil, and Rwanda.
Its active programs include American Art, Democracy, Ethics, & Public Trust, Religion & Theology, Women in STEM, Luce Scholars, the Henry R. Luce Professorship Program, and the East and Southeast Asian Archaeology Initiative. The recent record also shows fellowship support, research initiatives, and designated institutional grants.
Yes. The American Council of Learned Societies appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and First Nations Development Institute appears in multiple years as well. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with selected institutions and programs.
The typical grant-size distribution is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $125,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows larger awards such as $1,250,000 and several $750,000 and $600,000 grants.
The top state by grant count is New York, which accounts for 31% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipient locations also include cities such as Longmont, Berkeley, Baltimore, and Washington.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals and its recent grants include support for academic fellowships, support for fellowships, and multiple fellowship-linked program grants. Its active programs also include Luce Scholars and professorship support.
DR MARIKO SILVER
PRESIDENT & Director through 9/15/2024
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $760K |
0.4% |
| 3 | Kenya | 5 | $425K | 0.3% |
| 4 | Singapore | 4 | $740K | 0.2% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 4 | $400K | 0.2% |
| 6 | Japan | 4 | $390K | 0.2% |
| 7 | Cambodia | 3 | $500K | 0.2% |
| 8 | Thailand | 3 | $375K | 0.2% |
| 9 | Colombia | 2 | $250K | 0.1% |
| 10 | Puerto Rico | 2 | $250K | 0.1% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Council of Learned Societies | New York, NY | $1,250,000 | 2025 | Support for academic fellowships |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | $750,000 | 2025 | Support for fellowships |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | $550,000 | 2025 | Support for fellowships |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | $500,000 | 2025 | Support for fellowships |
| Colby College | Waterville, ME | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Villanova Preparatory School | Ojai, CA | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| St Johns University | Queens, NY | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Seton Hall University | South Orange, NJ | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley, MA | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Trinity Washington University | Washington, DC | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Marymount University | Arlington, VA | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Creighton University | Omaha, NE | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| Fordham University | The Bronx, NY | $458,200 | 2025 | Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation | Madison, WI | $450,000 | 2025 | Support for academic research |
| American Council of Learned Societies | New York, NY | $406,668 | 2025 | Support for PhD dissertation fellowships |
| University of California Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | $400,000 | 2025 | Support for research network |
| Morgan State University | Baltimore, MD | $400,000 | 2025 | Support for research networks and public programs |
| National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution | Washington, DC | $400,000 | 2025 | Support for convening and related publication |
| The Stimson Center | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 2025 | Support for policy research and workshops |
| East-West Center | Honolulu, HI | $315,000 | 2025 | Support for academic research |
| National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution | Washington, DC | $300,000 | 2025 | Support for convening and publication |
| Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) | Washington, DC | $300,000 | 2025 | Support for research fellows |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | $300,000 | 2025 | Fellowship support |
| AAPI Civic Engagement Fund | Los Angeles, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | Support for civic engagement |
| Amalgamated Foundation | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for advocacy of higher education |
| Portland Art Museum | Portland, OR | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for an art exhibition |
| Texas Tribune | Austin, TX | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for an educational series on Texas history |
| Native American Rights Fund | Boulder, CO | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for a museum |
| Burke Museum | Seattle, WA | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for preservation of an art collection |
| Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art | New York, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | Support for an art exhibition |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum | Washington, DC | $225,000 | 2025 | Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork |
| Association of Tribal Archives Libraries and Museums | Oklahoma City, OK | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for a museum |
| The Aspen Institute | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for leadership development and convening |
| Queens Museum | Queens, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for archving of permanent collection |
| Free Press | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for media advocacy and strengthening of local news coverage |
| Whitney Museum of American Art | New York, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for an art exhibition |
| Meanings of Democracy Lab | StorrsMansfield, CT | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for podcast and related research |
| Oakland Museum of California | Oakland, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for preservation of an art collection |
| American Historical Association | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for the preservation of history |
| Anchorage Museum | Anchorage, AK | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for an art exhibition |
| PEN America | New York, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for research and the creation of materials for public education |
| OpenSecrets | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for professional training |
| Woodmere Art Museum | Philadelphia, PA | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork |
| Clemson University Foundation | Clemson, SC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for a Clare Boothe Luce STEM professorship |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for post doc fellowship and convenings |
| Nevada Museum of Art | Reno, NV | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Support for collection development and archival project |
Colby College
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Santa Clara University
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Villanova Preparatory School
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
St Johns University
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Mount Holyoke College
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
University of Notre Dame
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Trinity Washington University
$458,200Support for the Clare Boothe Luce STEM program
Support for PhD dissertation fellowships
University of California Berkeley
$400,000Support for research network
Morgan State University
$400,000Support for research networks and public programs
National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution
$400,000Support for convening and related publication
East-West Center
$315,000Support for academic research
National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution
$300,000Support for convening and publication
Amalgamated Foundation
$250,000Support for advocacy of higher education
Smithsonian American Art Museum
$225,000Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork
Association of Tribal Archives Libraries and Museums
$200,000Support for a museum
Queens Museum
$200,000Support for archving of permanent collection
Free Press
$200,000Support for media advocacy and strengthening of local news coverage
Whitney Museum of American Art
$200,000Support for an art exhibition
Meanings of Democracy Lab
$200,000Support for podcast and related research
Oakland Museum of California
$200,000Support for preservation of an art collection
Anchorage Museum
$200,000Support for an art exhibition
PEN America
$200,000Support for research and the creation of materials for public education
Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork
Support for a Clare Boothe Luce STEM professorship
Columbia University
$200,000Support for post doc fellowship and convenings
Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork
Smithsonian American Art Museum
$200,000Support for collection development and archival project
Current and upcoming funding from Henry Luce Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: This program has specific eligibility requirements; applicants must review the program guidelines. Grants generally go to institutions, typically U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations or international equivalents.
Deadline: Program-specific deadlines and requirements vary.
Who can apply: The foundation states this program has very specific eligibility requirements and should be reviewed carefully before applying; awards are made to institutions.
Deadline: Board consideration occurs three times each year in March, June, and November; specific program deadlines vary.
Who can apply: Grants are generally made to U.S. not-for-profit organizations or their international equivalents. Grants cannot be awarded directly to individuals except through the Luce Scholars Program. The Foundation excludes political activities, healthcare, medical initiatives, disaster relief, international development, annual funds, fundraising events, endowments, and building campaigns.
Deadline: Deadlines vary by program and are specified in the applicable guidelines.
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