The Lowndes Foundation concentrates its giving on free‑market economic education and public policy research organizations that promote capitalism and market-oriented solutions. Grants are directed to think tanks and education groups—primarily the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, the Foundation for Economic Education, and the Palmetto Promise Institute—indicating a focus on conservative/libertarian economic ideas and state‑level policy influence. The foundation appears to favor sizable contributions to a small set of aligned organizations rather than broad, grassroots giving.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of aligned think tanks and academic programs; repeat funding to at least one grantee; mostly unrestricted 'contributions' to policy/education organizations.
Notable grantees: The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, Foundation for Economic Education, Palmetto Promise Institute
The Lowndes Foundation Inc. repeatedly backs a tight set of organizations that advance capitalism, market-oriented policy, and free-market economic education. Across 2023 through 2025, the same names recur at the top of its grant list, with $100,000 contributions to the Palmetto Promise Institute, The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, and the Foundation for Economic Education in multiple years. That pattern points to a funder that prefers sustained support for institutions working in economics education and public policy rather than a broad spread of small awards. Its recent giving also reaches beyond those three core recipients to a wider network of think tanks and liberty-oriented groups, including the Cato Institute, The Independent Institute, Mercatus Center at George Washington University, Atlas Network, the Federalist Society, Students for Liberty, Hillsdale College, and the Ludwig Von Mises Institute. The foundation’s grant list shows repeated contributions to the same organizations over several years, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than one-time project bets. The Lowndes Foundation Inc. is a regular funder with a national scope, but its recent portfolio is especially centered on policy research, economics education, and institutions associated with conservative and libertarian ideas.
In state-level policy and education reform, the foundation gave $100,000 to the Palmetto Promise Institute in Columbia, South Carolina for contributions in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That same multi-year pattern appears in academic work promoting capitalism through $100,000 grants to The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism in Clemson, South Carolina in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Free-market economic education is also central to the portfolio. The Foundation for Economic Education in Atlanta, Georgia received $100,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing continuing support for its educational role. Beyond these anchors, the foundation supports policy research and liberty-focused networks through grants to the Cato Institute in Washington, DC and The Independent Institute in Oakland, California.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a $50,000 median, with a p25 of $50,000 and a p75 of $72,500. The recent record also includes repeated $100,000 awards, showing that the foundation uses a small number of set grant levels rather than a wide spread of amounts. Recipients appear across multiple years, which indicates recurring support rather than isolated one-off gifts. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$935K
$13.6M
$1.7M
$1M
Most grants fall between $50K and $73K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$73K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in DC.
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Grant recipients are entirely in the United States. The top state by grant count is Virginia, reflecting frequent awards to organizations in Arlington and Washington, DC. Other recipient hubs include Columbia and Clemson in South Carolina, Atlanta in Georgia, Oakland in California, Auburn in Alabama, and Hillsdale in Michigan. The foundation gives nationally, but its recent grant map is concentrated in a handful of policy and education centers.
It funds organizations tied to free-market economic education, academic programs promoting capitalism, and state-level public policy and education reform. The recent grant list also includes think tanks and liberty-oriented institutions such as the Cato Institute, The Independent Institute, the Federalist Society, and Atlas Network.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the Palmetto Promise Institute, The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, and the Foundation for Economic Education, each with $100,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Its grant sizes are tightly grouped: p25 is $50,000, median is $50,000, and p75 is $72,500. The recent grants also include repeated $100,000 awards, but $50,000 is the central level in the distribution.
The top state by grant count is Virginia. Recent recipient locations include Arlington and Washington, DC, along with Columbia and Clemson in South Carolina, Atlanta in Georgia, Oakland in California, Auburn in Alabama, and Hillsdale in Michigan.
Its geographic scope is national, and every grant in the provided recipient distribution goes to US organizations. The recipient map is spread across several states rather than concentrated in Massachusetts, where the foundation is headquartered.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM | CLEMSON, SC | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Palmetto Promise Institute | Columbia, SC | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CATO INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $70,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MERCATUS CENTER George Washington Univ | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Institute of Humane Studies | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Atlas Network | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The Ludwig Von Mises Institute | Auburn, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE | ARLINGTON, VA | $30,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Judicial Watch | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION | Greenville, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| US Term Limits Foundation | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Palmetto Promise Institute | Columbia, SC | $100,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM | CLEMSON, SC | $100,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $75,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CATO INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $70,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| The Ludwig Von Mises Institute | Auburn, AL | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Atlas Network | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MERCATUS CENTER George Washington Univ | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Institute of Humane Studies | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Judicial Watch | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE | ARLINGTON, VA | $30,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION | Greenville, SC | $25,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| US Term Limits Foundation | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Palmetto Promise Institute | Columbia, SC | $100,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM | CLEMSON, SC | $100,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CATO INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $80,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $75,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE LUDWIG VON MISES INSTITUTE | AUBURN, AL | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MERCATUS CENTER George Washington Univ | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| INSTITUTE OF HUMANE STUDIES AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ATLAS NETWORK TWO LIBERTY CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $50,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| Judicial Watch | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE | ARLINGTON, VA | $30,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION | Greenville, SC | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM
$100,000CONTRIBUTION
CONTRIBUTION
STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
US Term Limits Foundation
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM
$100,000CONTRIBUTION
STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
US Term Limits Foundation
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
THE CLEMSON INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CAPITALISM
$100,000CONTRIBUTION
STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
SC PUBLIC INTEREST FOUNDATION
$25,000CONTRIBUTION