Lewis Family Foundation

OVERVIEW:  The Lewis Family Foundation is a big youth funder in Boston that supports college access and readiness.

FUNDING AREAS: Youth, college access and readiness

IP TAKE: It is all about youth and college for this funder when it comes to Boston giving. Grants are not necessarily huge, but they are very locally focused.

PROFILE: Established in 1982, the Lewis Family Foundation is the foundation of Alan and Harriet Lewis. Alan Lewis runs the Grand Circle Corporation and its subsidiary, Grand Circle Travel. His travel company was launched in 1958, primarily to serve AARP members, and it still focuses on international travel for older Americans today. Foundation grantmaking interests address youth, as well as college access and readiness.

This foundation currently works on ten different initiatives: Bigger Than My Block, College Works, the Grand Circle Foundation, Pinnacle Leadership, the Farm at Eastman’s Corner, and Alnoba. The first two in this list are focused on the Boston area. CollegeWorks was launched to double the four-year college graduation rate for young people from Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan by 2020. Bigger Than My Block is a platform for reaching young people to give them a voice and the resources they need to succeed in college. Community partners in Boston include BottomLine, uAspire, City on a Hill Charter School, the Boston Collegiate Charter School, BUILD, West End House, CollegeBound Dorchester Artists for Humanity, and others. The foundation has also added Jobs Action Tank, Strong Leaders, Next Generation Leaders, and Pinnacle Leadership.

Grants are typically awarded between $1,000 and $10,000 and due in the spring and fall. View past grant information on the community partners page of the funder’s website. The couple’s foundation focuses giving on Boston and on Kensington, New Hampshire, the family's hometowns.

The foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications for its Associate’s Fund. Spring and fall deadlines are in March and October. Direct general questions to the LFF staff at 855-533-9335 or via email at info@lff.org.

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