Lebron James Family Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Lebron James Family Foundation supports K-12 and higher education in James’s hometown of Akron, Ohio.

IP TAKE: The Lebron James Family Foundation invest in several ongoing, large-scale initiatives that appear to leave little room for additional grantmaking; only a few smaller grants support other Akron-based organizations each year. This is a competitive grant space, since grantees are often rewarded with continued support. The best way to get on this funder’s radar might be to attend a foundation event or to network with one or more members of the advisory board, whose names and biographies are featured on the organization’s website.

PROFILE: The Lebron James Family Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of the NBA star Lebron James, his wife, Savannah, and their family. LeBron is the first active NBA player to make the coveted Forbes list, with a net worth of $1 billion. Born in Akron, Ohio, Lebron James first garnered national attention as the top high school basketball player in the country. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 at 18 years old, he helped the Miami Heat to titles in 2012 and 2013, and returned to Cleveland to help the franchise claim its first championship in 2016. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has won four NBA championships, two Olympic medals and was four times named NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year. Off the court, James was an early investor in Blaze Pizza and runs his production company SpringHill Entertainment.

Lebron James established his family foundation in 2006 with the goal of investing “time, resources, and attention in the kids of LeBron’s hometown.” Grantmaking and signature programs mainly support Akron-based K-12 and higher education initiatives, but a few grants have supported other organizations in the Akron area.    

Grants for K-12, Higher Education and Work and Opportunity

The Foundation’s education philanthropy is conducted mainly through four signature programs:

  • The IPROMISE Program, launched in 2011, supports high-risk Akron students from grade three through 12 with academic and social support as well as after-school and out-of-school enrichments and tutoring. Examples of programs offered include financial literacy, mentoring, family support and nutrition programs. To date, the program has served over 1,000 students.

  • The IPROMISE School was launched in 2018 in collaboration with Akron Public Schools. The project aims to “wrap around the most at-risk students and families in Akron” with high quality instruction and other forms of support including counseling and free meals, transportation and school uniforms. Graduates of the school earn admission and scholarships to the University of Akron.

  • Established in 2015 on the campus of the University of Akron, the IPROMISE Institute supports IPROMISE students with mentoring and counseling services to support student matriculation and graduation from four year programs.

  • The IPROMISE Too program supports the parents and families of IPROMISE students with free GED courses and vocational training and counseling.

  • In addition to these signature programs, the Lebron James Family Foundation has provided support to the University of Akron’s School of Education, which was renamed the Lebron James Family Foundation School of Education, and St. Vincent and St. Mary High School, which was Lebron’s school and which is now home to the Lebron James Arena.

Grants for Health

Opened in 2023, I Promise HealthQuarters provides medical, dental, optometry and mental heath supports as well as an on-site pharmacy and lab services. The community health and wellness center is within walking distance of I Promise School and across from House Three Thirty, a multi-use facility funded by LJFF that also offers resources to I PROMISE families. I Promise HealthQuarters partners with several health providers whose mission is to improve the lives of people with mental illness by investing in innovative projects in northeast Ohio.

Other Grantmaking Opportunities

The Lebron James Family Foundation makes only a few grants outside of its work in education. Past recipients include Akron’s Summit County Historical Society and the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association. Lebron and his business partner Maverick Carter donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which supported "Muhammad Ali: A Force for Change," an exhibit on the late boxer’s commitment to social justice.

In 2020, James partnered with comedian Kevin Hart and others to form “More than a Vote,” an organization created to support African-American voter registration and address voter suppression.

Important Grant Details:

In a recent year, the Lebron James Family Foundation made about $2.8 million in grants. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $400,000, with larger sums devoted to the foundation’s signature education projects.

  • This funder’s work is extremely narrow in scope thematically and geographically, with only a small fraction of grantmaking serving organizations that are not involved in K-12 or higher education in Akron.

  • For additional information about the foundation’s signature education programs and grantmaking, see its programs page or its recent tax filings.

  • The Lebron James Family Foundation does not run an open application program or provide a direct avenue for getting in touch.

  • The foundation’s website, however, features links to its social media handles, names and biographies of its advisory board members, as well as a page listing upcoming foundation events.

The foundation’s phone number is (216) 771-2323.

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