Lee Initiative Inc
Louisville, KY · EIN 82-3884798. Reported 264 grants totalling $5,785,726 to 257 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.
257organizations funded
$15,000median reported grant
$5,785,726granted, 2021-2024
2%of grantees funded again the next year
25%of dollars to its largest recipient
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Lee Initiative Inc, the IRS classifies it under employment rather than as a grantmaker (NTEE J20) -- it is an operating charity that also makes grants.
- How spread out its giving is. 257 distinct organizations, with 25% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 2% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $15,000. Half of what it reported fell between $14,000 and $20,000; the smallest was $6,000 and the largest $1,464,184. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Schedule I only reports grants over $5,000. Form 990 requires a charity to list recipients it paid more than that and lets it omit the rest, so every grant-size figure on this page describes the grants it reported, not all of them. Its real median is lower and its real recipient count is higher. This is also why these numbers cannot be compared with the private-foundation figures elsewhere on this site -- Form 990-PF has no reporting floor, so the two are different populations rather than two samples of one.
Every organization it funded
All 257 recipients appear in its filings; the 250 largest are listed here. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- the clearest signal of who this grantmaker actually has a relationship with.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Frances Inc | Washington, DC | $1,464,184 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Historic Magnolia House | Greensboro, NC | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Florida Avenue Grill | Washington, DC | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Christon Enterprises | Isom, KY | $37,295 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cleo's Southern Cuisine | Chicgao, IL | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Amarachi Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dozzy's Grill | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Rich Taste LLC | Jacksonville, FL | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Jade Jamaican Grill Inc | Hamilton, NJ | $29,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Dayosense Catering | Seattle, WA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Everett and Jones Bbq International | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Glady's Kitchen | Americus, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hoover's Cooking | Austin, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Horn Barbeque | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| HP53 LLC | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| James H Jones | Marianna, AR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mr Everything Super Deli | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| New Olde Towne Inn | Upper Marlboro, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Owens Grocery Market & Deli | Baton Rouge, LA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Receptions for You | Thomasville, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Soul Veg City | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Famous Shabazz Seafood Restaurant | Savannah, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tricks Bbq | Savannah, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Woodspoon | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Woof's Sports Bar | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Addis Nola | New Orleans, LA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Alcenia's | Memphis, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Anomoly Catering Dba Yo Mamas Kitch | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Aunt Floras Cobbler Pie Company | Cincinnati, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Blak Koffee Internet Cafe | Louisville, KY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boricua Soul | Durham, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bug Lady's Fry Joint | Nashville, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Byron Hospitality | Stone Mountain, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cafe Colucci | Oakland, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Carter Investments Dba Soul & Smoke | Evanston, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Chicago's House of Hoagies | Menasha, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cornrow Htx (bloom Foods) | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Daddy's Soul Food and Grille | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Demera Ethiopian Restaurant | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Down North Pizza | Philadelphia, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Eddie's Retaurant LLC Lil Dizzy's Cafe | New Orelans, LA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Five Twenty Wings | Savannah, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Focus Group Inc | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Forsyth Seafood Market & Grill Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Gay Hawk Restaurant & Bobo's Catering Service | Memphis, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Goodies Frozencustard Treats | Alexandria, VA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Halcyon Patisserie | Southfield, MI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Julia's Catering | West Chester, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Justice of the Pier | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lagniappe Bakehouse | New Orleans, LA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lannie's B-B-Que | Selma, AL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Luella's Southern Kitchen | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Made By Lino LLC Dba From Lino | Bethlehem, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Meek's Vegan Pizza | Houston, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Melee Inc Dba Cane St James | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Miss Crumpy's | Memphis, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Montclair Diner | Upper Monclair, NJ | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Neutral Ground Chatt | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Off the Bone Barbaque | Dallas, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ohio Wagyu Beef - Sakura | Westerville, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Payne's Barbecue | Memphis, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Raslie's Cuisine | Athens, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rize Up Bakery | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Rojo Roastery | Trenton, NJ | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Roux Orleans | Pittsburgh, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Stack House | Kingston, RI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Step By Step Catering Inc | Decatur, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Suga's Cakery | Pflugerville, TX | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sugar Euphoria | Clayton, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sugar Hill Creamery | New York, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sweet Home Jamaica | Baltimore, MD | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sweet Potato Sensations Inc | Detriot, MI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tasteful Vegan | Wyoming, MI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Black Leaf Tea and Culture Shop | Providence, RI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Blue Flamingo Sports Bar and Gr | New Orleans, LA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Four Way LLC | Memphis, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| US Up North | Minden, LA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Vinateria | New York, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wadada Natural Foods Juice Bar | Atlanta, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Willows and Pine Restaurant | Oakland, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Woodstone Bakery and Cafe | Fayetteville, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wrap-a-Lot Fresh Express | College Park, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| 1911 Smoke House Bbq | Trenton, NJ | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| A Taste of Heaven | Ladson, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Auntie Kim's Pound Cakes | Cumming, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Autumn Olive Farms | Waynesboro, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bert and T's Desserts | Charleston, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bible Center Church Inc | Pittsburgh, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bird Pizzeria | Charlotte, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black Girl Tamales | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bobby's Bbq | Fountain Inn, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bomb Biscuit | Atlanta, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Brooklyn Blend | Brooklyn, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bumbu Roux (the Rice Table) | Skokie, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buna Kurs Ethiopian Cafe | Richmond, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bushwick Grind Cafe | Brooklyn, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buttermilk Boutique | Clayton, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Can't Believe It's Vegan | Westerville, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Caribbean Soul Kitchen La | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Carolina Cookery | Charleston, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Carribean Grill | Champaign, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Charlotte's Southern Deli | Richmond, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Chicago's Jerk Tacos | Louisville, KY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Claudy's Kitchen | Bronx, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Crave Dessert Bar | Charlotte, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dakar Nola | New Orleans, LA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dds Chick and Cat Shack | Glendora, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Destiny African Market | Randolph, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Detroit Soul | Detroit, MI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dottie's Market (gather Savannah Llc) | Savannah, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Down Home Delivery & Catering | Dorchester, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dr Dreamie Desserts LLC | Chicago Heights, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Eastside Pizza House | Okc, OK | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ebony Eyes Soul Food | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Elderflour Baking Company | Winstonsalem, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Elegant Cuiziens | Richmond, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Elise Organic Ice Cream | Griffin, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fifty's Caribbean Cuisine Inc | Immokalee, FL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Flatrock Smokehouse Bbq | The Colony, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Foodchasers Kitchen | Glenside, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Foode | Fredericksburg, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Forks & Flavors | Kennesaw, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Gabby Bakes | Tampa, FL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Garifuna Flava | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Georgia's Sweet Potatoe Pie Company | Louisville, KY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Gilly Brewing Co | Stone Mountain, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Goat & Bean Coffee | Johns Creek, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Good Hot Fish | Asheville, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Got Da Juice | Jersey City, NJ | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Grassrootz Books and Juice Bar | Phoenix, AZ | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Greedy Pot | New York, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Halleluiah Bbq | Apple Valley, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Highview Ice Cream and Coffee LLC | Louisville, KY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hot and Cool Cafe | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hotville Chicken LLC | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Humble Hearts Catering & Events LLC | Stevensville, MD | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Intentions Juice Smoothie Bar | Tacoma, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jimmy Pearls | Charlotte, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jolo's Kitchen | New Rochelle, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jonathans Fish & Chips | East Palo Alto, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jumbo Jive Turkey Legs | Indianapolis, IN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kale Cafe LLC | Daytona Beach, FL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kitchen Kraves | Tyrone, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kizin Cheole LLC | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kountry Korner Restaurant | Lake City, FL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Leah & Louise | Charlotte, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lighthouse on the Lake | Goodlettsville, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Little Food Studio | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Little Red Cupcake | Montgomery, AL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Local Green Atlanta | Atlanta, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lot-a-Burger | Memphis, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Louisiana Creole Gumbo Restaurant | Detroit, MI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Maraq Gourmet Soup Shop | Cleveland, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Miss Priss -the Sugar Shop | Johns Island, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| My Three Sons of Charleston | North Charleston, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Nana's Southern Kitchen | Kent, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Peculiar Pig Farm | Walterboro, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Portrait Coffee | Atlanta, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Quisha Ibraheem | Evanston, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Radical Rabbit | Nashville, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Restoreokc Inc | Oklahoma City, OK | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Reverence | New York, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rnd Coffee | Roanoke, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rocksolid Creative Food Group | Arlington, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets | Richmond, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ruki's Ethiopian Kitchen | Atlanta, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Safari Lounge | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sages Kitchen | Port Orange, FL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Saint Urban | Syracuse, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Saltbox Seafood Joint | Durham, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Simply Soulful Caf Espresso LLC | Seattle, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Smiths Smokehouse and Smoothies LLC | Wendell, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Southern Grace Cincy Catering | Cincinnati, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Strugglebeard Bakery | Chicago, IL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Surefire Neighborhood Market | Rock Hill, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Swank Desserts | Summerville, SC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Taste and Toast | Lancaster, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Tell Me Something Sweet Bakery | Plano, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| That's My Dog | Katy, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Consulate Restaurant | Atlanta, GA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The District Pit | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Salty Heifer | Brooklyn, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Sweetest Thing | Richmond, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Toya's Catering Services LLC | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tre's Street Kitchen | Baton Rouge, LA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trotter's Restaurant | Auburn, WA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Twist'd Kuisine LLC | Lancaster, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Val's Cheesecakes | Dallas, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| What the Fries | Charlotte, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wild Rise Bakery | Pittsburgh, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Zweli's Inc | Durham, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| 4 Nineteen Group LLC | Hampton, VA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| 8TH Avenue Social Club | New York, NY | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Aksum Group LLC | Levittown, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alveto Tutwiler (crump's Fish & Wings) | Memphis, TN | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ashley C Smith | Lexington, KY | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bad & Bougee Foodz | Dallas, TX | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Big Tony's West Philly Cheesesteaks | Plano, TX | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Boomtown 1201 LLC | Cincinnati, OH | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Carmi LLC | Pittsburgh, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cobblerworld | Pittsburgh, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Corine's Cakes and Catering | Muskegon, MI | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Crazy Waffle Bar | New Orleans, LA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Crump & Black Inc | Fredericksburg, VA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Daimon Scott | Lexington, KY | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dem 2 Brothers & a Grill | Charleston, WV | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Desserts By Marshelle | Midwest City, OK | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dre's Water Ice and Ice Cream | Philadephia, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| East Memphis Pizza & Subs | Memphis, TN | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Edible Endeavors Cafe | Austell, GA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Elite Culinary Staffing | Norfolk, VA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Eminent Hospitality | Pittsburgh, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Eugene's Hot Chicken | Birmingham, AL | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fishscale | Washington, DC | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| From the Heart Catering LLC | Lexington, KY | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Good Cakes and Bakes LLC | Detroit, MI | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Haitian Sensation | Sharon, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Just Add Honey Inc | Stone Mountain, GA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kuntry Cookin' | Muskegon, MI | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Magnificent Morsels Catering LLC | Cincinnati, OH | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mccrea Ventures LLC | Forney, TX | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mo Gumbo LLC | Chattanooga, TN | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Neil St Blues | Champaign, IL | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peaches Kitchen Catering LLC | Washington, DC | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Powellman LLC (dba Barcode & Grill) | St Ann, MO | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Primo Printers LLC | Pittsboro, NC | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Roxanne's Catering LLC | Monroeville, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Senses Vegan Comfort Food LLC | Williamsburg, VA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Serenity's Place Cafe & Bakery Inc | Park Forest, IL | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Shular Hospitality Group LLC | Cumming, GA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Black Italian | Louisville, KY | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Culturist Union | Guyton, GA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Sweet Spot & Urban Lounge LLC | Jacksonville, FL | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Triangle Gluten-Free LLC | Durham, NC | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Unforgettable Bakery | Savannah, GA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uptown Bbq & Fish | Covington, TN | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uptowne Bakery & Cafe | La Crosse, WI | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wings & a Prayer LLC | Pittsburgh, PA | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Xenia Roastery LLC | Arlington, TX | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sheryl Fox Ministries | Louisville, KY | $11,247 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mccullough Kelly - Wilkins | Chicago, IL | $11,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| 3 Sisters Garden | Kankakee, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Abundance Setting | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Capriole Inc | Greenville, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Down at the Farms LLC (spence Farms) | Fairbury, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Genesis Growers | Anne, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Gunthorp Farms | Lagrange, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hawkeye Farms LLC | St Joseph, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Herban Produce | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Iris Restaurant Group | Memphis, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
6 of 257 (2%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 7 of 257 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88 | $1,312,000 | $14,000 |
| 2022 | 65 | $1,118,542 | $15,000 |
| 2023 | 66 | $1,011,000 | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 45 | $2,344,184 | $20,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
27% of its giving went to organizations in District of Columbia. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
Down to the city
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available that two funders have overlapping priorities -- and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
National Urban League Inc15 shared recipientsNAACP Empowerment Programs Inc12 shared recipientsFeed the Soul Foundation6 shared recipientsWomen's Business Development Center5 shared recipientsDetroit Economic Growth Association4 shared recipientsFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund4 shared recipients
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $15,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in District of Columbia.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Foundations funding education in District of ColumbiaEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding public & societal benefit in District of ColumbiaEvery funder in this group, ranked
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Lee Initiative Inc's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 610 W Magnolia Ave, Louisville, KY, 40208.
EIN 82-3884798 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
This is history, not an open call. Form 990 is published about a year after the tax year it covers. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this organization has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next.
Is something here wrong about your organization? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.