Iacocca Family Foundation
The Iacocca Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1984 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Lee A. Iacocca, the former president of Ford Motor Company and later president, CEO, and chairman of Chrysler Corporation, the foundation was created in honor of his late wife, Mary K. Iacocca, who died from complications of Type 1 Diabetes. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has become a leader in supporting diabetes research and related health initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+23.6% YoY
Grant Count
5
-61.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$334K
+221.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is the alleviation of want and human suffering and the betterment and improvement of mankind through charitable contributions. The foundation was established to support innovative and promising research aimed at curing and alleviating the complications of diabetes, with a primary focus on Type 1 Diabetes.
Primary funding areas include:
- Type 1 Diabetes research
- Education related to diabetes
- Community-based programs addressing diabetes suffering
- Research on other autoimmune diseases
- Support programs and scholarships
- Fellowships
- Initiatives to increase access to fresh produce and healthcare
Grantmaking
The foundation is open to applications and accepts grant proposals.
Grant Range
approximately $5,000 to $365,000 depending on the year
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts, with notable support for institutions in California and other states conducting diabetes research.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $58,585,389 (as of December 2024)
- Total assets: $53.6 million (as of 2023)
Annual Activity:
- Total revenues (2024): $4,254,763
- Total expenses (2024): $1,408,888
- Total giving (2024): $1,668,132
- Total revenues (2023): $3.57 million
- Total expenses (2023): $1.66 million
- Investment income and dividends (2024): $1,294,115
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets (2024): $2,953,148
Giving Rate: Approximately 2.4% of assets annually
IRS Status: Tax-exempt since April 2016; EIN 38-6071154
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Kathryn Iacocca Hentz – President (40 hours/week, $177,000 annual compensation)
- Lia Iacocca Assad – Trustee
- Kenneth Anderson – Trustee
- Edward Bousa – Treasurer
- John Gerace – Trustee
- Desmond Heathwood – Trustee
- Louis Lataif – Secretary
Staff:
- Emma Coady – Grants & Program Manager (40 hours/week, $67,000 annual compensation)
The foundation is staffed with dedicated paid employees and operates with a board of trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DESMOND HEATHWOOD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| EDWARD BOUSA | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JOHN GERACE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATHRYN I HENTZ | PRESIDENT | 40 | $176,500 |
| KENNETH ANDERSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LIA I ASSAD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LOUIS LATAIF | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to expand its impact on diabetes research and related health initiatives. Recent major grants include significant support for Hoag Hospital's diabetes program expansion and a $5 million endowment gift to Lehigh University for the Iacocca Institute. The foundation has also supported partnerships advancing drug development for Type 1 Diabetes treatment, including collaborations with leading research institutions and universities.
$5 Million Gift from the Iacocca Family FoundationUnder the leadership of Kathryn Iacocca Hentz, the foundation actively collaborates with leading researchers and institutions to advance its mission of finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes while supporting education, community programs, and initiatives to improve healthcare access and outcomes.
$5 Million Gift from the Iacocca Family FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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