Lawrence Lewis Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Memphis, TN EIN: 62-6269000

The Lawrence Lewis Foundation is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports 30 grants totaling $254,368, with listed awards supporting organizations including healthcare, community services, education, arts, and cultural organizations.

Lawrence Lewis Foundation at a glance

In short: Lawrence Lewis Foundation gave $254K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Tennessee. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$254,368
+50.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
30
+15.4% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,479
+30.7% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,164
Total assets
$3,464,064
-3.8% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
40% first-time grantees (12 of 30, 2025)
Primary geography
Tennessee (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Lawrence Lewis Foundation

How to Apply

The 2024 filing lists Beth Bell as the contact and says to submit a letter stating the request. It lists no deadlines and no restrictions on awards. The filing also says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

Contact

Application contact: Beth Bell
Mailing address: 813 Ridge Lake Blvd 230, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 300-1609

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Lawrence Lewis Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare: $35KMethodist Le BonheurHealthcare$35KTulane University: $35KTulane University$35KJunior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South: $32KJunior Achievement of Memphisand the Mid-South$32KJewish Family Services: $25KJewish Family Services$25KMemphis Jewish Federation: $25KMemphis Jewish Federation$25KPlough Towers Fund Inc: $22KPlough Towers Fund Inc$22KFedEx Family House Foundation: $10KFedEx Family House Foundation$10KMetropolitan Inter-faith Association: $10KMetropolitan Inter-faithAssociation$10KMid-South Food Bank: $10KMid-South Food Bank$10KWorld Methodist Evangelism Inc: $8KWorld Methodist Evangelism Inc$8K

The largest 2025 recipient was Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare ($35K). Together the top 10 received $212K.

Grant Size Distribution

111 grants across all recorded years

108<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 111 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation is based in Memphis. In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 14% to Louisiana, 3% to Indiana, and 1% each to Mississippi and Ohio.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

MemphisBlue AshCordovaW LafayetteBrooklineGermantownColumbusKnoxvilleDallasHernandoHoustonMemhphisNashvilleNew OrleansWailuku

Is Lawrence Lewis Foundation open to new grantees?

40%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 12 of 30 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $9K. How we count

Medians: $520 first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K20 grants2020 15 grants2021 24 grants2022 16 grants2023 26 grants2024 30 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $99K (2021) to $384K (2022). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $254K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$35,000
Tulane University New Orleans, LAGeneral Charitable Contribution$35,000
Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$32,000
Jewish Family Services Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$25,000
Memphis Jewish Federation Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$25,000
Plough Towers Fund Inc Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$22,450
FedEx Family House Foundation Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$10,000
Metropolitan Inter-faith Association Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$10,000
Mid-South Food Bank Memphis, TNGeneral Charitable Contribution$10,000
World Methodist Evangelism Inc W Lafayette, INGeneral Charitable Contribution$7,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$3,464,064$93,753$273,070$254,36830$259,418$89,110$227,754
2024$3,600,175$253,846$186,697$168,65026$173,559$240,708$205,740
2023$3,750,496$284,138$174,655$155,40016$160,358$273,937$197,806
2022$3,641,013$451,127$411,491$384,33724$394,304$433,788$425,288
2021$3,405,135$314,337$117,561$99,12515—$300,625$190,785
2020$3,208,361$225,722$220,589$192,98120—$217,298$184,776

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lawrence Lewis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $228K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include general charitable contributions to organizations with varied missions. For example, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare describes its work as providing patient- and family-centered care; Plough Towers Fund says it provides aid and recreation to elderly and mobility-impaired tenants; and Literacy Mid-South says it mobilizes the community to expand literacy and learning services.

Other 2025 recipients describe missions that include supporting arts and culture, as ArtsMemphis puts it, and presenting artistic programs to educate and engage the community, as Germantown Performing Arts Center describes its work. Memphis Jewish Federation says it raises and allocates funds for Jewish activities and promotes good relations within the wider community.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave 30 grants totaling $254,368. Awards ranged from $300 to $35,000, with a median grant of $3,164. The largest listed grants were $35,000 each to Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Tulane University, followed by $32,000 to Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. Other notable awards included $25,000 each to Jewish Family Services and Memphis Jewish Federation, $22,450 to Plough Towers Fund, and $10,000 each to FedEx Family House Foundation, Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, and Mid-South Food Bank. The listed grant purposes were general charitable contributions.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Pendleton Square Trust Company LLC, Lauren Lewis Rower, and Jeff Rower as co-trustees.

Lawrence Lewis Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Pendleton Square Trust Company LLC

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    $7K (2024) → $8K (2025)

  • Jeff Rower

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lauren Lewis Rower

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Truist Bank (2022–2023) — Co-Trustee
  • Former: Truist Bank FKA Suntrust Bank (2020–2021) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Pendleton Square Trust Company LLC — Co-Trustee: $8KPendleton Square Trust…Co-Trustee$8K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $8K, to Pendleton Square Trust Company LLC (Co-Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Lewis Foundation

How much does Lawrence Lewis Foundation give each year?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation gave $254K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $169K across 26 grants.

What is Lawrence Lewis Foundation's typical grant size?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,164, and its average grant was $8,479, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lawrence Lewis Foundation that year got $7K on average.

Where does Lawrence Lewis Foundation give grants?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Louisiana (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (21 grants).

Does Lawrence Lewis Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Lawrence Lewis Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Lawrence Lewis Foundation's largest grantees?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare ($35,000), Tulane University ($35,000) and Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South ($32,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Lawrence Lewis Foundation?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $259K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $228K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Lawrence Lewis Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include general charitable contributions to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Lawrence Lewis Foundation?

The 2024 filing lists Beth Bell as the contact and says to submit a letter stating the request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Lawrence Lewis Foundation's EIN?

Lawrence Lewis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6269000. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 9, 2022)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Lawrence Lewis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lawrence-lewis-foundation-morg_783b7046b1e54bde96596449ba9023bb

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_626269000_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Lawrence Lewis Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/lawrence-lewis-foundation-morg_783b7046b1e54bde96596449ba9023bb},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Lawrence Lewis Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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