Lucky Seven Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established in 1996. The foundation operates as a family foundation with a focus on grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.6M
+5.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-4.9% YoY
Grant Count
215
-11.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+7.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lucky Seven Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for social services, the arts, the environment, and education. The foundation also engages in program-related investments, including loans to protect wildlife in Whatcom County and to promote affordable homeownership opportunities through homebuyer education, financial planning, buyer purchase assistance loans, and home construction.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Washington, California, and Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $27,610,239
- Total giving: $1,820,100
- Total revenues: $1,261,687
- Total expenses: $2,206,859
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $39,000,000
- Total distributions: $2,300,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,610,239 | $26,218,236 | $29,479,057 |
| Revenue | $1,261,687 | $2,212,849 | $1,070,520 |
| Expenses | $2,206,859 | $2,367,769 | $2,278,162 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,914,509 | $2,301,359 | $2,033,304 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,298,616 | $1,889,920 | $847,212 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,947,552 | $1,905,956 | $2,017,812 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Common Power Future ($125,000), Common Power Future ($125,000), Centrum Foundation ($23,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5TH AVENUE THEATRE ASSOCIATION SEATTLE, WA | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| A PLACE CALLED HOME LOS ANGELES, CA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| A PURPOSEFUL RESCUE INC LOS ANGELES, CA | General & Unrestricted | $250 |
| ALLIANCE FOR A JUST SOCIETY SEATTLE, WA | NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN'S DIALOGUE ON INFANT MORTALITY | $10,000 |
| ALS THERAPY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION INC WATERTOWN, MA | General & Unrestricted | $4,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY VENTURA, CA | General & Unrestricted | $250 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC HAGERSTOWN, MD | General & Unrestricted | $250 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $400 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF WASHINGTON FOUND SEATTLE, WA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN NEAR EAST REFUGEE AID INC WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $250 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a board of directors:
- Edward A Backus (Director, President)
- Christopher R Backus (Director, Treasurer)
- Carol A Backus (Director, Vice President)
- Matthew F Stoller (Director, Secretary)
- John Backus (Director)
- Valerie F Backus (Director)
- Robert Fikso (Director)
- Susan B Stoller (Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brie Backus | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
| Carol A Backus | Dir, VP | 1 | — |
| Christopher R Backus | Dir, Treas | 1 | — |
| Edward A Backus | Dir, Pres, VP | 1 | — |
| John Backus | Dir | 1 | — |
| Peter G Backus | Dir, VP, Pres | 1 | — |
| Valerie F Backus | Dir | 1 | — |
| Edward A Backus Jr | Dir | 1 | — |
| Robert Fikso | Dir | 1 | — |
| Matthew F Stoller | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
| Susan B Stoller | Dir | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported notable initiatives including scholarships at Washington State University's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, with gifts designated to provide students opportunities to improve rural and underserved communities. The foundation has also awarded grants to organizations including the Invictus Foundation, a national military and veterans nonprofit organization, and has supported the Luckyday Scholars Program at Mississippi State University.
The Lucky Seven Foundation's Gifts Provide Students the ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lucky Seven Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for social services, the arts, the environment, and education. The foundation also engages in program-related investments, including loans to protect wildlife in Whatcom County and to promote affordable homeownership opportunities through homebuyer education, financial planning, buyer purchase assistance loans, and home construction.
How do I apply for a grant from Lucky Seven Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $33–$250,000 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Maximum grant amount: $250,000 • Recent annual grant activity: 244–256 grants made annually **Recent Grants:** • Washington State University Foundation (Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Scholarship Fund): $240,000 (2024) • Common Power Future (General Support, C3 Next-Generation Leadership Program and Action Academy): $125,000 (2024)
Where does Lucky Seven Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Washington, California, and Oregon.
What size grants does Lucky Seven Foundation award?
In 2024, Lucky Seven Foundation awarded 215 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lucky Seven Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lucky Seven Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lucky Seven Foundation's EIN?
Lucky Seven Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1722000. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lucky Seven Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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