Lukaj Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Stamford, CT EIN: 22-3771413

Lukaj Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Stamford, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations supporting scholarships and education, research, parks, and community programs.

Lukaj Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Lukaj Foundation Inc gave $440K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Connecticut. 48% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$440,235
+10.1% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
28
-22.2% vs 2023
Average grant
$15,723
+41.5% vs 2023
Median grant
$6,000
Total assets
$7,800,575
+12.5% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
48% first-time grantees (13 of 27, 2024)
Primary geography
Connecticut (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Lukaj Foundation Inc

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Contact

Mailing address: 333 Ludlow St South Tower 3Rd Fl, Stamford, CT 06902
Phone: (203) 861-7126

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

Who Lukaj Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Rit-Kosova Auk: $111KRit-Kosova Auk$111KAlzheimers Disease: $84KAlzheimers Disease$84KAlbianian American Humanitarian Fun: $45KAlbianian AmericanHumanitarian Fun$45KMill River Park: $34KMill River Park$34KGjergi Kastriotti Scholatship Fund: $33KGjergi Kastriotti ScholatshipFund$33KYMCA of Greenwich: $29K across 2 grantsYMCA of Greenwich$29K · 2 grantsGreenwich United Way: $6KGreenwich United Way$6KA Better Chance: $6KA Better Chance$6KAbilis Inc: $6KAbilis Inc$6KBoys and Girls Club of Greenwich: $6KBoys and Girls Club ofGreenwich$6K

The largest 2024 recipient was Rit-Kosova Auk ($111K). Together the top 10 received $359K.

Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($6,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

148 grants across all recorded years

144<$50K2$50–100K2$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 144 grants of 148 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut and 16% to recipients in New York. Massachusetts, Texas, and Alabama each accounted for 1%.

Grant Distribution by State

18states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkStamfordGreenwichStampfordStaten IslandBirminghamBostonWaterburyDobbs FerryGathersburgGrenwichMckinneyWashingtonYorktown HeightsAustinBronxCharlotteFresh MeadowsJamaicaLebanon

Is Lukaj Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

48%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 13 of 27 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $17K. How we count

Medians: $6K first-time, $6K repeat.

  • 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 259% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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$200K$400K$600K24 grants2020 27 grants2021 33 grants2022 36 grants2023 28 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $123K (2021) to $440K (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $440K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Rit-Kosova Auk Stamford, CTSupport Scholarsip Programs$110,860
Alzheimers Disease Stampford, CTProvide Research to Privide for Cure$84,000
Albianian American Humanitarian Fun Yorktown Heights, NYMatching Scolarship Funds$45,000
Mill River Park Stamford, CTSupporting World Class Parks$33,500
Gjergi Kastriotti Scholatship Fund Stamford, CTSupport Educational Programs$32,500
YMCA of Greenwich Greenwich, CTProvide Program Services$24,000
Greenwich United Way Grenwich, CTProvide Program Services$6,125
A Better Chance New York, NYEnabling Underprivileged Children$6,000
Abilis Inc Greenwich, CTProgram Svc for Adults & Children$6,000
Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich Greenwich, CTProvide Scholarships of Students$6,000
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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
2024$7,800,575$1,110,064$637,403$440,23528$440,235$777,286$21,140
2023$6,932,922$561,825$591,517$400,00036$400,000$260,273$323,732
2022$6,000,653$2,877,639$366,329$218,95033$218,950$641,316$195,937
2021$2,807,709$5,401,574$216,936$122,63427$122,634$200,504$134,634
2020$1,362$196,614$233,425$131,65024—$9$1,769

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lukaj Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for scholarship and educational programs, research, parks, and services. The organizations it supports describe a range of missions: for example, Abilis says it provides people with developmental disabilities and their families in Lower Fairfield County with support and advocacy; A Better Chance says it works to increase the number of well-educated young people of color prepared for leadership roles; and Catie’s Closet says it provides children in need with access to clothing and basic necessities.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $440,235. Grants ranged from $250 to $110,860, with a median of $6,000. Notable awards included $110,860 to RIT-Kosova AUK for scholarship programs, $84,000 to Alzheimer’s Disease for research, $45,000 to the Albanian American Humanitarian Fund for matching scholarship funds, and $33,500 to Mill River Park for parks. Other listed awards included $24,000 to YMCA of Greenwich and $6,125 to Greenwich United Way.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Richard S. Lukaj (Foundation M), Viosa Lukaj (Vice Preside), and directors Zana L. Lukaj, Layla Lukaj, Michael Lukaj, and Ermie Salaj.

Lukaj Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Ermie Salaj

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Layla Lukaj

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Lukaj

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Zana L. Lukaj

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Richard S. Lukaj

    Foundation M

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Viosa Lukaj

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Lukaj Foundation Inc

How much does Lukaj Foundation Inc give each year?

Lukaj Foundation Inc gave $440K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $400K across 36 grants.

What is Lukaj Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Lukaj Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $6,000, and its average grant was $15,723, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lukaj Foundation Inc that year got $15K on average.

Where does Lukaj Foundation Inc give grants?

Lukaj Foundation Inc gives mostly in Connecticut: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Stamford, CT (6 grants), Greenwich, CT (4 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).

Does Lukaj Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Lukaj Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Lukaj Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Lukaj Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Rit-Kosova Auk ($110,860), Alzheimers Disease ($84,000) and Albianian American Humanitarian Fun ($45,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($6,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Lukaj Foundation Inc?

Lukaj Foundation Inc reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $440K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Lukaj Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for scholarship and educational programs, research, parks, and services. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Lukaj Foundation Inc?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Lukaj Foundation Inc's EIN?

Lukaj Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3771413. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Lukaj Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Lukaj Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lukaj-foundation-inc-morg_0693c3040697408b94fc3cfd00b88c82

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223771413_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Lukaj Foundation Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/lukaj-foundation-inc-morg_0693c3040697408b94fc3cfd00b88c82},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Lukaj Foundation Inc'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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