The George Lucas Educational Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker San Rafael, CA EIN: 68-0065687

The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in San Rafael, California. Founded in 1991 by filmmaker George Lucas, the foundation operates as an active operating foundation dedicated to transforming pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade education. Rather than providing grants to external organizations, GLEF pursues its mission through direct initiatives and projects, making it an operating foundation that does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Key facts about The George Lucas Educational Foundation

EIN: 68-0065687
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Total assets: $4,371,137
Accepts unsolicited proposals: Yes

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

How The George Lucas Educational Foundation gives

Giving fell 66% from 2020 to 2023. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.4M

-34.9% YoY

Revenue

$6.5M

-45.4% YoY

Qualifying Distributions

$8.5M

-8.4% YoY

Expenses

$9.1M

-5.0% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission is to improve the pre-K-12 learning process by:

Finding, describing, and promoting effective models and innovations through stories of what works
Identifying and evaluating evidence that supports effective learning practices for learners, educators, and schools
Developing advanced software, technology, and materials for educational purposes as exemplars to guide innovations and inspire others in the field

GLEF emphasizes three fundamental skills students should develop:

Finding and verifying factual information
Using information creatively to solve problems
Working collaboratively to achieve goals

The foundation's work centers on project-based learning, social-emotional learning, teacher development, and holistic student growth. Key program areas include Edutopia, Lucas Learning, and Lucas Education Research.

Grantmaking

While GLEF operates primarily as an operating foundation focused on direct initiatives, it does make strategic grants to support educational research and innovation. Recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports educational initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including Athens, Austin, Berkeley, New York, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $3.0M (35%)

Michigan $1.9M (22%)

California $1.5M (17%)

Pennsylvania $1.4M (16%)

Colorado $310K (4%)

Illinois $200K (2%)

New York $200K (2%)

Georgia $101K (1%)

+2 more states

States

California Colorado Georgia Illinois Massachusetts Michigan New York Pennsylvania Texas Wisconsin

Cities

East LansingLos AngelesBoulderCambridgeChicagoNew YorkPhiladelphiaAthensAustinBerkeleyConcordOaklandRedwood CityBoudlerMadisonSan Francisco

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2023 Financial Data:

Total Revenue: $11.9 million
Total Expenses: $9.55 million
Total Assets: $6.72 million
Total Liabilities: $537,000

2024 Financial Data:

Total Revenue: $6.52 million
Total Expenses: $9.07 million
Total Assets: $4.37 million

The foundation maintains a staff of 26 employees.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,371,137	$6,717,099	$4,198,520
Revenue	$6,518,752	$11,929,698	$7,463,232
Expenses	$9,072,517	$9,545,327	$9,524,740
Qualifying Distributions	$8,549,864	$9,338,979	$9,910,262
Net Investment Income	$241,484	$174,294	$5,548
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 0 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

42 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2024.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

George Lucas — Founder and Chairman
Stephen D. Arnold — Vice-Chair and Chief Financial Officer
Cindy Johanson (also listed as Cynthia Johanson Irish) — Secretary and Executive Director

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
George W Lucas Jr	Chairman	1	—
Stephen D Arnold	Vice-Chair/CFO	7	—
Marshall Turner	Director	1	—
Andrea Wishom	Director	1	—
Robert Bradley	Director	1	—
Kim Meredith	Director	1	—
Kate Nyegaard	Director (Until 9/30/2024)	1	—
Mellody Hobson	Director	1	—
Cynthia Johanson Irish	Secretary/Exec. Dir.	50	$376,017

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has supported significant educational research initiatives, including grants to Michigan State University for research on science, math, and literacy education, as well as funding for the CREATE for STEM program. GLEF continues to operate Edutopia, a trusted digital platform and social network that serves as a vibrant community resource for education stakeholders, reaching millions of visitors monthly who seek information on innovative educational practices and best practices in K-12 education.

George Lucas Foundation funds MSU research on science, math and literacy

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The George Lucas Educational Foundation fund?

The foundation's mission is to improve the pre-K-12 learning process by: • Finding, describing, and promoting effective models and innovations through stories of what works • Identifying and evaluating evidence that supports effective learning practices for learners, educators, and schools • Developing advanced software, technology, and materials for educational purposes as exemplars to guide innovations and inspire others in the field GLEF emphasizes three fundamental skills students should de…

How do I apply for a grant from The George Lucas Educational Foundation?

While GLEF operates primarily as an operating foundation focused on direct initiatives, it does make strategic grants to support educational research and innovation. Recent grants include: • Harvard University: Democratic Knowledge Project ($503,048, 2023) • Concord Consortium: Interdisciplinary Project-Based Data Science Education ($150,000, 2023) • Michigan State University: Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning Course Adaptation for Virtual and Hybrid Environments ($100,000, 2023) **…

Where does The George Lucas Educational Foundation make grants?

What is The George Lucas Educational Foundation's EIN?

The George Lucas Educational Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0065687. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.