The Lemelson Foundation
The Lemelson Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1992 by prolific inventor Jerome "Jerry" Lemelson and his wife Dorothy. Based in Portland, Oregon, the Foundation uses the power of invention to improve lives by inspiring and enabling the next generation of inventors and invention-based enterprises. The Foundation operates with a mission rooted in Jerry Lemelson's belief that invention is essential to American economic success and vitality, and that future generations should have the support needed to turn their inventive aspirations into reality.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$414.4M
-0.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$19.7M
+22.6% YoY
Grant Count
71
+18.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$278K
+3.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's founding mission is to improve lives through invention. The organization focuses on Impact Inventing, prioritizing inventors and inventions that have positive social impact, are environmentally responsible, and yield financially sustainable products and businesses. The Foundation remains sector-agnostic while maintaining focus on tangible inventions.
The Foundation funds programs and projects in three primary areas:
- Invention Education – Supporting the development of invention ecosystems and educational pathways
- Entrepreneurship – Advancing the invention-to-enterprise pathway with a goal of launching businesses that strengthen the economy
- Climate Action – Working globally to combine the tools of innovation, invention, and climate justice to reduce emissions by 2030 and attain net zero emissions by 2050
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$95,000
How to Apply
** The Lemelson Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The Foundation supports innovative work through a relationship-driven approach, with the team identifying promising opportunities and building deep relationships with organizations that exemplify collaborative goals. The Foundation actively engages with partners from diverse sectors to understand community needs and work toward solutions with positive impact.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's core philanthropic reach extends across the United States and into India and Kenya. The Climate Action initiative allows the Foundation to work globally.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $416,642,073
- Total revenue: $5,980,000
- Total expenses: $26,900,000
- Total liabilities: $3,870,000
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $414,428,200
- Total revenues: $27,191,988
- Total expenses: $32,502,127
Historical Impact: To date, the Foundation has provided or committed more than $290–$300 million in grants and program-related investments in support of its mission.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $414,428,200 | $416,642,073 | $395,930,447 |
| Revenue | $27,191,988 | $5,980,205 | $7,159,811 |
| Expenses | $32,502,127 | $26,937,741 | $22,384,534 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $28,745,918 | $24,884,882 | $19,255,687 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,927,669 | $1,863,671 | $5,583,779 |
| Distributable Amount | $19,409,081 | $18,830,853 | $21,978,385 |
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Lemelson Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board:
- Eric Lemelson – Board Chair and President
- Robert Lemelson – Vice President
- Jennifer Bruml – Director
- Susan Morse – Director
Staff:
- Vanessa Briseño – Communications Officer
- Joel Clement – Director, Climate Action
- Cindy Cooper – Director, Educational Transformation
- David Coronado – Director, Invention Education
- Camille Cotton – Grants Manager
- Loida Erhard – Learning Officer
- Maggie Flanagan – Senior Program Officer
- Sharon Jamin – Finance and Grants Accountant
- Katie Krummeck – Program Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT SCHNEIDER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASST. SECRETARY | 40 | $398,231 |
| BRIAN DORAN | CHIEF FIN ADMIN OFFICER, ASST. TREAS | 40 | $248,990 |
| ERIC LEMELSON | PRES., BOARD CHAIR, TREAS., ASST. SEC. | 6 | — |
| ROBERT LEMELSON | VP, SECRETARY, ASST. TREAS. | 6 | — |
| SUSAN MORSE | DIRECTOR | 6 | — |
| JENNIFER BRUML | DIRECTOR | 6 | — |
| ANN MORGAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation has been active in supporting invention education and sustainability initiatives. Recent program areas include:
NSF and Lemelson Foundation Launch Joint Awards Supporting ...**Engineering for One Planet (EOP) Network** – Ongoing management and convenings to bring network members together for collaboration, with support for virtual meetings and in-person events
**Invented Convening** – An annual event that galvanizes network members and engages new stakeholders including school leaders and federal leaders (held in March 2024)
**Joint Initiatives with NSF** – The Foundation has launched joint awards with the National Science Foundation supporting sustainability in engineering education
NSF and Lemelson Foundation Launch Joint Awards Supporting ...Subject 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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