The Lookout Foundation
The Lookout Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. Its stated mission is to support STEM education for women, girls, and underserved groups and to champion security and privacy rights for all. It says it invests in nonprofits serving communities where Lookout employees live and work.
The Lookout Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lookout Foundation gave $1.4M across 77 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), top state Georgia. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,402,875
- +16.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 77
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,219
- +14.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $24,800,061
- +12.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (36 of 77, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (37% 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 The Lookout Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2877 Habersham Road Nw, Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: (404) 671-4404
Website: https://lookout.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lookout Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Institute for Responsibile Citizens ($135K). Together the top 10 received $683K.
Grant Size Distribution
327 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 299 grants of 327 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 37% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 36% to recipients in North Carolina. Other reported recipient-state shares were Washington, DC (10%), California (4%), and Alabama (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 77 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Lookout Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 36 of 77 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 77% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $794K (2021) to $1.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 77 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Institute for Responsibile Citizens Washington, DC | General Fund | $135,000 |
| UNC Chapel Hilllookout Fellows Chapel Hill, NC | Lookout Fellows Pledge | $110,000 |
| Duke Divinity School Durham, NC | General Fund | $70,000 |
| East Carolina University Foundation Greenville, NC | ECU Community School | $70,000 |
| UNC Chapel Hill - Peachtree Scholar Chapel Hill, NC | Peachtree Scholarship Fund | $60,000 |
| Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | TLC Black Students Program | $55,000 |
| Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL | General Fund | $50,000 |
| UNC - Institute for Arts and Humani Chapel Hill, NC | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Westminster Schools Atlanta, GA | General Fund | $45,000 |
| Atlanta Police Foundation Atlanta, GA | General Fund | $38,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lookout Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $24,800,061 | $2,947,224 | $1,469,133 | $1,402,875 | 77 | $1,402,875 | $2,268,956 | $1,503,772 |
| 2023 | $21,982,258 | $822,169 | $1,344,750 | $1,206,464 | 76 | $1,224,092 | $350,529 | $1,412,402 |
| 2022 | $18,436,334 | $6,486,934 | $1,394,931 | $1,267,500 | 62 | $1,309,973 | $3,401,405 | $1,320,426 |
| 2021 | $16,323,089 | $1,509,108 | $963,713 | $793,977 | 50 | $850,314 | $870,058 | $1,245,348 |
| 2020 | $16,199,999 | $4,373,676 | $886,795 | $795,329 | 62 | — | $966,833 | $841,990 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lookout Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M 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
The foundation’s stated priorities are STEM education for women, girls, and underserved groups, and security and privacy rights. It also describes supporting nonprofits in employees’ communities. The foundation co-created the Day of Shecurity Conference in 2017 to advocate for women’s inclusion in cybersecurity; the conference offers training, networking, and access to hiring managers.
Its 2024 grants included support for a range of organizations. East Carolina University Foundation says it raises and distributes private resources for the university, including programmatic and scholarship support. The Atlanta Police Foundation describes its mission as making Atlanta safer and more inviting. Mtoto Africa says it funds education for children in Kenya and provides community support, while Leap Year says it prepares students to reach their academic and leadership potential through college.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 77 grants totaling $1,402,875. Grants ranged from $259 to $135,000, with a median award of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $135,000 to the Institute for Responsible Citizens for its general fund; $110,000 to UNC Chapel Hill Lookout Fellows for a Lookout Fellows pledge; $70,000 to Duke Divinity School for its general fund; and $70,000 to East Carolina University Foundation for ECU Community School.
Other 2024 awards included $60,000 to UNC Chapel Hill – Peachtree Scholar for its scholarship fund, $55,000 to Loyola Marymount University for the TLC Black Students Program, and $50,000 each to Equal Justice Initiative and UNC’s Institute for Arts and Humanities. Atlanta-area recipients included Westminster Schools ($45,000), Atlanta Police Foundation ($38,000), Mtoto Africa ($37,570), and Leap Year ($35,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sunny H. Burrows as president and Robert Lee Burrows Jr. as secretary/treasurer.
The Lookout Foundation is led by Sunny H. Burrows, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sunny H. Burrows
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Lee Burrows Jr.
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
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 The Lookout Foundation
How much does The Lookout Foundation give each year?
The Lookout Foundation gave $1.4M across 77 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 76 grants.
What is The Lookout Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lookout Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,219, across 77 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lookout Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Lookout Foundation give grants?
The Lookout Foundation's top state is Georgia, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (36%) and District of Columbia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (34 grants), Chapel Hill, NC (11 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Lookout Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of The Lookout Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (61 of 77) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Lookout Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lookout Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Institute for Responsibile Citizens ($135,000), UNC Chapel Hilllookout Fellows ($110,000) and Duke Divinity School ($70,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lookout Foundation?
The Lookout Foundation reported $24.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Lookout Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated priorities are STEM education for women, girls, and underserved groups, and security and privacy rights. It also describes supporting nonprofits in employees’ communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lookout Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lookout Foundation's EIN?
The Lookout Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8686890. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lookout Foundation 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
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Lookout Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lookout Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lookout Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lookout-foundation-morg_40ceef31d0f448dc9ed1efae1b895235
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208686890_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lookout Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lookout-foundation-morg_40ceef31d0f448dc9ed1efae1b895235},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Lookout 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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