The Lumpkin Family Foundation
The Lumpkin Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Mattoon, Illinois that supports people working together to build healthy, sustainable communities in East Central Illinois and across the U.S. The site describes grant programs focused on food systems, wellness, land/soil health and nature-based climate action and includes a grantee database. Contact details and staff pages are provided on the site.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A registered nonprofit focused on food systems, land/soil health, environmental conservation, community wellness, or complementary educational programming, with demonstrated impact in Illinois or clear partnerships in the region.
Good Fit
- • Programs in sustainable food systems, land/soil health, nature-based climate action, or community wellness.
- • Clear Illinois presence or demonstrable benefit to East Central Illinois communities.
- • Organizational readiness to submit a letter of inquiry and follow online application steps (registered 501(c)(3) and current financials).
- • Capacity to show measurable community impact and local partnerships.
Geography
Grants reach more than 20 states, demonstrating multi-state breadth, though approximately 76% of grant dollars were directed to Illinois in the latest year.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows about 209 distinct recipients with a substantial number of new grantees (82 in 2024) and 127 repeat recipients across the observed years, indicating a broad and diverse recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
The foundation posts application instructions and LOI/application windows but indicates that full applications are by preselection; at the same time a meaningful share of grantees are new each year, so unfamiliar applicants can gain entry but likely via the LOI/preselection route rather than open rolling applications.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
