The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation

What The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation does

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1987 by pioneering financier Reginald F. Lewis to combat institutional discrimination by investing in African-American children and promoting equality in America. Following the founder's death in 1993 and the 2002 settlement of his estate (TLC Beatrice International), the Foundation received its primary endowment capital and has since distributed approximately $30 million in grants across education, youth empowerment, arts and culture, and social justice initiatives. It is structured as a family foundation governed by a four-person board chaired by Loida Nicolas Lewis (the founder's widow), with Christina Lewis as Vice Chair and Treasurer, Beverly Cooper as Vice President and Secretary, and Anthony Fugett as Director.

The Foundation operates a portfolio of programmatic offerings and legacy-preservation assets rather than a unified technology product. Programs include the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program (three-year curated educational experience for Black male students at the Universities of Louisiana System), an essay-writing contest for Baltimore City Public High School students, the Reginald F. Lewis Game Changer Award (mentor recognition with $10,000 grant to recipient organizations, launched with USTA Foundation in 2026), and Reginald F. Lewis Career Days in Washington, DC. Legacy assets include Reginald F. Lewis's autobiography 'Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?' (book and Audible audiobook), the PBS documentary 'Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire' (2018), and an upcoming biopic produced by MACRO and The Black List. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and operates invitation-only, with named institutional partners including Howard University, Harvard Law School, the Obama Foundation (a $5M commitment in December 2022), the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture, and the USTA Foundation.

As a non-commercial grant-making entity, the Foundation has no revenue model, no products or services for sale, and no pricing structure. Its funding is generated through endowment returns and family stewardship of the founder's estate. Geographic focus is concentrated in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States (New York and Baltimore), with programmatic reach extending through national partnerships (Obama Foundation, Universities of Louisiana System, USTA Foundation). Contact is centralized at [email protected], and the Foundation is described as one of the largest African-American private foundations in the world.

Name

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation

Legal name

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation

Website

https://reginaldflewis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation is a private family philanthropic foundation established in 1987 that combats institutional discrimination by funding education, youth empowerment, and social justice programs for African-American communities across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grants
• Youth empowerment programs
• Scholarship programs
• Legacy preservation
• Social justice advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that combats institutional discrimination by investing in children and promoting equality in America. It awards grants and operates scholarship, mentorship, and career-exploration programs focused on African-American youth, while preserving the legacy of financier Reginald F. Lewis through educational resources, documentaries, and publications.

Product overview

The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation is a philanthropic foundation focused on being a force for economic and social justice, particularly for African-American youth. The Foundation operates as a portfolio of educational programs and legacy preservation initiatives rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program (scholarship initiative for Black male college students), Essay-Writing Contest (for Baltimore City Public Schools), the Reginald F. Lewis Game Changer Award (mentorship recognition), and Reginald F. Lewis Career Days (career exploration). The Foundation also preserves Reginald F. Lewis's legacy through content products: his autobiography 'Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?' (available as book and audiobook), the PBS documentary 'Pioneers,' and an upcoming biopic produced by MACRO. Educational resources include a free downloadable lesson plan. Geographic focus is New York and Baltimore with programmatic emphasis on STEM, entrepreneurship, and closing the wealth gap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program Scholarship initiative of the Universities of Louisiana System improving the college experience for Black male students. Provides a three-year curated educational experience focused on academics, social advancement, and community service, with two students from each of nine institutions selected annually at the Black Male Summit.
• Essay-Writing Contest for Baltimore City Public High School Students Annual essay-writing contest for Baltimore City Public High School students in partnership with AFRO American Newspapers. Students are encouraged to read or listen to 'Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?' and submit essays of 500-800 words; prizes awarded to top three students and their schools.
• Reginald F. Lewis Game Changer Award Annual award recognizing individuals who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to mentoring the next generation of leaders. Each recipient receives a trip to the US Open and a $10,000 grant for their organization, delivered in partnership with the USTA Foundation.
• Reginald F. Lewis Career Days Career exploration initiative hosted with the USTA Foundation in Washington, DC. Aims to help young people from under-resourced communities learn about corporate and civic career pathways and build networking skills.
• Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? (Audiobook) Reginald F. Lewis's groundbreaking autobiography released as an audiobook, narrated by J. D. Jackson and available exclusively on Audible.com. Chronicles Lewis's journey from humble beginnings to becoming the first African American billion-dollar dealmaker.
• The Reginald F. Lewis Story (Free Lesson Plan) Free downloadable discussion and activity guide for students covering representation, planning, and pursuing dreams. Designed to guide students in conversations about Reginald F. Lewis's life and legacy.
• Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire (Documentary) PBS documentary honoring business pioneer Reginald F. Lewis. Chronicles his life from Harvard Law School to leading TLC Beatrice International. Premiered on WLIW21 and available for online viewing through WLIW.org and RFL.film.

Quantifiable outcome

• $30 million in grants distributed since 1987, supporting education, children's programs, arts, and social justice
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core and minor.

• USTA FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership to empower future leaders and honor outstanding mentors through the Reginald F. Lewis Game Changer Award and the newly rebranded Reginald F. Lewis Career Days program. The Game Changer Award recognizes individuals dedicated to mentoring youth, with each recipient receiving a trip to the 2026 US Open and a $10,000 grant for their organization. Career Days in Washington, DC helps young people from under-resourced communities learn about career pathways.
• Barack Obama FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022$5 million grant to support Obama Foundation's mission to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders. Funds support the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, My Brother's Keeper Alliance addressing opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color, and Girls Opportunity Alliance empowering adolescent girls globally through education. A room at the Obama Presidential Center will be named in memory of Mr. Lewis.
• The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation pledged $5 million in June 2002 to endow the museum in Baltimore, MD. Prior to his death, Mr. Lewis had hoped to endow a museum dedicated to the black experience. The museum is named after Reginald F. Lewis, honoring his legacy.
• Harvard Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Reginald F. Lewis International Law Center was the first building at Harvard named after an African American. The Foundation made a $3 million grant in 1993 (the largest the school had received at that time), and Mr. Lewis was also honored with the naming of the International Law Center.
• Universities of Louisiana SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program, a three-year curated educational experience for Black male students focused on academics, social advancement, and community service. Two students from each of the nine institutions are selected as scholars annually at the Black Male Summit.
• AFRO American NewspapersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with AFRO newspaper for the essay-writing contest for Baltimore City Public High School students. The Foundation chose AFRO because Reginald F. Lewis worked as a paperboy for the Baltimore publication at age 10. AFRO publishes the winners announcement.
• Howard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReginald F. Lewis donated $1 million to Howard University in 1987 when he established the Foundation, supporting the historically Black institution's mission.
• MACROminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMACRO, a multi-platform media company representing Black and people of color perspectives, is producing a biopic 'Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?' about Reginald F. Lewis. MACRO has 15 Oscar nominations and 3 wins, with projects including 'Judas and the Black Messiah' and 'Fences'.
• Franklin Leonard / The Black ListminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Black List founder Franklin Leonard is co-producing the Reginald F. Lewis biopic. The Black List has facilitated 400+ produced scripts earning 250+ Oscar nominations and 50 wins. Executive producers include Loida Lewis and daughters Christina and Leslie Lewis.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Organization administering scholarships and capacity-building grants for HBCUs and Black students. Directly comparable to RFLF through scholarship administration and college access programs for African-American students.
• Obama Foundation: Direct grantee of RFLF ($5M, 2022) and a closely aligned peer in African-American-led philanthropy focused on youth leadership, My Brother's Keeper, and the Girls Opportunity Alliance. Operates overlapping programs for underrepresented youth.
• Kapor Foundation: Foundation focused on increasing diversity in tech and closing racial wealth gaps. Comparable to RFLF as a Black-led foundation funding STEM access, entrepreneurship, and economic equity for underserved youth.

Broad incumbents

• Walton Family Foundation: Family-led private foundation funding education, economic opportunity, and community development. Comparable to RFLF as a multi-generational family foundation operating invitation-driven grantmaking programs.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Major US foundation funding child welfare, education, and economic opportunity. Comparable to RFLF through shared focus on youth development and educational attainment for disadvantaged communities.
• Bloomberg Philanthropies: Major private foundation funding education, public health, arts, and economic opportunity. Comparable as a large-scale, multi-program grantmaker targeting youth and economic mobility themes relevant to RFLF's portfolio.
• Open Society Foundations: Large grantmaking foundation with significant investments in criminal justice reform, education equity, and human rights. Comparable to RFLF through shared thematic priorities around institutional discrimination and underserved youth.
• MacArthur Foundation: Major US private foundation funding education, equity, and creative arts initiatives. Comparable as a peer in large-scale grantmaking for racial and economic justice causes overlapping with RFLF's mission.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The largest US private foundation, funding education and economic mobility at scale. Comparable to RFLF through education-access grantmaking, though Gates operates at dramatically greater scale and scope.
• Ford Foundation: One of the largest US private foundations with a long-standing focus on social justice, education access, and racial equity. Comparable to RFLF as a grantmaking foundation addressing inequality, though Ford operates at vastly greater scale and global scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/RFLewisFdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReginaldFLewis
• Instagraminstagram.com/reginaldflewisofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation