Lionsgate Foundation

What Lionsgate Foundation does

Lionsgate Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, that raises and distributes charitable funds to support neurodiverse students, families, and educators, with primary focus on Lionsgate Academy, a charter school operating three campuses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Its programmatic scope covers tuition reimbursement for educators pursuing advanced credentials, sensory and specialized fitness equipment, life-skills initiatives such as coffee carts, community outings, and grants to other Minnesota-based neurodiverse-serving organizations under the Partners in Purpose program. The foundation's primary beneficiary segments are neurodiverse students, their families, special educators, and Twin Cities neurodiverse service organizations; no technology products, software platforms, or proprietary systems are offered.

The foundation operates with no paid staff and is administered entirely by a volunteer board of directors comprising community members, Lionsgate Academy parents, and Lionsgate Academy staff. Funding inflows come from four channels: individual tax-deductible donations (cash or in-kind securities transferred through a Vanguard account under EIN 80-0467280), employer matching programs, Thrivent Choice Dollars from eligible Thrivent customers, and Partners in Purpose grant distributions. Less than ten percent of money raised is used for administration, with the balance deployed to programs; in 2025 the foundation spent over $100,000 across its initiatives. Distribution of funds is domestic and concentrated in the Twin Cities metro area.

Strategic partners include the YMCA (student memberships and physical activities), the Minnesota Twins (educational game outings), and a portfolio of Twin Cities neurodiverse-serving organizations receiving Partners in Purpose grants. Marketing and donor acquisition rely on social media presence across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, employer matching outreach, Thrivent Choice Dollars promotion, and word-of-mouth through volunteer networks and neurodiverse-friendly business partnerships. The foundation has no funding rounds, no parent entity, no subsidiaries, and no equity ownership structure; it is governed solely by its volunteer board.

Name

Lionsgate Foundation

Legal name

Lionsgate Foundation

Website

https://lionsgatefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lionsgate Foundation is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds educational programs and support services for neurodiverse students and families, primarily backing Lionsgate Academy and other Minnesota-based neurodiverse-serving organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit charitable foundation
• Neurodiversity education funding
• Special education grants
• Autism support programs
• Community charitable giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, processed via check, stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares. EIN 80-0467280.
2. Employer Matching: Many employers match charitable gifts of their employees, effectively doubling or tripling individual donations through company matching programs.
3. Thrivent Choice Dollars: Thrivent customers can direct their Choice Dollars to the foundation as part of Thrivent's charitable giving program.
4. Grants and Partnerships: Partners in Purpose grants distributed to organizations across the Twin Cities providing services to neurodiverse individuals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lionsgate Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation that raises funds from individuals, employer matching programs, and Thrivent Choice Dollars, then redistributes those funds as grants and program support. Its core activity is funding innovative educational programs, extracurricular activities, sensory-safe environments, specialized equipment, tuition reimbursement, and life-skills training for neurodiverse students at Lionsgate Academy and other Minnesota-based neurodiverse-serving organizations. The foundation operates entirely through a volunteer board of directors and distributes the majority of donations (less than 10% used for administration) directly to projects and initiatives.

Product overview

Lionsgate Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that functions as a charitable foundation rather than a product-based technology company. The foundation's services consist of grant-making, fundraising, and community support programs for neurodiverse individuals. It provides funding through initiatives such as tuition reimbursement for Lionsgate Academy staff, Partners in Purpose grants to neurodiverse-serving organizations, sensory and fitness equipment, community activities (including YMCA memberships and baseball game outings), student skills programs (coffee carts), and technology experiences. The foundation also operates a merchandise shop through an external platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Partners in Purpose Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100,000 distributed in 2025 to support neurodiverse students and programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYMCA memberships provided for students in specialized programs to create opportunities to spend time in the community and engage in physical activities. This partnership enables neurodiverse students to access YMCA facilities and programs.
• Twins BaseballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide tickets and bussing to Twins baseball games, reinforcing math lessons through statistics and gameplay, encouraging community participation, and promoting social connection with peers.
• Twin Cities Neurodiverse OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in Purpose grants awarded to organizations across the Twin Cities providing critical services, programming and support to neurodiverse individuals. These partnerships extend the foundation's reach beyond Lionsgate Academy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: National organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. Comparable mission overlap though primarily an advocacy/service provider rather than a grantmaking foundation.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit federation providing services and advocacy for people with disabilities including autism. Comparable in mission (disability/neurodiversity services and funding) but operates at significantly larger scale with a national footprint.
• Autism Speaks: Largest autism-focused nonprofit, funding research, advocacy, and services nationally. Highly comparable in neurodiversity mission but operates at vastly greater scale (hundreds of millions in annual revenue).

Direct peers

• KIPP Foundation: National nonprofit that supports a network of charter schools through fundraising and grantmaking. Comparable in the charter-school-supporting foundation structure, though KIPP's focus is general K-12 education rather than neurodiversity.
• Organization for Autism Research: Nonprofit that funds autism research and community programs through grants. Comparable in mission alignment and small-grantmaking model, though slightly more research-oriented.
• HollyRod Foundation: Small private family foundation funding programs for individuals with autism and Parkinson's. Closely comparable in scale, structure (volunteer-led private foundation), and grantmaking approach.
• Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism: Small family-founded 501(c)(3) that funds programs and grants for individuals with autism. Highly comparable to Lionsgate Foundation in mission focus (autism/neurodiversity), scale, and direct-grantmaking model.

Regional players

• Fraser: Minnesota-based nonprofit providing autism and disability services across the Twin Cities, including education and therapy programs. Operates in the same beneficiary population as Lionsgate Foundation within the same geography, but is a direct service provider rather than a funder.
• Autism Society of Minnesota: Minnesota-focused nonprofit providing services, advocacy, and community programs for the autism community. Shares Lionsgate Foundation's Twin Cities geographic focus and neurodiversity mission, though it operates direct services rather than funding them.

Others

• Minnesota Community Foundation:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lionsgate-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lionsgate Foundation