The Luzerne Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION (THE FOUNDATION) IS A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED AS A PENNSYLVANIA NON-PROFIT, NON-STOCK CORPORATION THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE IRS AS A TAX-EXEMPT PUBLIC CHARITY, BY REASON OF BEING AN ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS TO MAKE OUR REGION A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY. THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS SEVEN KEY AREAS THAT TOGETHER CONSTITUTE A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY INCLUDING SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP, ARTS AND CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH ISSUES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS. THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION IS PRIVILEGED TO FACILITATE THE PHILANTHROPY OF VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT QUALITY OF LIFE REQUIRES "GIVING BACK" SO OTHERS MIGHT REALIZE THE BEAUTY OF OUR AREA, HAVE ACCESS TO THE ARTS, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ENJOY SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
- Income
- $7.4 million
- Spending
- $6.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 111.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $240,001, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 111.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 23 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $4.4 million spent. THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION IS A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SERVING ALL OF LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. WE PROMOTE PHILANTHROPY AND SERVE AS STEWARDS OF THE RESOURCES OUR DONORS INVEST THROUGH US TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THEY FUND. WE CREATE AND MANAGE FUNDS THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT BY AREA DONORS THAT MEET EMERGING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS THROUGH FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO ENHANCE THE LIVES OF LUZERNE COUNTY RESIDENTS BY EVALUATING AND ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH STRATEGIC GRANTMAKING, PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE PHILANTHROPY, AND CONNECTING DONORS TO CAUSES THAT MATTER TO THEM. TO FULFILL OUR MISSION, WE... ENCOURAGE DONORS TO MAKE EFFECTIVE CHARITABLE DECISIONS THROUGH OUR DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH TO PHILANTHROPY.GROW THE FOUNDATION'S UNRESTRICTED ASSETS TO PROVIDE FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF OUR DONORS, NONPROFITS, AND OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR NONPROFITS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS, OTHER NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. SUPPORTING KEY COMMUNITY AREASTHROUGH AN INCLUSIVE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE, WE IDENTIFIED SEVEN SPECIFIC AREAS OF SUPPORT THAT OUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS FOCUSED ON TO MEET AND IMPROVE OUR MISSION OF ENSURING A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THOSE SEVEN CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCENTRATION INCLUDE SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIPS, ARTS AND CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH ISSUES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION BY ASSISTING DONORS OF ALL SIZES TO CREATE AND ENDOW VARIOUS FUNDS. THESE FUND TYPES INCLUDE UNRESTRICTED, DONOR-ADVISED, FIELD OF INTEREST, DESIGNATED, SCHOLARSHIP, AND ORGANIZATIONAL ENDOWMENTS. BY WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, COMPANIES, NONPROFITS, PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS, AND OTHER FOUNDATIONS, WE CONVEY INFORMATION ABOUT EXISTING FUNDS AND LOCAL NONPROFITS AND PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR DONORS. WE OFFER A FLEXIBLE FUND MODEL THAT CREATES CUSTOMIZED OPTIONS FOR EACH DONOR'S CHARITABLE INTENTIONS.SCHEDULE I LISTS GRANTS AWARDED DURING THE CURRENT YEAR. EDUCATION AND RESOURCESWE BELIEVE EDUCATION IS A KEY TO GROWING PHILANTHROPY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. WE PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS TO ASSIST CURRENT AND POTENTIAL DONORS IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE BENEFITS OF DONATIONS THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION AND IN MATCHING THEIR INTERESTS TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE CONVEY THE LATEST AND MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRENDS AND LEGISLATION TO INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE NONPROFIT & COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER (NCAC) AND THE NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONALS (AFP), WE HAVE ACCESS TO AND PROVIDE DISSEMINATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHO ARE ABLE AND WILLING TO PROVIDE PHILANTHROPIC ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR AREA. OUR STAFF'S TRAINING AND REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO ENSURE THE MOST HELPFUL INFORMATION IS AT HAND. CONVERSATIONS AND COLLABORATIONSA KEY ELEMENT TO ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION OF THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION IS COLLABORATION TO SUPPORT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR NONPROFITS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS, OTHER NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. OUR FOUNDATION HAS A PROUD HISTORY OF FUNCTIONING AS A CATALYST TO CONVENE DIVERSE GROUPS IN IDENTIFYING AND MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH DIRECTED GIVING. OUR FOCUS ON ENCOURAGING DONORS TO MAKE EFFECTIVE CHARITABLE DECISIONS THROUGH OUR DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH TO PHILANTHROPY, COMBINED WITH OUR ABILITY TO LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF DONORS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS, LEVERAGES THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR COMMUNITY BETTERMENT. HERE FOR GOOD WE ARE "HERE FOR GOOD." THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION, ESTABLISHED IN 1994, HELPS PEOPLE CREATE FUNDS TO DO GOOD FOR TODAY AND GOOD THAT LASTS FOR TOMORROW. THE LUZERNE FOUNDATION MANAGES OVER 400 FUNDS, OF WHICH NO TWO ARE EXACTLY ALIKE. THE FOUNDATION HAS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN $179M IN GRANTS SINCE ITS INCEPTION TO MEET COMMUNITY CHALLENGES LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. WITH OVER $60 MILLION IN ASSETS, THE FOUNDATION IS A POSITIVE FORCE FOR GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE MAKE IT EASY FOR DONORS TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL NONPROFITS THAT ALIGN WITH CHARITABLE GIVING GOALS AND SUPPLY INFORMATION ABOUT STARTING THEIR FUND WITHIN THE FOUNDATION. WE ARE HERE FOR GOOD TO GROW THE FOUNDATION'S UNRESTRICTED ASSETS TO PROVIDE FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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