Our Members

The Lumpkin Family Foundation is truly a family affair. We strive for unity and closeness among the descendents of the original donor, Besse A. Lumpkin. The Foundation provides a forum for family members to affirm their core values, honor a common legacy of community service and contribute their talents to accomplish shared goals. We seek unity through the process of selecting, funding and monitoring charitable activities through a consensus process involving the entire family, which is consistent with family values and goals. Likewise, we foster understanding and respect for the family’s legacy in Central Illinois and encourage individual member philanthropy and community involvement wherever members reside.

Family members currently fill six of nine seats on the Board of Directors and serve on all grant-making and management committees. The Committee on Trusteeship was created to support the growth and participation of members in relation to The Foundation’s need for leadership. Spouses are also active Foundation members. At age 10, children begin their involvement with the Next (Sixth) Generation Committee, which makes micro-grants in communities where those children live. Children become Foundation members at age 16.

While family participation is essential to our identity as a family foundation, our members strongly value involving others whose expertise and knowledge support the achievement of Foundation goals.  Independent (non-family) members currently participate on two of our three outstanding grant-making committees and we plan to add Independent members to the Board of Trustees in the near future.  We also involve local residents on ad hoc advisory committees and regularly consult community members when we are developing new programs or evaluating ongoing ones.