The Hobson Lucas Family Foundation (also known as the George Lucas Family Foundation) is the private grantmaking foundation of Ariel Investments president Mellody Hobson and her husband, film writer and director George Lucas.

In 1991, Geroge Lucas began his philanthropic career with the George Lucas Educational Foundation to invest in universities and low-income education programs. Years later, he founded the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation to donate to a wider array of groups, including some left-of-center advocacy organizations. Both Hobson and Lucas are major Democratic donors. ^{1 2}

In July 2021, Inside Philanthropy listed Hobson and Lucas as two of the 100 “most powerful players in philanthropy.” ³

Grants

The Hobson Lucas Family Foundation is a major supporter of left-of-center organizations. In 2019, the Hobson Lucas Family Foundation donated $1.3 million to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), $30,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), $15,000 to the left-wing People for the American Way Foundation, $10,000 to the National Urban League, $5,000 to the Tides Center, $1,000 to Common Sense Media, and $500 to the Human Rights Campaign and the Legal Action Center. ⁴

In 2018, the foundation gave $20 million to the National Philanthropic Trust, an organization which manages donor-advised fund accounts. That same year, the foundation gave $1.3 million to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, $50,000 to the People for the American Way Foundation, $25,000 to the Urban Justice Center, $10,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center, and $1,000 to Common Sense Media, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and the Legal Action Center. ⁵

In 2017, the Foundation gave $5 million to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, $250,000 to the Urban Justice Center, $100,000 to the pro-gun control Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, $71,000 to the People for the American Way Foundation, $2,500 to the Legal Action Center, and $1,000 to Hispanics in Philanthropy. ⁶

In 2016, the Foundation gave $250,000 to Planned Parenthood. ⁷

Hobson Hall

In mid-2020, during nationwide protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Princeton University faced criticisms and protests over the use of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s name. President Wilson was an alumnus and donor to Princeton, earning him name recognition on Princeton’s school of foreign policy, an alumni award, and a residential college. Critics demanded the removal of President Wilson’s name from all Princeton University buildings, alleging that he was a racist who implemented racist policies as president. In June 2020, Princeton removed President Wilson’s name from the school of foreign policy and the residential college, though the university remained legally obligated to retain his name on the award. ⁸

In October 2020, Princeton announced that it had received large donations from both Mellody Hobson (a Princeton alumnus and former trustee) and the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. The university subsequently announced that it would be building the new Hobson Hall, the first building at the university named for an African-American woman, at the site of First College, which was formerly named after President Wilson. ⁹

Leadership

Mellody Hobson is a major Democratic donor. In the 2014 election cycle, she was the only African American among the 500 largest political donors. ¹⁰ In the 2016 cycle, she gave $620,000 to Democratic PACs and candidates. ¹¹ In the 2020 cycle, Hobson donated $2.2 million to Democratically-aligned PACs, including the Senate Majority PAC, Unite to Win, Unite the Country, and American Bridge 21st Century. ¹²

George Lucas also periodically makes large donations to Democratic organizations. In 2010, Lucas gave over $30 million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In the 2012 cycle, he gave $10 million to the Democratic Party of California and $25,000 to the House Majority PAC. In the 2014 cycle, Lucas gave $7,400 to the Democratic Party of Massachusetts and $5,200 to U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). In the 2016 cycle, Lucas gave $2,700 to U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ). In the 2018 cycle, he gave $8,100 to U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and $2,700 to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). ¹³

1. “Hobson, Mellody L.: Donor Detail.” Open Secrets. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/donor_detail.php?cycle=2020&id=a0000446892&type=I&super=S&name=Hobson%2C+Mellody+L.
2. “Donor Search: George Lucas.” Open Secrets. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=george+lucas&type=donors.
3. “The IP Power List: Meet the 100 Most Powerful Players in Philanthropy.” Inside Philanthropy. July 21, 2021. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/7/21/the-inside-philanthropy-power-list.
4. “Hobson Lucas Family Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203940983/02_2021_prefixes_20-20%2F203940983_201912_990PF_2021021317706279.
5. “Hobson Lucas Family Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203940983/12_2019_prefixes_20-22%2F203940983_201812_990PF_2019122316975791.
6. “Hobson Lucas Family Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203940983/02_2019_prefixes_20-20%2F203940983_201712_990PF_2019020716072151.
7. “Hobson Lucas Family Foundation Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203940983/02_2019_prefixes_20-20%2F203940983_201712_990PF_2019020716072151.
8. Slotkin, Jason. “Princeton to Remove Woodrow Wilson’s Name from Public Policy School.” NPR. June 27, 2020. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/27/884310403/princeton-to-remove-woodrow-wilsons-name-from-public-policy-school.
9. “Princeton receives major gift from Mellody Hudson, family foundation.” Philanthropy News Digest. October 12, 2020. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/princeton-receives-major-gift-from-mellody-hobson-family-foundation.
10. Mayersohn, Andrew. “Donor demographics: old white guys edition, part III.” Open Secrets. June 30, 2015. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/06/donor-demographics-old-white-guys-edition-part-iii/.
11. “Mellody Hobson Political Campaign Contributions 2016 Election Cycle.” CampaignMoney.com. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/mellody-hobson.asp?cycle=16.
12. “Hobson, Mellody L.: Donor Detail.” Open Secrets. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/donor_detail.php?cycle=2020&id=a0000446892&type=I&super=S&name=Hobson%2C+Mellody+L.
13. “Donor Search: George Lucas.” Open Secrets. Accessed August 5, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=george+lucas&type=donors.