quality:corruption, structural:expansion, quality:correction
Philanthropy

James has maintained close ties to his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which is also where his charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF), is based. Since 2005, the foundation has held an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes. In 2015, James announced a partnership with the University of Akron to provide scholarships for as many as 2,300 children beginning in 2021. In 2017, he received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA for his "outstanding service and dedication to the community."

In November 2017, the Akron School Board approved the I Promise School, a public elementary school created in a partnership with the LJFF to help struggling elementary school students stay in school. The school officially opened on July 30, 2018, with James reflecting that it was his most important professional accomplishment. Other noteworthy public and charitable initiatives undertaken by James in Akron include the I Promise Institute at the University of Akron, I Promise Village (housing complex), House Three-Thirty (community center/retail plaza), and I Promise Health Quarters (medical center).

James is also an active supporter of various non-profit organizations, including After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Children's Defense Fund. In 2016, he donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support an exhibit on Muhammad Ali.