The Lontar Foundation, a not-for-profit organization based in Jakarta, Indonesia, was founded in 1987 by four Indonesian writers: Goenawan Mohamad, Sapardi Djoko Damono, Umar Kayam, and Subagio Sastrowardoyo, and the American translator John H.

[1] The foundation is an independent organization whose core activity is the translation and publication of Indonesian literary works.

According to Associate Professor Jean Gelman Taylor from the University of New South Wales, "Wetherhill and the Lontar Foundation have made a major contribution to scholarship by bringing together in one book these samples of Indonesia's intellectual and artistic heritage.

"[2] Lontar also published Indonesia in the Soeharto Years: Issues, Incidents and images written by John H. McGlynn and a large number of other writers.

In May 2011, the Lontar Foundation launched a new series of Indonesian literature translated into English called the Modern Library of Indonesia, featuring works from the 1920s until the present, including authors such as Putu Wijaya and Dewi Lestari.