The Ainslie Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2017 and based in Dallas, Texas. The foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of Lee S. Ainslie, III and his wife, Elizabeth. Lee S. Ainslie, III founded the hedge fund Maverick Capital in 1993 and has served on the board of directors of the Robin Hood Foundation, which addresses poverty in New York City.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$456.1M
+29.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$15.5M
+3.7% YoY
Grant Count
107
+25.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$145K
-17.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ainslie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Ainslie Foundation supports three primary areas:
- Education — The foundation's largest area of giving, with emphasis on K-12 education, higher education, and college readiness and success
- Health — Including medical research and health-related initiatives
- Environmental Causes — Environmental preservation and wildlife conservation
The foundation also supports philanthropic initiatives and human services.
Grantmaking
The foundation made approximately $15.5 million in total grants during 2024. Notable recent grants include:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While the Ainslie Foundation makes grants nationally, it primarily concentrates funding in:
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Virginia
- Florida
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2024)
- Total Assets: $456,141,302
- Total Revenues: $1,191,840
- Total Expenses: $17,660,835
- Total Giving: $15,549,700
Staffing
The foundation operates with 0 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $456,141,302 | $352,293,992 | $283,097,764 |
| Revenue | $1,191,840 | $87,691 | $594 |
| Expenses | $17,660,835 | $15,627,319 | $17,957,357 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,720,987 | $15,008,411 | $17,951,641 |
| Net Investment Income | $73,345,553 | $44,343,719 | $406,572 |
| Distributable Amount | $17,968,011 | $15,388,695 | $15,212,348 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County Inc ($2,000,000), Boys' Club of New York ($1,667,000), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ($1,100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 FRIENDS OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE, FL | ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION | $5,000 |
| ACADEMY CENTER OF THE ARTS LYNCHBURG, VA | PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL | $10,000 |
| ACUMEN FUND INC NEW YORK, NY | PROMOTION OF BUSINESS TO CREATE A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF EMERGING LEADERS | $100,000 |
| AMC SCHWARZMAN ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER NEW YORK, NY | VETERINARY MEDICINE, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT WASHINGTON, DC | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT WASHINGTON, DC | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER CAMBRIDGE, MA | ARTS | $25,000 |
| B ROBERT WILLIAMSON JR FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATION | $25,000 |
| THE BANNER LAKE CLUB HOBE SOUND, FL | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $5,000 |
| THE BANNER LAKE CLUB HOBE SOUND, FL | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Lee S. Ainslie, III — Founder of the foundation and founder of Maverick Capital
- Elizabeth Ainslie — Co-founder of the foundation
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE S AINSLIE III | PRESIDENT & CO-CHAIR | 0.1 | — |
| ELIZABETH M AINSLIE | CO-CHAIR | 0.1 | — |
| ALEX RAFAL | SECRETARY | 0.1 | — |
| W KEITH HENNINGTON | TREASURER | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In May 2024, the Ainslie Foundation hosted a summit in support of neutrophil research.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ainslie Foundation fund?
The Ainslie Foundation supports three primary areas: • **Education** — The foundation's largest area of giving, with emphasis on K-12 education, higher education, and college readiness and success • **Health** — Including medical research and health-related initiatives • **Environmental Causes** — Environmental preservation and wildlife conservation The foundation also supports philanthropic initiatives and human services.
How do I apply for a grant from Ainslie Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024)** The foundation made approximately $15.5 million in total grants during 2024. Notable recent grants include: • Robin Hood Foundation / Tudor Charitable Trust: $4,550,000 (Social Services) • Wildlife Conservation Society: $2,000,000 (Environmental Preservation & Wildlife Conservation) • Boys and Girls Club of Martin County: $2,000,000 (Community Outreach) **Grant Characteristics** • Typical award range: $250 to $6,725,000 • The foundation made 89 grants in 2024 • Largest…
Where does Ainslie Foundation make grants?
While the Ainslie Foundation makes grants nationally, it primarily concentrates funding in: • Massachusetts • New York • Virginia • Florida
What size grants does Ainslie Foundation award?
In 2024, Ainslie Foundation awarded 107 grants totaling $15.5M — an average of about $145K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ainslie Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ainslie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ainslie Foundation's EIN?
Ainslie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4732333. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ainslie Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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