Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation
The Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation is a private, family foundation established in 1943 and based in New York, New York. It supports organizations working on democracy-related issues and climate and environmental justice.
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation at a glance
In short: Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation gave $6.0M across 79 grants in 2024 (avg $76K), top state New York. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,007,084
- +10.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 79
- -8.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $76,039
- +20.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $31,851,864
- -3.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (11 of 68, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 271 Madison Ave Suite 605, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 684-9110
Website: https://gimbelfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New Venture Fund ($520K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
436 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 194 grants of 436 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (36%) and Washington, D.C. (35%), followed by California (13%), Massachusetts (8%), and New Jersey (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 68 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $89K; repeat grants $88K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $60K repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 344% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.1M (2020) to $6.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 79 grants totaling $6.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Neo Philanthropy Inc New York, NY | State Infrastructure Fund | $400,000 |
| Common Cause Education Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $350,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | Trusted Elections Fund | $300,000 |
| Standearth San Francisco, CA | General Support | $300,000 |
| Rainforest Action Network San Francisco, CA | General Support | $250,000 |
| The New York Immigration Coalition Inc New York, NY | General Support | $225,000 |
| Climate & Clean Energy Equity Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $200,000 |
| Proteus Fund New York, NY | Piper Fund | $200,000 |
| Trustees of Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Bridging Divides Initiative | $200,000 |
| 350ORG Boston, MA | General Support | $150,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $31,851,864 | $6,089,548 | $7,105,434 | $6,007,084 | 79 | $6,617,429 | $5,697,660 | $1,924,319 |
| 2023 | $32,867,757 | $2,844,026 | $6,412,475 | $5,422,250 | 86 | $6,022,815 | $2,460,562 | $1,912,318 |
| 2022 | $36,436,327 | $3,376,498 | $6,505,925 | $5,492,250 | 93 | $6,041,191 | $2,948,040 | $2,046,119 |
| 2021 | $39,565,616 | $8,493,248 | $6,082,707 | $4,920,250 | 92 | $5,438,942 | $7,961,206 | $2,474,558 |
| 2020 | $37,154,800 | $1,182,877 | $5,157,082 | $4,113,000 | 86 | — | $654,951 | $2,215,777 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s democracy-related priorities include election integrity and access to voting; the rule of law; government accountability and transparency; and civic engagement and mobilization. It also identifies restoring and expanding reproductive rights and access to abortion as a longstanding area of support. Its climate and environmental justice funding includes legal challenges, policy advocacy, organizing and movement building, campaigns addressing harmful corporate practices, and efforts to protect scientific integrity in government decision-making.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the kinds of organizations it supports. Common Cause Education Fund says it works through research, outreach, education, and coalition building to increase public understanding of democracy and promote citizen engagement. Earthjustice describes itself as a public-interest environmental law organization working to protect health and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change. Rainforest Action Network says it works to protect communities, forests, climate, and biodiversity.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 79 grants totaling $6,007,084. Grants ranged from $1,250 to $400,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest were $400,000 to NEO Philanthropy for the State Infrastructure Fund; $350,000 to Common Cause Education Fund for general support; $300,000 to New Venture Fund for the Trusted Elections Fund; and $300,000 to Stand.earth for general support. Other notable grants included $250,000 to Rainforest Action Network and $225,000 to the New York Immigration Coalition, both for general support, and $200,000 to Princeton University for the Bridging Divides Initiative.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Leslie Gimbel as president and CEO; Stephen D. Greenberg as treasurer; and Lynn S. Stern as vice president. Directors listed are Nicholas S. G. Stern, Thomas S. Gimbel, Alva G. Greenberg, Jennifer Bloom Greenberg, Hope Kittredge Gimbel, and Mark P. Gimbel.
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation is led by Leslie Gimbel, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 9 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Leslie Gimbel
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$162K (2020) → $191K (2024)
Alva G. Greenberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hope Kittredge Gimbel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Bloom Greenberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas S. G. Stern
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas S. T. Gimbel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark P. Gimbel
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn S. Stern
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen D. Greenberg
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Robert B. Gimbel (2020–2022) — Director · Filing note: Resigned 83022
- Former: Mark P. Gimbel Elected (2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $191K, to Leslie Gimbel (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation
How much does Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation give each year?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation gave $6.0M across 79 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.4M across 86 grants.
What is Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's typical grant size?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $76,039, across 79 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation that year got $89K on average.
Where does Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation give grants?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's top state is New York, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (35%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (28 grants), Washington, DC (17 grants), Boston, MA (5 grants) and San Francisco, CA (4 grants).
Does Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 79) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research" (6 grants) and "Trusted Elections Fund" (3 grants).
Who are Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's largest grantees?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include New Venture Fund ($520,000 across 4 grants), Neo Philanthropy Inc ($450,000 across 2 grants) and Common Cause Education Fund ($350,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation reported $31.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s democracy-related priorities include election integrity and access to voting; the rule of law; government accountability and transparency; and civic engagement and mobilization. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's EIN?
Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6090843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bernard-f-and-alva-b-gimbel-foundation-morg_650eaf06d7c54e068f42b39d0e30e14c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136090843_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bernard F \& Alva B Gimbel Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bernard-f-and-alva-b-gimbel-foundation-morg_650eaf06d7c54e068f42b39d0e30e14c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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