Imperfect Family Foundation
Imperfect Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in the arts, media, civil rights, and other areas, with most grant dollars going to recipients in New York.
Imperfect Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Imperfect Family Foundation gave $371K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $370,500
- -71.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- -24.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,014
- -62.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $12,879,697
- +156.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Imperfect Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Lmc Advisors 1359 Broadway 17, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 967-2300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Imperfect Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Artistic Realization Technologies Inc ($50K). Together the top 10 received $223K.
Grant Size Distribution
141 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 111 grants of 141 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 13% to New Jersey, 8% to Maine, 1% to Maryland, and 1% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Imperfect Family Foundation gives
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 61% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 61% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $371K (2024) to $5.0M (2020). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $371K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic Realization Technologies Inc Belle Mead, NJ | To assist in the furtherance of the organization's charitable mission of developing technologies, studio programming and training that empowers those who lace the articulate use of their hands to gain perfect individual control of the art-making process start to finish. | $50,000 |
| Trisha Brown Dance Company New York, NY | This Was the 2023 Pledge. | $50,000 |
| Southampton Arts Center Southampton, NY | To support the center's programs, including art exhibitions, classes and live performances. | $25,000 |
| Guild Hall East Hampton, NY | To support the organization's mission which is to maintain a museum, performing arts center and education center. This was to support the renee cox exhibition. | $15,000 |
| Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund Inc New York, NY | To support the organziation's mission committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and anyone with hiv through impact litigation, education and public policy work. | $15,000 |
| Queerart New York, NY | To assist in the furtherance of the organization's charitable mission to create a diverse and vibrant communtiy through the support of lgbtq+ art and artists across generations and disciplines. | $15,000 |
| Studio Museum in Harlem New York, NY | To support the organization's mission to address the near-complete exclusion of artists of african descent from mainstream museums, commercial art galleries, academic institutions, and scholarly publications. | $15,000 |
| Wnet New York, NY | To support the station's mission to create and present life-changing media made for, and possible by, an engaged public. | $15,000 |
| DIA Art Foundation New York, NY | To support the organization's mission which is committed to advancing, realizing, and preserving the vision of artists. Dia fulfills its mission by commissioning single artist projects, organizing exhibitions, realizing site-specific installations, and collecting in-depth the work of a focused group of artists of the 1960s and 1970s. This was to support the 2023 spring benefit. | $12,500 |
| Almanack Screenwriters Brooklyn, NY | To support the organization's mission to provide screenwriters with the nurturing and tools they need to do the best work of their lives. | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Imperfect Family Foundation?
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 | $12,879,697 | $8,223,581 | $370,500 | $370,500 | 37 | $370,500 | $2,388,606 | $605,051 |
| 2023 | $5,026,616 | — | $1,306,860 | $1,297,000 | 49 | $1,297,000 | — | $281,758 |
| 2022 | $6,333,476 | $310,200 | $938,025 | $938,000 | 38 | $938,000 | — | $322,270 |
| 2021 | $6,961,301 | — | $1,109,097 | $942,500 | 10 | $942,500 | — | $400,421 |
| 2020 | $8,070,398 | $13,050,398 | $4,980,000 | $4,980,000 | 7 | — | $11,985,398 | $98,067 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Imperfect Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $605K 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 available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, dance, public media, and civil rights work. For example, WNET describes its mission as delivering lifelong learning and meaningful experiences to communities; Lambda Legal describes its work as advancing the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and anyone living with HIV; and Bay Chamber Concerts says it works to transform lives through music programs, music education, and community outreach. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $370,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest listed grants were $50,000 to Artistic Realization Technologies Inc. and $50,000 to Trisha Brown Dance Company. Other grants included $25,000 to Southampton Arts Center; $15,000 each to Guild Hall, Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund, QueerArt, Studio Museum in Harlem, and WNET; and $12,500 to Dia Art Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mitchell Lichtenstein and David Lichtenstein as trustees. Dorothy Lichtenstein is listed as a trustee and noted as deceased in 2024.
Imperfect Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Lichtenstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell Lichtenstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Dorothy Lichtenstein (2020–2024) — Trustee · Filing note: Deceased 2024
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.
Frequently asked questions about Imperfect Family Foundation
How much does Imperfect Family Foundation give each year?
Imperfect Family Foundation gave $371K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 49 grants.
What is Imperfect Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Imperfect Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,014, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Imperfect Family Foundation give grants?
Imperfect Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (13%) and Maine (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (17 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), Rockport, ME (2 grants) and Bridgehampton, NY (2 grants).
Does Imperfect Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Imperfect Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Imperfect Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Imperfect Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Artistic Realization Technologies Inc ($50,000), Trisha Brown Dance Company ($50,000) and Southampton Arts Center ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Imperfect Family Foundation?
Imperfect Family Foundation reported $12.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $371K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $605K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Imperfect Family Foundation fund?
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, dance, public media, and civil rights work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Imperfect Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Imperfect Family Foundation's EIN?
Imperfect Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7263872. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Imperfect Family 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Imperfect Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Gannett Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Gannett Foundation’s 2025 grants supported a range of organizations, with listed awards generally between $1,500 and $2,500, though the available figures do not establish a typical grant size or geographic focus. The foundation has wound down: its 2026 filing reports no grants or assets, and no current application process or acceptance of unsolicited requests is stated.
Assets
—
Grants
32
Total Given
$65K
Arison Arts Foundation
Coral Gables, FL
The foundation supports performing arts, visual arts, and arts education organizations, with most 2024 funding going to Florida and New York. Its 2024 grants had a median of $30,000, though awards ranged from $1,000 to more than $10 million. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$381.2M
Grants
130
Total Given
$38.8M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The foundation funds arts and culture, nature and conservation, and health and well-being, including work supporting performing artists, climate resilience, medical research, and vulnerable children and families. In 2024, its grants had a median of $100,000, though awards ranged widely; it funds work across the United States and beyond. It accepts unsolicited Letters of Inquiry from U.S. nonprofits, but says very few lead to grants.
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
289
Total Given
$90.3M
The Donald and Barbara Zucker
New York, NY
Assets
$17.1M
Grants
217
Total Given
$9.6M
Arnhold Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Arnhold Foundation supports a broad range of arts, education, health, humanitarian, and conservation organizations, with most of its 2024 grant dollars going to New York recipients. Grants ranged from $250 to $13 million, with a median of $12,800. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$426.6M
Grants
233
Total Given
$56.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Imperfect Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/imperfect-family-foundation-morg_597bbda2bd814b1893a3fa7b63373bca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_357263872_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Imperfect Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/imperfect-family-foundation-morg_597bbda2bd814b1893a3fa7b63373bca},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Imperfect Family 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.
Imperfect Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?