James T Lee Foundation Inc
James T Lee Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2025 filing reports 18 grants totaling $766,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations in New York and several other states.
James T Lee Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: James T Lee Foundation Inc gave $766K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in New York. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $766,000
- -11.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,556
- +8.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $12,472
- -98.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James T Lee Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 115 E 92Nd St, New York, NY 10128
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James T Lee Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The New York Community Trust ($150K). Together the top 10 received $640K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 73 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York. Other recipient states were Colorado (7%), Washington (4%), Connecticut (3%), and Florida (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is James T Lee Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $42K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $32K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 374% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $79K (2023) to $861K (2024). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $766K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The New York Community Trust New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Assoc Kings Point, NY | General & Unrestricted | $110,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University New York, NY | Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for the Department of Pancreatic Research | $75,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | Research led by Dr. Stephen Horwitz | $65,000 |
| Butterflies from Jodie New Rochelle, NY | Keith Michael Morris Memorial Foundation | $60,000 |
| National Jewish Health Denver, CO | The Wendy Siegel Leukemia Research Fund and National Jewish Health Dinner Fund | $50,000 |
| St Lukes Church East Hampton, NY | General & Unrestricted | $34,000 |
| Brothers for Life Seattle, WA | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Cottage in Darien Inc Darien, CT | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| NYU Langone Health System New York, NY | NYU Department of Neurology for FACES (Fight Against Childhood Epilepsy and Seizures) | $25,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,472 | $37,362 | $795,216 | $766,000 | 18 | $794,045 | $36,349 | $49,820 |
| 2024 | $750,326 | $335,682 | $884,298 | $861,000 | 22 | $873,951 | $327,882 | $48,671 |
| 2023 | $1,298,942 | $33,811 | $102,906 | $78,500 | 5 | $97,208 | $30,013 | $74,804 |
| 2022 | $1,368,037 | $121,610 | $202,350 | $161,500 | 10 | $195,043 | $117,297 | $86,207 |
| 2021 | $1,455,677 | $167,602 | $323,491 | $280,000 | 18 | — | $139,117 | $104,142 |
| 2020 | $1,611,115 | $118,503 | $321,993 | $280,000 | 18 | — | $90,287 | $98,630 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James T Lee Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $50K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied activities, including health research, medical care, community services, and education. For example, National Jewish Health describes its mission as providing patient care, researching disease, and educating health professionals. Brothers for Life says it supports Jewish and Israeli veterans through education, mentoring, social services, and financial aid. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum describes its work as sharing the stories of immigrants, migrants, and refugees to build a more inclusive society.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $766,000. Awards ranged from $7,500 to $150,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Among the largest were $150,000 to The New York Community Trust for general and unrestricted purposes; $110,000 to the United States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association for general and unrestricted purposes; $75,000 to the Trustees of Columbia University for the Department of Pancreatic Research at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center; and $65,000 to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for research led by Dr. Stephen Horwitz.
Other reported grants included $60,000 to Butterflies from Jodie for the Keith Michael Morris Memorial Foundation; $50,000 to National Jewish Health for the Wendy Siegel Leukemia Research Fund and its dinner fund; and $25,000 to NYU Langone Health System for its Department of Neurology for FACES (Fight Against Childhood Epilepsy and Seizures).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Leelee Brown as director and president; Paul Duffy as director and vice president; Raymond O’Keefe and Stephen Siegel as directors; and Richard Wheeless as director and treasurer.
James T Lee Foundation Inc is led by Leelee Brown, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leelee Brown
Director & President
Director → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Duffy
Director & Vice President
Director & Vice President → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Director & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Raymond T. O'Keefe
Director
President → President & Director, 2022
President & Director → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Wheeless
Director & Treasurer
Director & Secretary → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Siegel
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Delcour S. Potter (2020–2024) — Director & Vice President
- Former: Mary Garner (2022–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Steve Siegel (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Vincent Ziccolella (2020–2021) — Director · Filing note: Deceased
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 James T Lee Foundation Inc
How much does James T Lee Foundation Inc give each year?
James T Lee Foundation Inc gave $766K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $861K across 22 grants.
What is James T Lee Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
James T Lee Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $42,556, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James T Lee Foundation Inc that year got $42K on average.
Where does James T Lee Foundation Inc give grants?
James T Lee Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants) and New Rochelle, NY (2 grants).
Does James T Lee Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 67% of James T Lee Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James T Lee Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
James T Lee Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The New York Community Trust ($150,000), United States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Assoc ($110,000) and Butterflies from Jodie ($76,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James T Lee Foundation Inc?
James T Lee Foundation Inc reported $12K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $794K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $50K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James T Lee Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied activities, including health research, medical care, community services, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James T Lee Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 James T Lee Foundation Inc's EIN?
James T Lee Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1878496. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does James T Lee Foundation Inc 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James T Lee Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-t-lee-foundation-inc-morg_ab3dc85a5ce3462daa31412ca10e8883
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131878496_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James T Lee Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-t-lee-foundation-inc-morg_ab3dc85a5ce3462daa31412ca10e8883},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 James T Lee Foundation Inc'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.
James T Lee Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?