Lawson Valentine Foundation logo

Lawson Valentine Foundation

PRINCETON, NJ EIN: 13-6920044 Website

The Lawson Valentine Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1989 in Connecticut. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the foundation was created through the generosity of Alice Doyle, who inherited eleven paintings by renowned 19th-century artist Winslow Homer. The foundation's grantmaking strategy focuses on providing long-term support to grassroots community-based organizers and advocates, low-wage workers, and other change agents working among people of color, low-income youth, immigrants, refugees, and other underserved populations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$15.1M

+3.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$328K

-35.2% YoY

Grant Count

63

-1.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

-34.2% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports organizing, policy, and leadership development in food systems, food sovereignty, and workers' rights. Funding is also focused on climate and environmental justice in disempowered communities.

Primary areas of interest include:

  • Food Systems – Supporting sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, and policy development
  • Environmental Justice – Focusing on justice in disempowered communities
  • Workers' Rights – Empowering workers through rights advocacy and advocacy for low-wage workers
  • Human Rights – Broader human rights initiatives
  • Economic Justice – Supporting economic equity and sustainability

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000, with typical awards between $500 and $70,000. Recent grant activity shows:

Grant Range

** $4,000

Average Grant

** $9,300

Invitation Only

** Proposals by invitation only.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds primarily in the Northeast, with grants also made in New York, Georgia, and California.

Grant Distribution by State

26states
+18 more states

Cities

AlbanyAlbuquerqueAmherstAnchorageAnn ArborAnnandaleApopkaArlingtonAshevilleAtlantaAustinBerkeleyBethesdaBostonBoulderBronxBrooklineBrooklynBuffaloBurlington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

  • Total Assets (2023): $14,648,162
  • Total Assets (2024): $15,148,739
  • Total Revenues (2023): $562,112
  • Total Expenses (2023): $832,586
  • Total Giving (2024): $328,200
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$899K$2M$3M$4M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$15,148,739$14,648,162$13,909,723
Revenue$3,269,615$562,112$949,125
Expenses$654,228$832,586$880,216
Qualifying Distributions$500,418$720,759$768,459
Net Investment Income$3,091,385$448,865$830,637
Distributable Amount$678,226$691,246$713,032

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$169K$338K$506K$675K66 grants202059 grants202158 grants202264 grants202363 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

ALTERNATIVES FOR COMMUNI…$20KCONSERVATION LAW FOUNDAT…$20KGRASSROOTS INTERNATIONAL$20KNEW ENGLAND GRASSROOTS E…$20KEASTERN WOODLAND LACROSSE$10KEVERYDAY DEMOCRACY$9KHARTBEAT ENSEMBLE$8KHELLO (LOFA COUNTY COMMU…$7KHUDSONIA$7KNEW ALTERNATIVES$7K

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

249<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Elizabeth Corsa – Executive Director and Treasurer
  • Paul E Vawter – Trustee
  • Valentine Doyle – Trustee
  • Lucy Miller – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

ELIZABETH CORSAEXEC DIRECTOR/TREASURER$85K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
LUCY MILLERTRUSTEE1
PAUL E VAWTER JRTRUSTEE1
VALENTINE DOYLETRUSTEE1
ALLEN DOYLETRUSTEE/CHAIR1
MARK LINDEMANTRUSTEE1
KOLU ZIGBITRUSTEE1
ELIZABETH CORSAEXEC DIRECTOR/TREASURER40$85,000
MARGARET LINDEMANTRUSTEE1
MELANIE RENEE ALLENTRUSTEE1

Contact Information

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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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