Lemlem Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker White Plains, NY EIN: 20-2843928

Lemlem Foundation is a private foundation, based in White Plains, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $61K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $20K. Net investment income was $89.

Key facts about Lemlem Foundation

In short: Lemlem Foundation gave $20K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $20K). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
20-2843928
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$20,000
Grants made (2025)
1
Average grant
$20,000
Median grant
$20,000
Total assets
$61,007

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$61K

+0.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$20K

-60.0% YoY

Grant Count

1

-50.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$20K

-20.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lemlem Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Lemlem Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 524% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K2 grants2020 2 grants2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 2 grants2024 1 grant2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2020) to $55K (2021). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $20K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

Soko Community Trust: $20KSoko Community Trust$20K

The largest 2025 recipient was Soko Community Trust ($20K).

Grant Size Distribution

7 grants across all recorded years

7<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 7 grants of 7 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Soko Community Trust General$20,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$61,007$60,966$64,849
Revenue$20,335$56,913$66,485
Expenses$20,294$60,796$44,671
Qualifying Distributions$20,000$50,000$34,000
Net Investment Income$89——
Distributable Amount$3,819$3,755$2,815

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Lemlem Foundation is led by Melissa Janis, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Melissa Janis

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $166K (2020) → $0 (2025)

  • Liya T. Kebede

    President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Melissa Janis — Executive Director: $11KMelissa JanisExecutive Director$11K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $11K, to Melissa Janis (Executive Director).

Frequently asked questions about Lemlem Foundation

How much does Lemlem Foundation give each year?

Lemlem Foundation gave $20K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 2 grants.

How large is Lemlem Foundation?

Lemlem Foundation reported $61K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $20K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Lemlem Foundation's EIN?

Lemlem Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2843928. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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