Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable is a private foundation based in St. Louis, Missouri. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, with stated purposes including general charitable purposes.
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable at a glance
In short: Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable gave $400K across 59 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Missouri. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $399,750
- +49.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 59
- +73.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,775
- -13.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,481,719
- +18.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (19 of 59, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable
- 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: 17 Westmoreland Place, St Louis, MO 63108
Phone: (314) 367-7208
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Coca ($40K). Together the top 10 received $235K.
Grant Size Distribution
272 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 272 grants of 272 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to organizations in Missouri, 4% to organizations in Washington, DC, and 3% to organizations in Illinois. The filing also reports 0% for Georgia and Oklahoma.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 59 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 39% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 133% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $172K (2022) to $400K (2025). In 2025 it made 59 grants totaling $400K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Coca St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $40,000 |
| New Jewish Theatre St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $31,000 |
| Dance St Louis St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| Nine PBS St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| St Louis Ballet Chesterfield, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| St Louis Zoo St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| Stages St Louis Chesterfield, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
| French American Cultural Foundation Washington, DC | General Charitable Purposes | $15,750 |
| Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $13,500 |
| Cinema St Louis St. Louis, MO | General Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable?
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 | $4,481,719 | $1,172,965 | $462,458 | $399,750 | 59 | $399,750 | $1,172,300 | $304,360 |
| 2024 | $3,771,212 | $508,490 | $318,944 | $266,700 | 34 | $266,700 | $508,490 | $298,893 |
| 2023 | $3,581,666 | $204,075 | $333,347 | $290,300 | 86 | $290,300 | $204,075 | $254,934 |
| 2022 | $3,710,938 | $131,919 | $223,182 | $171,700 | 34 | $171,700 | $91,723 | $249,947 |
| 2021 | $3,802,201 | $391,222 | $280,622 | $232,900 | 59 | $232,900 | $350,050 | $273,621 |
| 2020 | $3,691,601 | $239,305 | $346,796 | $306,500 | 60 | — | $204,824 | $225,163 |
| 2019 | $3,799,092 | $629,018 | $316,405 | $279,150 | 48 | — | $296,016 | $208,334 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable reported a distributable amount of $304K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include arts and cultural organizations, animal-welfare organizations, and a hospital foundation. For example, STAGES ST. LOUIS describes its work as preserving and advancing musical theatre through performance and education; CINEMA ST LOUIS describes its work as educational programs, cultural connection, and curated film exhibitions. Animal-welfare grantees include Operation SPOT, which says it works to eliminate unnecessary euthanasia of dogs and cats, and Open Door Animal Sanctuary, which says it provides homeless cats and dogs with care and a second chance at adoption.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 59 grants totaling $399,750. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable grants included $40,000 to COCA, $31,000 to NEW JEWISH THEATRE, $25,000 each to DANCE ST LOUIS, NINE PBS, ST LOUIS BALLET, ST LOUIS ZOO, and STAGES ST LOUIS, and $15,750 to the FRENCH AMERICAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION. The listed purposes for these grants were general charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists MARY STRAUSS and PATRICIA VOGELSANG as trustees.
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Strauss
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Vogelsang
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable
How much does Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable give each year?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable gave $400K across 59 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $267K across 34 grants.
What is Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's typical grant size?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,775, across 59 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable that year got $6K on average.
Where does Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable give grants?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable gives mostly in Missouri: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (40 grants), Chesterfield, MO (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and House Springs, MO (2 grants).
Does Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (59 of 59) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's largest grantees?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Coca ($40,000), New Jewish Theatre ($31,000) and Dance St Louis ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $400K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $304K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include arts and cultural organizations, animal-welfare organizations, and a hospital foundation. For example, STAGES ST. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable?
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 Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's EIN?
Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6448116. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 29, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leon-and-mary-strauss-charitable-morg_8e76ba037109461e96d8007aa4ba2a38
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_376448116_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leon-and-mary-strauss-charitable-morg_8e76ba037109461e96d8007aa4ba2a38},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Leon and Mary Strauss Charitable'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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