The Leon Levy Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 2004 from the estate of Leon Levy, a Wall Street investor and co-founder of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Based in New York City, the foundation advances humanist values through grantmaking guided by the deep and diverse interests of Leon Levy and Shelby White. The foundation supports organizations, primarily in New York City, that enhance cultural life, expand knowledge, and encourage exceptional achievement across a broad range of fields.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$490.7M
-1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$38.5M
+19.1% YoY
Grant Count
214
+8.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$180K
+10.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Leon Levy Foundation's mission is to continue Leon Levy's philanthropic legacy by supporting development in six primary areas:
- Ancient World — Understanding and research of ancient civilizations and their connections across the Mediterranean basin and central Asia to the Pacific Ocean
- Arts & Humanities — Cultural institutions and initiatives that enhance artistic and humanistic understanding
- Nature & Gardens — Preservation of natural spaces and botanical gardens
- Neuroscience — Research into the functioning of the brain and neuroscience research
- Human Rights — Organizations advancing human rights and justice
- Jewish Culture — Institutions and programs supporting Jewish cultural preservation and understanding
The foundation's approach reflects Leon Levy's passion for expanding knowledge and belief in the power of ideas and a just and equitable society.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 159 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Recent grant recipients and amounts include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in New York City and the surrounding region. However, grantmaking extends to major urban centers including Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as international locations such as Prague and Rio de Janeiro.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $496 million (2023); $490.7 million (2024)
- Total Revenue: $55.8 million (2023); $46.6 million (2024)
- Total Expenses: $44.5 million (2023); $42.6 million (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $84.5 million (2023)
The foundation is a 501(c)(3) exempt private foundation with 12 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $490,716,440 | $495,872,625 | $495,447,526 |
| Revenue | $46,558,890 | $55,825,295 | $25,662,391 |
| Expenses | $42,586,586 | $44,531,390 | $65,732,529 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $41,591,931 | $35,310,049 | $37,206,697 |
| Net Investment Income | $42,209,866 | $51,517,597 | $19,696,029 |
| Distributable Amount | $22,734,179 | $22,406,989 | $24,824,969 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President — Meredith Ross
- Trustee — Shelby White (Founding Trustee)
- Trustee — Elizabeth B. Moynihan
- Trustee — John W. Bernstein
- Director of Finance and Administration — Justine Koch
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN BERNSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 15 | — |
| MEREDITH ROSS | PRESIDENT | 40 | $400,000 |
| SHELBY WHITE | TRUSTEE | 25 | — |
| TRACY WHITE | TRUSTEE | 15 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported several significant initiatives in recent years:
**COVID-19 Response** — The Leon Levy Foundation participated in the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund, which distributed over $110 million in emergency support to 768 New York City-based social services and arts and cultural nonprofits affected by the coronavirus crisis.
**Literary Archives Preservation** — Awarded a $300,000 grant to the Authors Guild Foundation to preserve over 100 years of literary advocacy archives.
Leon Levy Foundation Awards $300,000 Grant to the Authors Guild Foundation**NYCHA Archives** — Granted $493,000 to digitize and expand New York City Housing Authority archives.
LLF Grants $493K To Digitize And Expand NYCHA Archives - Leon Levy Foundation**Theater Support** — Awarded $250,000 to A.R.T./New York and created a COVID relief fund to support NYC small theaters.
Leon Levy Foundation Awards $250,000 Grant to A.R.T./New York, Creates Covid**Archival Assistance** — Administers the Shelby White & Leon Levy Archival Assistance Initiative, which provides grants for archival preservation projects.
Announcing the 2025 Shelby White & Leon Levy Archival ... - NYPAPSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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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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