Leon Levy Foundation
The Leon Levy Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Established from Leon Levy’s estate in 2004, it advances the humanist values of understanding, appreciation, and preservation through grantmaking guided by the interests of Leon Levy and Shelby White. It primarily supports work in New York City that enhances cultural life, expands knowledge, and encourages exceptional achievement.
Leon Levy Foundation at a glance
In short: Leon Levy Foundation gave $38.5M across 214 grants in 2024 (avg $180K), mostly in New York. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $38,451,826
- +19.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 214
- +8.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $179,681
- +10.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $490,716,440
- -1.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (48 of 213, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Leon Levy Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Grant requests and inquiries are by invitation only; the Foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: One Rockefeller Plaza 19 Fl, New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 455-6270
Website: https://leonlevyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leon Levy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New York University ($8.7M). Together the top 10 received $23.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
950 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 578 grants of 950 (61%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it supports work primarily in New York City. In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 4% to Massachusetts, 3% to New Jersey, 3% to Washington, DC, and 1% to recipients whose state was not specified.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 214 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Leon Levy Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 48 of 213 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $79K; repeat grants $210K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 39% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 183% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $24.9M (2020) to $38.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 214 grants totaling $38.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York University New York, NY | Project Support. | $8,726,786 |
| Graduate Center - City University of New York New York, NY | Endowment Support | $3,275,000 |
| New York Academy of Sciences New York, NY | Project Support. | $2,818,101 |
| Prospect Park Alliance Brooklyn, NY | Endowment Support | $2,050,000 |
| The City College New York New York, NY | Project Support. | $1,555,000 |
| New York Public Library New York, NY | Endowment Support | $1,440,000 |
| Bard Graduate Center New York, NY | Project Support. | $1,035,000 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | Project Support. | $1,035,000 |
| White Levy Program for Archaeological Publications Cambridge, MA | Project Support. | $1,007,169 |
| Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority New York, NY | Project Support. | $1,000,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $490,716,440 | $46,558,890 | $42,586,586 | $38,451,826 | 214 | $41,591,931 | $42,209,866 | $22,734,179 |
| 2023 | $495,872,625 | $55,825,295 | $44,531,390 | $32,290,914 | 198 | $35,310,049 | $51,517,597 | $22,406,989 |
| 2022 | $495,447,526 | $25,662,391 | $65,732,529 | $34,589,769 | 190 | $37,206,697 | $19,696,029 | $24,824,969 |
| 2021 | $614,122,389 | $121,596,253 | $44,445,465 | $27,619,034 | 175 | $29,982,351 | $116,257,818 | $24,377,734 |
| 2020 | $494,466,115 | $37,863,642 | $26,723,989 | $24,902,080 | 173 | — | $32,970,124 | $20,143,482 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leon Levy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated approach is to advance understanding, appreciation, and preservation. It provides operating and project support in its six program areas, with grants of all sizes.
Its 2024 grants included support for universities, scientific organizations, cultural institutions, parks, and organizations working on press freedom and immigrant justice. For example, New York University describes its mission as education, research and scholarship, and patient care. The Prospect Park Alliance says it restores, develops, and operates Prospect Park, caring for its natural environment and preserving its historic design. The Committee to Protect Journalists describes its work as promoting press freedom worldwide and defending journalists’ ability to report safely. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
The Foundation also develops signature initiatives, including the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, the Archives Initiative, the Leon Levy Center for Biography, the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, and the White Levy Program for Archaeological Publications. The Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience support postdoctoral researchers in New York City through a program administered independently by the New York Academy of Sciences; the scholarships are awarded competitively and include 36 months of support, mentoring, and career-development programming.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 214 grants totaling $38,451,826. Grant amounts ranged from $40 to $8,726,786, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $8,726,786 to New York University for project support; $3,275,000 to the Graduate Center–City University of New York for endowment support; $2,818,101 to the New York Academy of Sciences for project support; and $2,050,000 to Prospect Park Alliance for endowment support. Other major recipients included City College New York ($1,555,000), New York Public Library ($1,440,000), Bard Graduate Center ($1,035,000), Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1,035,000), and White Levy Program for Archaeological Publications ($1,007,169).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Meredith Ross as president and John Bernstein, Shelby White, and Tracy White as trustees.
Leon Levy Foundation is led by Meredith Ross, President since 2023 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Meredith Ross
President
Program Director & President → President, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$280K (2022) → $400K (2024)
John Bernstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shelby White
Trustee
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy White
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Elizabeth Moynihan (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Robert Goldrich (2020–2022) — Outgoing President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $400K, to Meredith Ross (President).
Frequently asked questions about Leon Levy Foundation
How much does Leon Levy Foundation give each year?
Leon Levy Foundation gave $38.5M across 214 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $32.3M across 198 grants.
What is Leon Levy Foundation's typical grant size?
Leon Levy Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $179,681, across 214 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leon Levy Foundation that year got $79K on average.
Where does Leon Levy Foundation give grants?
Leon Levy Foundation gives mostly in New York: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (129 grants), Brooklyn, NY (11 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Bronx, NY (5 grants).
Does Leon Levy Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of Leon Levy Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (136 of 214) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project Support." (71 grants) and "Endowment Support" (7 grants).
Who are Leon Levy Foundation's largest grantees?
Leon Levy Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include New York University ($8,726,786), Graduate Center - City University of New York ($3,275,000) and New York Academy of Sciences ($2,818,101), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Leon Levy Foundation?
Leon Levy Foundation reported $490.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $41.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Leon Levy Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated approach is to advance understanding, appreciation, and preservation. It provides operating and project support in its six program areas, with grants of all sizes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leon Levy Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Leon Levy Foundation's EIN?
Leon Levy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-6085406. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Leon Levy Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leon Levy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leon-levy-foundation-morg_85f4c1ce21c648dc9bd1e86fce4a32d4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_306085406_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leon Levy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leon-levy-foundation-morg_85f4c1ce21c648dc9bd1e86fce4a32d4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Levy Foundation'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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