Leonard Litz Foundation

FAIRFIELD, CT EIN: 84-3686034 Website

The Leonard-Litz Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Fairfield, Connecticut, dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations that advance the interests and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. The foundation was officially incorporated in November 2019 and became tax-exempt in April 2020.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.7M

+269.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.3M

+24.6% YoY

Grant Count

+30.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

-4.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leonard Litz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $81K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation seeks grant proposals for programs addressing one or more of the following focus areas:

Health & Wellness
Crisis Intervention
Racial Justice
Advocacy & Community Engagement
Social Assistance & Programming

Special consideration is given to organizations serving communities of color and transgender or gender-nonconforming people. The foundation prioritizes grants requiring less administrative burden to help directly address inequalities faced by these communities.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 41 grants totaling $809,579 in 2024.

Grant Range

s:** Typical awards range from $500 to $225,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation prioritizes organizations located in the Northeast United States, with particular focus on Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $1.7M (48%)

Connecticut $670K (19%)

District of Columbia $188K (5%)

Florida $185K (5%)

New Jersey $185K (5%)

Pennsylvania $180K (5%)

Vermont $100K (3%)

Massachusetts $73K (2%)

+9 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Indiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Utah Virginia Vermont Wisconsin West Virginia

Cities

AlbanyAllentownArdsleyAugustaBaltimoreBostonBrattleboroBridgeportBrooklynBurlingtonCalabasasCharlestonChathamCos CobCovinaDanburyEastonErieFairfieldFort Lauderdale

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total Assets: $2,687,038
Total Revenues: $3,692,257
Total Expenses: $1,732,213
Number of Employees: 1

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,687,038	$726,994	$751,849
Revenue	$3,692,257	$1,288,320	$1,043,050
Expenses	$1,732,213	$1,313,175	$910,635
Qualifying Distributions	$1,721,097	$1,024,210	$733,660
Net Investment Income	$468,833	$83,867	$130,723
Distributable Amount	$80,664	$40,419	$36,263

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

179 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

4 open opportunities from Leonard Litz Foundation

Show all 4 →

Foundation

Leonard Litz Foundation-Silver Connect Initiative Grant

LEONARD LITZ FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Leonard Litz Foundation-TransPLUS Resource Grants

LEONARD LITZ FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Leonard-Litz Foundation: LGBTQ+ Advocacy Fund Grant

LEONARD LITZ FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lamda Legal ($170,000), Bridgeport Pride Center Inc ($131,000), City College Foundation ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ACLU-CT HARTFORD, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
ALI-FORNEY CENTER NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$27,500
BAYARD RUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER PRINCETON, NJ	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
BETHEL PRIDE CO TRIANGLE COMMUNITY CENTER NORWALK, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
BLACK ROCK THEATER FAIRFIELD, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500
BRIDGEPORT FILM FESTIVAL BRIDGEPORT, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
BRIDGEPORT PRIDE CENTER INC BRIDGEPORT, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$131,000
CENTERLINK FT LAUDERDALE, FL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
CHRIST CHURCH EASTON, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
CITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$100,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Colin Hosten serves as Trustee and Executive Director, with compensation of $104,000 as of 2024.

The foundation was founded by individuals who experienced humble beginnings, parental loss, and childhood orphanage placement, and who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. The founders have been active participants in community organizations serving teenagers and other clients.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
F ELLIOT LEONARD	TRUSTEE	1	—
ROGER A LITZ	TRUSTEE	1	—
ANDREW MITCHELL-NAMDAR	TRUSTEE	1	$24,000
ROBYN SCHLESINGER	TRUSTEE	1	$13,000
ANTHONY CRISCI	TRUSTEE	1	$12,000
COLIN HOSTEN	TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR	40	$117,000

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2026

The foundation held its 4th Annual Leonard-Litz Pride Coalition event in 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Lambda Legal Announces $1 Million Gift From the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation

2024

In 2024, the foundation announced a $1 million gift to Lambda Legal to support LGBTQ+ legal advocacy work.

Lambda Legal Announces $1 Million Gift From the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation

The foundation has supported the next generation of queer leaders through partnerships with educational institutions.

Leonard-Litz Foundation Supports Next Generation of Queer Leaders

The foundation maintains active engagement with its grantee community through updates on initiatives like TransPLUS, which provides resources and support to transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

Leonard-Litz Foundation Supports Next Generation of Queer Leaders

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Leonard Litz Foundation fund?

The foundation's mission is to help LGBTQ+ people fulfill their potential by funding organizations that advance the interests and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, programs, and services. The foundation seeks grant proposals for programs addressing one or more of the following focus areas: • Health & Wellness • Crisis Intervention • Racial Justice • Advocacy & Community Engagement • Social Assistance & Programming Special consideration is given to organizations serving commun…

How do I apply for a grant from Leonard Litz Foundation?

**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $500 to $225,000. **Recent Grants (2024):** • Bridgeport Pride Center: $131,000 (General Support) • Triangle Community Center: $119,500 (General Support) • THE LOFT- THE Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center: $60,000 (General Support) The foundation made 41 grants totaling $809,579 in 2024. **Active Grant Programs:** • LGBTQ+ Advocacy Fund Grant • LGBTQ+ Community Grants • Silver Connect Initiative • TransPLUS Resource Grants

Where does Leonard Litz Foundation make grants?

The foundation prioritizes organizations located in the Northeast United States, with particular focus on Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.

What size grants does Leonard Litz Foundation award?

In 2024, Leonard Litz Foundation awarded 72 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Leonard Litz Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Leonard Litz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $81K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.