Lerner Foundation
Lerner Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2025 filing reports 17 grants totaling $97,245, with listed purposes including academic and general charitable purposes.
Lerner Foundation at a glance
In short: Lerner Foundation gave $97K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Minnesota. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $97,245
- -22.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -45.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,720
- +40.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $2,048,099
- -0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lerner Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing describes a letter stating organizations as the application material; it reports no formal form or process and no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None stated on the filing.
- Deadline
- None stated on the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Harry Lerner
Mailing address: 241 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (612) 332-3344
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lerner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Minnesota Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $93K.
Grant Size Distribution
180 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 176 grants of 180 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 3% to Illinois, 2% to Pennsylvania, and 1% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lerner Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 41% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 44% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $57K (2020) to $142K (2023). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $97K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Academic Purposes | $50,000 |
| Jewish Family and Children's Services St. Paul, MN | General Charitable Purposes | $20,850 |
| Jewish Community Relations Council Minneapolis, MN | General Charitable Purposes | $5,000 |
| Milkweek Editions Minneapolis, MN | General Charitable Purposes | $4,500 |
| Wishes and More Minneapolis, MN | General Charitable Purposes | $2,700 |
| Books for Africa St. Paul, MN | Academic Purposes | $2,500 |
| Adath Jeshurun Congregation Minnetonka, MN | General Charitable Purposes | $2,000 |
| Highlights Foundation Honesdale, PA | Academic Purposes | $2,000 |
| Everylibrary Institute Berwyn, IL | General Charitable Purposes | $2,000 |
| Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research Los Angeles, CA | General Charitable Purposes | $1,005 |
Ready to take the next step with Lerner Foundation?
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 | $2,048,099 | $101,335 | $103,221 | $97,245 | 17 | $99,970 | $148,404 | $228,705 |
| 2024 | $2,051,225 | $587,894 | $139,282 | $125,844 | 31 | $131,264 | $117,118 | $190,450 |
| 2023 | $1,601,376 | $342,215 | $146,261 | $142,376 | 43 | $143,932 | $82,846 | $145,294 |
| 2022 | $1,404,422 | $366,089 | $120,480 | $118,788 | 42 | $118,813 | $160,487 | $139,915 |
| 2021 | $1,158,813 | $181,419 | $75,467 | $72,176 | 47 | — | $98,903 | $122,400 |
| 2020 | $1,052,861 | $161,154 | $62,642 | $57,359 | 30 | — | $64,876 | $91,250 |
| 2019 | $954,349 | $109,183 | $72,723 | $63,818 | 45 | — | $114,075 | $86,441 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lerner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $229K 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 grants include support for academic and general charitable purposes. Among the grantees, Books for Africa says its mission is to collect, sort, ship, and distribute books to children in Africa and to end the book famine in Africa. Minnesota Center for Book Arts says its mission is to ignite artistic practice, inspire learning, and foster diverse creative communities through the book arts.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $97,245. Grants ranged from $90 to $50,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Notable grants included $50,000 to the University of Minnesota Foundation, $20,850 to Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and $5,000 to the Jewish Community Relations Council. Books for Africa received $2,500, and Minnesota Center for Book Arts received $500.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It also states there is no formal application form or process, that applicants should submit a letter stating organizations, and that there are no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Harry Lerner Dec 4825 — President
- Mia Lerner Posada — Vice President, Secretary
- Sandy K Davis Lerner — Director
- Joanie Sussman — Director
- Leah A Lerner — Director
Lerner Foundation is led by Harry Lerner Dec, President on the 2025 filing; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Harry Lerner Dec
President
New on the 2025 filing
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanie Sussman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leah A. Lerner
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandy K. Davis Lerner
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mia Lerner Posada
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Harry Lerner (2019–2024) — President
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 Lerner Foundation
How much does Lerner Foundation give each year?
Lerner Foundation gave $97K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $126K across 31 grants.
What is Lerner Foundation's typical grant size?
Lerner Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,720, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lerner Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Lerner Foundation give grants?
Lerner Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (7 grants), St. Paul, MN (2 grants) and Minnetonka, MN (2 grants).
Does Lerner Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 76% of Lerner Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Academic Purposes" (4 grants).
Who are Lerner Foundation's largest grantees?
Lerner Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Minnesota Foundation ($50,000), Jewish Family and Children's Services ($20,850) and Jewish Community Relations Council ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lerner Foundation?
Lerner Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $100K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $229K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Lerner Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for academic and general charitable purposes. Among the grantees, Books for Africa says its mission is to collect, sort, ship, and distribute books to children in Africa and to end the book famine in Africa. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lerner Foundation?
The 2024 filing describes a letter stating organizations as the application material; it reports no formal form or process and no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lerner Foundation's EIN?
Lerner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7032703. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 18, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lerner Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Ch Robinson Worldwide Foundation
Sioux Falls, SD
The foundation funds community needs, supply-chain and logistics initiatives, and environmental sustainability, with a Twin Cities program focused on hunger, shelter, K–12 education, and workforce development. Its 2024 grants ranged from $750 to $2.69 million, with a median of $5,000; its Twin Cities program focuses on Minneapolis–St. Paul, while grants also went to organizations elsewhere. The Strategic Industry program is invitation-only, while the Twin Cities program has an application process.
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
87
Total Given
$4.0M
Otto Bremer Trust
St. Paul, MN
The Otto Bremer Trust funds organizations and projects addressing community needs and opportunities, including health care and social services, in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In 2025, grants ranged from $3,500 to $4.2 million, with a median of $150,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or direct grant applications; Community Responsive Fund grants are offered through selected intermediaries.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
180
Total Given
$57.2M
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
Minneapolis Jewish Federation
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis Jewish Federation funds Jewish organizations and programs addressing community needs, including education, engagement, human and social services, security, and Israel and overseas work; it also supports some Minnesota arts projects. Its 2024 grants had a median of $22,382, with amounts ranging from $5,023 to $2.35 million, and funding reaches the Minneapolis area, elsewhere, and internationally. Annual allocation committees review requests from Jewish organizations, but no general policy on unsolicited requests is stated.
Assets
$243.6M
Grants
152
Total Given
$12.8M
The Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Foundation funds civic, social, and economic needs, including economic mobility, education, health, the environment, arts, and human services, with most grant dollars going to Minnesota. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. It says no funding opportunities are currently open; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,565
Total Given
$121.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lerner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lerner-foundation-morg_3a82ebdb01e94a068a78634486d4a5cd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237032703_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lerner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lerner-foundation-morg_3a82ebdb01e94a068a78634486d4a5cd},
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 Lerner 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.
Lerner Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?