Leslie Family Foundation
The Leslie Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2002 and based in Portola Valley, California. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been designated as a tax-exempt entity since April 2002.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$145K
-99.7% YoY
Grant Count
3
-66.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
-99.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leslie Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support charitable organizations endeavoring to benefit nature and wildlife conservation, prevent cruelty to animals and support their rehabilitation, support cultural, literary and artistic endeavors in the community, and provide for children's emotional and psychological well-being.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Religion and Jewish agencies and synagogues
- Wildlife conservation and animal welfare
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:
- California (primary focus)
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Additional support in Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, and other states
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $41,536,086
Annual Activity (most recent fiscal year):
- Total expenses: $1,979,029
- Total revenue: $1,613,577
Historical Note: The foundation filed a final return as of 2025, indicating a change in operational status.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $146,000 | $41,536,086 |
| Revenue | $513 | $13,745,465 | $1,613,577 |
| Expenses | $146,513 | $46,903,000 | $1,979,029 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $144,907 | $46,712,376 | $1,955,545 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $13,745,028 | $1,613,172 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,361 | $1,884,493 | $1,949,945 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
162 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($91,707), Daffy Charitable Fund ($26,600), Schwab Charitable ($26,600).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DAFFY CHARITABLE FUND LOS ALTOS, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $26,600 |
| SCHWAB CHARITABLE SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $26,600 |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND BOSTON, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $91,707 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a volunteer family board with no compensated positions:
- Mark Leslie – Chairman
- Debra A Leslie – Director
- Seth P Leslie – Secretary
- Joshua M Leslie – Treasurer
- Sharon Leslie – Director
- Sara Leslie – Director
- Darrin Martin – President
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARK LESLIE | CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| DEBRA A LESLIE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SETH P LESLIE | SECRETARY | — | — |
| JOSHUA M LESLIE | TREASURER | — | — |
| SHARON LESLIE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SARA LESLIE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DARRIN MARTIN | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Mark and Debra Leslie have been recognized for significant philanthropic contributions, including a $25 million gift to New York University to support the commercialization of faculty discoveries. The foundation has also been noted as a supporter of organizations addressing homelessness and other community needs in the Bay Area.
Supporters Mark and Debra Leslie honored for philanthropySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Leslie Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to support charitable organizations endeavoring to benefit nature and wildlife conservation, prevent cruelty to animals and support their rehabilitation, support cultural, literary and artistic endeavors in the community, and provide for children's emotional and psychological well-being. Primary funding areas include: • Arts and culture • Education • Human services • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Religion and Jewish agencies and synagogues • Wildlife conservation an…
How do I apply for a grant from Leslie Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants primarily to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. Recent grant activity shows: • Total giving of approximately $144,907 to $1,979,029 annually (depending on fiscal year) • Typical grant awards ranging from $27,000 to $92,000 • Recent grants documented at $27,000 median amount with a range of $27,000 to $92,000
Where does Leslie Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including: • California (primary focus) • New York • Massachusetts • Washington • Additional support in Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, and other states
What size grants does Leslie Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Leslie Family Foundation awarded 3 grants totaling $145K — an average of about $48K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Leslie Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Leslie Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Leslie Family Foundation's EIN?
Leslie Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0474709. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Leslie Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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