Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation
The Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2024 filing reports 54 grants totaling $1,893,483 to charitable organizations, including organizations involved in education, Jewish community building, religious education, and media.
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation at a glance
In short: Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation gave $1.9M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), top state New York. 19% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,893,483
- -51.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- -6.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $35,065
- -47.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $16,878,879
- -7.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (10 of 54, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (44% 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 Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10 E 53Rd St 18Th Fl, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (646) 532-2445
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Israel Education Foundation ($262K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
244 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 179 grants of 244 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York recipients received 44% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in the District of Columbia at 27%, Florida at 12%, California at 9%, and Georgia at 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 54 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 306% 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 $1.5M (2022) to $3.9M (2023). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Israel Education Foundation Washington, DC | Education | $262,240 |
| UJA Federation of New York New York, NY | Jewish Community Building | $200,000 |
| Greater Miami Federation Miami, FL | General Purpose | $110,000 |
| Jewish Institute for National Security of America Washington, DC | Education | $105,000 |
| Central Fund of Israel Cedarhurst, NY | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Foundation for Defense of Democracies Washington, DC | Education | $100,000 |
| Commentary Magazine New York, NY | Public Broadcasting and Media | $75,000 |
| Sinai Temple Los Angeles, CA | Religious Education | $75,000 |
| Steven Wise Free Synagogue New York, NY | Religious Organization | $75,000 |
| Temple Israel Center White Plains, NY | Religious Organization | $55,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lisa & Michael Leffell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,878,879 | $1,999,513 | $3,388,320 | $1,893,483 | 54 | $2,768,053 | $1,589,452 | $903,555 |
| 2023 | $18,294,719 | $2,167,474 | $4,455,645 | $3,888,314 | 58 | $4,179,570 | $1,921,909 | $786,388 |
| 2022 | $16,397,301 | $3,555,670 | $2,139,329 | $1,529,973 | 48 | $1,700,643 | $2,616,234 | $983,864 |
| 2021 | $23,036,633 | $2,263,649 | $4,006,410 | $2,895,596 | 44 | $3,096,546 | $1,353,785 | $1,063,546 |
| 2020 | $20,942,512 | $1,266,549 | $3,067,065 | $1,726,589 | 40 | — | $190,192 | $1,128,855 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $904K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, American Israel Education Foundation describes its work as providing resources for educational programs, including Middle East research, materials, and conferences. Moishe House says it supports young adults as they create and engage in Jewish community, learning, and leadership experiences. Center for Israel Education describes goals that include providing educational materials and helping students and adults broaden their Israel literacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 54 grants totaling $1,893,483. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $262,240, with a median grant of $20,000. Among its largest grants were $262,240 to American Israel Education Foundation for education; $200,000 to UJA Federation of New York for Jewish community building; $110,000 to Greater Miami Federation for general purposes; and $105,000 to Jewish Institute for National Security of America for education.
Other notable 2024 grants included $100,000 each to Central Fund of Israel for general purposes and Foundation for Defense of Democracies for education; $75,000 each to Commentary Magazine for public broadcasting and media, Sinai Temple for religious education, and Steven Wise Free Synagogue for a religious organization; and $55,000 to Temple Israel Center for a religious organization.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Leffell and Lisa Leffell as officers.
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lisa Leffell
Officer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Leffell
Officer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation
How much does Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation give each year?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation gave $1.9M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 58 grants.
What is Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's typical grant size?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $35,065, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation give grants?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's top state is New York, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (27%) and Florida (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (16 grants), Washington, DC (6 grants), Miami, FL (3 grants) and Atlanta, GA (3 grants).
Does Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 37% of Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (17 grants) and "Religious Organization" (5 grants).
Who are Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's largest grantees?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Israel Education Foundation ($262,240), UJA Federation of New York ($200,000) and Greater Miami Federation ($110,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation reported $16.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $904K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's EIN?
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6633021. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lisa & Michael Leffell 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
The Federation funds Jewish life and identity, antisemitism response, crisis relief, human services, and justice and inclusion, with work in the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,050 to $2,405,915, with a median of $22,750. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about new Bay Area programs; no current organization grant opportunities were listed.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation
New York, NY
The foundation supports a varied mix of education, Jewish community organizations, and educational media, with 2024 grants ranging from $1,000 to $3.65 million and a median of $25,000. Most funding went to organizations in New York and Rhode Island. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$167.4M
Grants
146
Total Given
$16.2M
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Inc
Atlanta, GA
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta funds Jewish education, engagement, social services, and community-strengthening programs, with grantmaking focused on Greater Atlanta as well as Israel and other locations. In 2025 it made 435 grants, with a median award of $18,489; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$431.3M
Grants
435
Total Given
$50.7M
FJC
New York, NY
FJC supports nonprofits and fiscally sponsored charitable projects across areas including arts, education, social services, health, religion, and the environment, with grantmaking concentrated in New York and also reaching other U.S. states. In 2025, grants had a median of $17,200 and ranged from $5,040 to $2.8 million. The profile does not state whether FJC accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$462.3M
Grants
747
Total Given
$41.7M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
The Ford Foundation funds organizations and initiatives working to reduce inequality and advance social justice, including work on civic engagement, civil rights, climate justice, disability rights, and technology and society. In 2024, its grants ranged from $45 to $15 million, with a median of $100,000, supporting work in the U.S. and internationally. It says most grants are identified by the foundation and it does not accept unsolicited proposals by mail, email, or phone; limited opportunities may be offered separately.
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
The New York Community Trust funds nonprofit programs in areas such as arts, education, health, the environment, workforce development, and youth development, including projects that improve services, build organizational capacity, or advance policy and systems change. Its competitive grants mainly serve New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, with some national and international environmental funding; the 2024 median grant was $20,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lisa-and-michael-leffell-foundation-morg_37fabec31c9047c3a4def8a943e91c73
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316633021_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lisa \& Michael Leffell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lisa-and-michael-leffell-foundation-morg_37fabec31c9047c3a4def8a943e91c73},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Lisa & Michael Leffell 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.
Lisa & Michael Leffell Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?