Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable
The Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1989 and tax-exempt since January 1991. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, the foundation was created by Richard S. LeFrak, a billionaire real estate mogul and chairman and CEO of LeFrak Organization (a privately held, family-run real estate company based in New York), and his wife Karen LeFrak, a children's book author and composer. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and maintains a low public profile.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.0M
-26.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.0M
+37.8% YoY
Grant Count
24
+41.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$209K
-2.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable reported a distributable amount of $516K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for the arts, education, health and human services. Its grantmaking includes support of arts and cultural organizations, healthcare innovation, and educational institutions. The foundation does not appear to have specific formal grantmaking programs, but tax records demonstrate consistent prioritization of arts and culture, and public health and access.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not publicize a formal application process. Given the foundation's lack of transparency regarding application procedures, it is unclear whether it accepts unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has national giving scope with particular concentration in New York City and the tri-state area, as well as select U.S. cities including Massachusetts and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filings:
- Total Assets: $8,041,006 (2024)
- Total Assets: $10,936,808 (2023)
- Total Revenue: $2.22M (2024)
- Total Revenue: $3,285,623 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $5.12M (2024)
- Total Expenses: $3,746,543 (2023)
- Total Liabilities: $0 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,041,006 | $10,936,808 | $11,391,086 |
| Revenue | $2,223,179 | $3,285,623 | $17,991 |
| Expenses | $5,117,433 | $3,746,543 | $2,952,175 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,062,468 | $3,690,784 | $2,895,241 |
| Net Investment Income | $288,793 | $3,186,847 | $48,580 |
| Distributable Amount | $516,159 | $523,326 | $610,543 |
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
96 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include New York Philharmonic ($2,050,000), New York Presbyterian Fund Inc ($1,000,000), Uja-federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AKC MUSEUM OF THE DOG NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $3,480 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $150,000 |
| BARNARD COLLEGE NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $200,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $10,000 |
| CHELSEA MUSIC FESTIVAL NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $3,000 |
| FOUNDATION TO COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM INC FOXBOROUGH, MA | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $200,000 |
| HOPE FOR DEPRESSION RESEARCH FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $25,000 |
| HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $5,000 |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $50,000 |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER NEW YORK, NY | RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY, AND EDUCATIONAL | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Richard S. LeFrak - Founder, serves as vice chairman of the board of the American Museum of Natural History
- Karen LeFrak - Founder, serves on the New York Philharmonic Board of Directors
- Thomas A. Varley - Director & President
- Brian McLean - Director & Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN MCLEAN | DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| JAY MCHUGH END 1024 | DIRECTOR & VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| JOSHUA GRANT | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable fund?
The foundation gives primarily for the arts, education, health and human services. Its grantmaking includes support of arts and cultural organizations, healthcare innovation, and educational institutions. The foundation does not appear to have specific formal grantmaking programs, but tax records demonstrate consistent prioritization of arts and culture, and public health and access.
How do I apply for a grant from Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable?
**Grant Sizes and Activity:** • Grants generally range from $500 to $2,000,000 • Annual giving: approximately $3.6 million (2023) • Total giving: $5,007,480 (2024) • Made 16-17 grants in recent years **Recent Notable Grants:** • New York Philharmonic: $3,000,000 (2023) • Amherst College Trustees: $250,000 (2023) • American Museum of Natural History: $100,000 (2023) **Application Process:** The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not publicize a formal application process. Given t…
Where does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable make grants?
The foundation has national giving scope with particular concentration in New York City and the tri-state area, as well as select U.S. cities including Massachusetts and Florida.
What size grants does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable award?
In 2024, Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable awarded 24 grants totaling $5.0M — an average of about $209K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable reported a distributable amount of $516K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's EIN?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-2994678. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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