Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including cultural institutions, educational institutions, medical and research organizations, and a Jewish philanthropic federation.
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable at a glance
In short: Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable gave $5.0M across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $209K), mostly in New York. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,007,480
- +37.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +41.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $208,645
- -2.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $42,500
- Total assets
- $8,041,006
- -26.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (9 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (86% 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 Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable
- 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: 1105 N Market Street 801, Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 656-2390
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New York Philharmonic ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 96 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 8% to Massachusetts, 5% to Florida, and 1% to Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 24 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $140K; repeat grants $250K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 140% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 981% 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 $2.1M (2021) to $8.0M (2020). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $5.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York Philharmonic New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $2,050,000 |
| New York Presbyterian Fund Inc New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $1,000,000 |
| UJA-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $500,000 |
| The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $250,000 |
| Barnard College New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $200,000 |
| Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism Inc Foxborough, MA | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $200,000 |
| Trustees of Amherst College Amherst, MA | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $200,000 |
| American Museum of Natural History New York, NY | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $150,000 |
| Ransom Everglades School Inc Coconut Grove, FL | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $100,000 |
| Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Miami, FL | Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational | $100,000 |
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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 | $8,041,006 | $2,223,179 | $5,117,433 | $5,007,480 | 24 | $5,062,468 | $288,793 | $516,159 |
| 2023 | $10,936,808 | $3,285,623 | $3,746,543 | $3,635,000 | 17 | $3,690,784 | $3,186,847 | $523,326 |
| 2022 | $11,391,086 | $17,991 | $2,952,175 | $2,840,000 | 15 | $2,895,241 | $48,580 | $610,543 |
| 2021 | $14,322,030 | $3,645,759 | $2,322,628 | $2,090,000 | 16 | — | $104,005 | $758,977 |
| 2020 | $12,998,899 | $11,883,283 | $8,474,312 | $8,035,000 | 24 | — | $5,879,498 | $633,619 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees reflect a range of activities. Barnard College describes its mission as providing a high-quality liberal arts education to young women, while the American Museum of Natural History says it works to advance knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through research and education. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai describes work advancing science, medicine, and health care through research, education, and care delivery.
Other 2024 recipients include the New York Philharmonic, the New York Presbyterian Fund, UJA-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 24 grants totaling $5,007,480. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $2,050,000, with a median grant of $42,500.
The largest 2024 grants included $2,050,000 to the New York Philharmonic, $1,000,000 to the New York Presbyterian Fund, and $500,000 to UJA-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. Other sizable grants included $250,000 to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research; $200,000 each to Barnard College, the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism, and the Trustees of Amherst College; and $150,000 to the American Museum of Natural History.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brian McLean as director and executive vice president, Jay McHugh as director and vice president, and Joshua Grant as director.
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian McLean
Director & Executive Vice President
Director & Secretary → Director & Executive Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Grant
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jay McHugh (2023–2024) — Director & Vice President · Filing note: Ended 10/2024
- Former: Thomas A. Varley (2020–2023) — Director & President · Filing note: Ended 62023
- Former: Linda Durso (2020–2022) — Treasurer · Filing note: Ended 112022
- Former: Heather M. Drysdale (2020–2021) — Director & Secretary · Filing note: Ended 82021
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 Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable
How much does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable give each year?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable gave $5.0M across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.6M across 17 grants.
What is Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's typical grant size?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $42,500, and its average grant was $208,645, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable that year got $140K on average.
Where does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable give grants?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable gives mostly in New York: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (15 grants), Miami, FL (2 grants) and Southampton, NY (2 grants).
Does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, and Educational" (24 grants).
Who are Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's largest grantees?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include New York Philharmonic ($2,050,000), New York Presbyterian Fund Inc ($1,000,000) and UJA-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable?
Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $516K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees reflect a range of activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable?
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 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.
Does Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/richard-and-karen-lefrak-charitable-morg_6e674bf7628b416897007b32dec6b859
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_112994678_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Richard \& Karen Lefrak Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/richard-and-karen-lefrak-charitable-morg_6e674bf7628b416897007b32dec6b859},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Richard & Karen Lefrak Charitable'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.
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