Robert Lehman Foundation Inc
The Robert Lehman Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in New York, New York, and operates exclusively in the visual arts. Incorporated in 1943, it supports organizations and projects that advance the appreciation, knowledge, and enjoyment of the visual arts in the United States and elsewhere.
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Robert Lehman Foundation Inc gave $2.1M across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $38K), mostly in New York. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,106,054
- +19.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- +24.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $37,608
- -3.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $38,899,033
- -3.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (19 of 55, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (78% 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 Robert Lehman Foundation Inc
- 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. Its website says grants are for nonprofit organizations, not individuals, and applicants must provide proof of 501(c)(3) status. The website describes fall and spring review cycles and limits Edwin L. Weisl, Jr. lectureship grants to $7,500 per application. Its listed submission periods—March 1–April 1 and August 15–September 15—have passed for 2026.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists April 1 for proposals considered at the spring meeting and September 15 for proposals considered at the fall meeting. These 2026 dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists April 1 for proposals considered at the spring meeting and September 15 for proposals considered at…
- Contact
Mailing address: 575 Lexington Ave 34 Fl, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 661-1967
Website: https://robertlehmanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Robert Lehman Foundation Inc
Who Robert Lehman Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Frick Collection ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
253 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 235 grants of 253 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in New York, and its 2025 grant dollars were concentrated there: 78% went to recipients in New York. Other listed recipient-state shares were New Jersey, 5%; Ohio, 4%; California, 2%; and Colorado, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert Lehman Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 55 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $48K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2020) to $2.5M (2021). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Frick Collection New York, NY | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $1,126,954 |
| Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, OH | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $60,000 |
| Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences Brooklyn, NY | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| Newark Museum of Art Newark, NJ | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| The Trustees of Princeton Princeton, NJ | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $50,000 |
| The Denver Art Museum Denver, CO | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $35,000 |
| Bronx Museum of the Arts Bronx, NY | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $33,000 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $30,000 |
| The Drawing Center Inc New York, NY | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $28,000 |
| Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums San Francisco, CA | General Educational and Charitable Purposes | $25,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,899,033 | $2,185,202 | $3,419,973 | $2,106,054 | 56 | $2,865,677 | $1,660,007 | $2,683,832 |
| 2024 | $40,105,270 | $1,431,024 | $3,106,007 | $1,760,600 | 45 | $2,605,437 | $1,187,392 | $2,541,430 |
| 2023 | $41,794,305 | $1,320,047 | $3,098,152 | $1,943,869 | 54 | $2,609,982 | $941,450 | $2,425,235 |
| 2022 | $43,578,067 | $2,804,824 | $3,170,201 | $1,988,646 | 51 | $2,607,877 | $2,166,727 | $2,638,602 |
| 2021 | $43,936,503 | $2,247,123 | $3,425,623 | $2,451,466 | 47 | — | $2,105,971 | $2,826,632 |
| 2020 | $45,105,144 | $1,141,009 | $2,368,677 | $1,485,610 | 58 | — | $970,686 | $2,587,266 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Lehman Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.7M 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
The Foundation says its grants are intended to enhance the role of the visual arts in American and world culture and to complement the strengths of the Robert Lehman Collection. It supports museums, arts organizations, educational institutions, and other cultural organizations, including both established leaders and innovative newcomers.
Its stated focus areas include exhibitions spanning classical and contemporary art; art education for underserved communities with limited access to arts learning; scholarly publications; and art history lectureships. The Edwin L. Weisl, Jr. Lectureships in Art History enable colleges to invite art historians or artists to lecture on a topic related to a course offered that semester. The Foundation also supports capital projects.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. The Frick Collection describes its work as operating an art museum and library for public enjoyment and the advancement of fine arts study. The Drawing Center describes its work as exploring drawing through exhibitions, publications, public programs, and educational initiatives. The Studio Museum in Harlem describes its focus as contemporary art by artists of African descent and work influenced by African culture.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 56 grants totaling $2,106,054. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $1,126,954, with a median grant of $15,000.
The largest reported grant was $1,126,954 to The Frick Collection for general educational and charitable purposes. Other notable grants included $60,000 to the Cleveland Museum of Art and $50,000 each to the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, Newark Museum of Art, and the Trustees of Princeton, all for general educational and charitable purposes. The Metropolitan Museum of Art received $30,000 for general educational and charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Philip H. Isles as president and director and Francesca Valerio as executive director. It also lists Robert O. Lehman, Marie Rolf, and Angela Weisl as directors.
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc is led by Francesca Valerio, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Francesca Valerio
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$95K (2020) → $121K (2025)
Philip H. Isles
President & Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $142K (2025)
Angela Weisl
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marie Rolf
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert O. Lehman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Isles
Associate Council Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adele Bernhard
Associate Council Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Thomas
Associate Council Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kate Lehman
Associate Council Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Michael M. Thomas (2020–2021) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Robert A. Bernhard (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $142K, to Philip H Isles (Pres/DIR). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert Lehman Foundation Inc
How much does Robert Lehman Foundation Inc give each year?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc gave $2.1M across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 45 grants.
What is Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $37,608, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Lehman Foundation Inc that year got $19K on average.
Where does Robert Lehman Foundation Inc give grants?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (18 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants), San Francisco, CA (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Robert Lehman Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (56 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The Frick Collection ($1,126,954), Cleveland Museum of Art ($60,000) and Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert Lehman Foundation Inc?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc reported $38.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert Lehman Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation says its grants are intended to enhance the role of the visual arts in American and world culture and to complement the strengths of the Robert Lehman Collection. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert Lehman Foundation Inc?
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 Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's EIN?
Robert Lehman Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6094018. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Robert Lehman Foundation Inc 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert Lehman Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-lehman-foundation-inc-morg_f4d256029c6c469bb403e36bdfea7e61
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136094018_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert Lehman Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-lehman-foundation-inc-morg_f4d256029c6c469bb403e36bdfea7e61},
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 Robert Lehman Foundation Inc'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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