Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation
The Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2024 filing reports 13 grants totaling $156,603, all to recipients in New York State. The foundation’s 2023 filing is marked as its final return, so it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking; the application information below should not be treated as current.
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation at a glance
In short: Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation gave $157K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in New York. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $156,603
- -5.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,046
- -5.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $14,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% 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 Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing lists a preliminary letter of interest indicating objectives and requirements as the application materials, and states that grants are not awarded to individuals. The filing is marked as the final return.
- Review Cycle
- None was listed in the 2023 filing; that filing is marked as the final return.
- Deadline
- None was listed in the 2023 filing; that filing is marked as the final return.
- Contact
Application contact: Stephen May Cavin Leeman Foundation
Mailing address: 215 West 92Nd Street Apt 13A, New York, NY 10025
Phone: (212) 873-5555
Website: https://www.leemanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Association to Benefit Children ($14K). Together the top 10 received $140K.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 54 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in New York State.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $14K repeat.
- 92% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $157K (2024) to $242K (2021). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $157K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Association to Benefit Children New York, NY | Child Mental Health Programs | $14,000 |
| Avenues for Justice New York, NY | Youthful Offender Services | $14,000 |
| Ballet Tech Foundation New York, NY | Ballet Tech School | $14,000 |
| Breakthrough New York New York, NY | Educational Enrichment | $14,000 |
| Children of Promise NYC Brooklyn, NY | Therapeutic Activities for Children of Incarcerated Parents | $14,000 |
| Exalt Youth Brooklyn, NY | Services to Court-Involved Youth | $14,000 |
| Fiver Children's Foundation New York, NY | Youth Development Programs | $14,000 |
| Fresh Youth Initiatives New York, NY | Youth Literacy & Community Education Services | $14,000 |
| Friends of the Children of NY New York, NY | Child Mental Health & Social Services | $14,000 |
| The Go Project New York, NY | Remedial Education Services | $14,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 grants were reported as 13 awards.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $3,322 | $215,559 | $156,603 | 13 | $201,247 | — | $4,900 |
| 2023 | $220,239 | $47,249 | $221,050 | $166,500 | 13 | $207,833 | $34,132 | $16,004 |
| 2022 | $386,038 | $66,810 | $217,849 | $167,500 | 14 | $205,287 | $54,348 | $28,135 |
| 2021 | $537,077 | $76,300 | $298,031 | $242,000 | 14 | — | $63,419 | $37,200 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5K 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 grants show support for organizations working in areas including youth services, education, child and family support, and justice-related services. For example, Children of Promise NYC describes its mission as empowering children of incarcerated parents; Legal Outreach describes its work as using law instruction to motivate youth from under-resourced communities toward academic excellence and higher education; and The GO Project describes providing academic and social-emotional support to New York City public school children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $156,603. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $14,000, with a median grant of $14,000. Notable awards included $14,000 each to Association to Benefit Children, Avenues for Justice, Ballet Tech Foundation, Breakthrough New York, Children of Promise NYC, Exalt Youth, Fiver Children’s Foundation, Fresh Youth Initiatives, Friends of the Children of NY, The GO Project, and Legal Outreach. Equal Justice USA received $1,603.
The foundation’s 2023 filing states that giving was not restricted to preselected organizations. It describes the application materials as a preliminary letter of interest indicating objectives and requirements, and says grants are not awarded to individuals. These instructions are from a filing marked as the organization’s final return and are not presented as current.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dr Cavin Leeman as president and treasurer, Diane Zimmerman as vice president and secretary, and Gina Trent as director.
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation is led by Cavin Leeman, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cavin Leeman
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$42K (2021) → $38K (2024)
Gina Trent
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Zimmerman
V.pres & Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $38K, to Dr Cavin Leeman (Pres/Treas).
Frequently asked questions about Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation
How much does Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation give each year?
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation gave $157K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $167K across 13 grants.
What is Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's typical grant size?
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $14,000, and its average grant was $12,046, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation give grants?
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (3 grants).
Does Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's largest grantees?
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Association to Benefit Children ($14,000), Avenues for Justice ($14,000) and Ballet Tech Foundation ($14,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including youth services, education, child and family support, and justice-related services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation?
The 2023 filing lists a preliminary letter of interest indicating objectives and requirements as the application materials, and states that grants are not awarded to individuals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's EIN?
Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7057183. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stephen & May C Leeman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stephen-and-may-c-leeman-foundation-morg_b8f056e853344191bf301b05d253aa89
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237057183_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stephen \& May C Leeman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stephen-and-may-c-leeman-foundation-morg_b8f056e853344191bf301b05d253aa89},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Stephen & May C Leeman 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.
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