Stern Leichter Foundation
Stern Leichter Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. The foundation maintains a focused approach to philanthropic giving with particular emphasis on education, human services, and voluntarism.
Key facts about Stern Leichter Foundation
- EIN
- 33-0706564
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $203,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- Average grant
- $15,615
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2024)
- Total assets
- $3,631,304
- Primary geography
- California (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Stern Leichter Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Stern Leichter Foundation's 13 itemized 2024 grants were California (98%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (5 grants) and Encinitas, CA (2 grants). None of its 13 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Is Stern Leichter Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 60% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 68% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$203K
-50.9% YoY
Grant Count
13
-53.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+5.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stern Leichter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $298K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Human and Social Service Grants
- Poverty Alleviation
- Arts Grants for Nonprofits
Grantmaking
Ready to take the next step with Stern Leichter Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 13 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $3,631,304
- Total Giving: $203,000 (most recent filing, 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,631,304 | $3,679,726 | $3,865,466 |
| Revenue | $214,787 | $284,298 | $121,053 |
| Expenses | $263,209 | $470,021 | $313,419 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $203,000 | $413,800 | $248,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $201,972 | $290,018 | $207,741 |
| Distributable Amount | $297,966 | $275,421 | $313,109 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
133 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Hillel of San Diego ($50,000), Coastal Roots Farm ($50,000), La Jolla Playhouse ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HILLEL OF SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | MENTORS AND EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH VALUABLE TOOLDS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE JEWIISH LEADERS | $50,000 |
| COASTAL ROOTS FARM ENCINITAS, CA | SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, FOOD JUSTICE, ANCIENT JEWISH WISDOM | $50,000 |
| LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE LA JOLLA, CA | PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES | $25,000 |
| TEMPLE SOLEL CARDIFF, CA | SUPPORT JEWISH COMMUNITY | $15,000 |
| KPBS SAN DIEGO, CA | SUPPORT MEDIA PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR SAN DIEGO RESIDENTS | $10,000 |
| PRO KIDS FIRST TEE SAN DIEGO, CA | CHALLENGE UNDERSERVED YOUTH TO EXCEL IN LIFE BY PROMOTING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, LIFE SKILLS, AND VALUES | $10,000 |
| NORTH COAST REP THEATER SOLANA BEACH, CA | CREATE A PLATFORM WHERE ARTISITS AND AUDIENCES THRIVE THROUGH THE INTIMACY OF LIVE THEATRE | $10,000 |
| ONCOLOGY FOR KIDS SAN DIEGO, CA | CAMP FOR KIDS WITH CANCER | $10,000 |
| NORTHWESTERN HILLEL EVANSTON, IL | CAMPUS HILLEL FOR JEWISH STUDENTS | $5,000 |
| NEW HAVEN YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES VISTA, CA | RESTORE HOPE AND DIGNITY TO TROUBLED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael D Berlin | President/Director | 5 | $7,500 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Stern Leichter Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Human and Social Service Grants • Poverty Alleviation • Arts Grants for Nonprofits
How do I apply for a grant from Stern Leichter Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $100,000. **Annual Giving:** The foundation distributed $203,000 in total giving based on the most recent IRS 990 filing (2024). **Recent Grants:** The foundation awarded $25,000 to Coastal Roots Farm in 2023 for sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient Jewish wisdom initiatives.
Where does Stern Leichter Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California and Illinois.
What size grants does Stern Leichter Foundation award?
In 2024, Stern Leichter Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $203K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Stern Leichter Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Stern Leichter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $298K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Stern Leichter Foundation's EIN?
Stern Leichter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0706564. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Stern Leichter Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.