The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern is a private foundation based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Hampshire.
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern at a glance
In short: The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern gave $590K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $589,500
- -7.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +41.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,676
- -34.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $3,356,484
- +12.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (73% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: Jennifer Klein-53 Dingletown Rd, Greenwich, CT 06830
Phone: (917) 363-7012
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was David Lynch Foundation ($125K). Together the top 10 received $540K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 56 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 11% to Connecticut, 7% to Pennsylvania, 6% to Florida, and 4% to New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern gives
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 217% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $105K (2021) to $1.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $590K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| David Lynch Foundation New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $125,000 |
| Weil Cornell Medical College New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $125,000 |
| Breast Cancer Alliance Greenwich, CT | Support of the Organization's Mission | $50,000 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $50,000 |
| Film at Lincoln Center New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $50,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Support of the Organization's Mission | $40,000 |
| Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Support of the Organization's Mission | $25,000 |
| Delacorte Theater New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $25,000 |
| Jewish Federation West Pal Beach, FL | Support of the Organization's Mission | $25,000 |
| The National Education Equity Lab New York, NY | Support of the Organization's Mission | $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 | $3,356,484 | $959,939 | $601,130 | $589,500 | 17 | $593,454 | $955,985 | $273,640 |
| 2024 | $2,997,675 | $151,523 | $643,115 | $634,000 | 12 | $637,172 | $148,351 | $291,413 |
| 2023 | $3,489,267 | $82,321 | $557,956 | $540,000 | 11 | $540,100 | $79,767 | $280,163 |
| 2022 | $3,964,902 | $919,792 | $595,863 | $560,000 | 12 | $544,500 | $917,153 | $328,551 |
| 2021 | $3,640,973 | $2,539,134 | $111,000 | $105,000 | 4 | $108,000 | $2,536,134 | $518,820 |
| 2020 | $1,212,839 | $12,245 | $1,025,300 | $1,000,000 | 1 | — | $9,595 | $444,998 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern reported a distributable amount of $274K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span breast cancer research and support, film programming, American art, and academic and athletic support for young people. For example, Breast Cancer Alliance says it works to improve survival rates and quality of life for people impacted by breast cancer; Film at Lincoln Center says it supports the art of film and related media; the Whitney Museum of American Art says it presents and collects art of the United States; and Squash Haven says it promotes academic, athletic, and personal growth among New Haven youth.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $589,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $125,000, with a median grant of $25,000.
The largest reported grants were $125,000 each to the David Lynch Foundation and Weill Cornell Medical College. Other notable awards were $50,000 each to Breast Cancer Alliance, Columbia University, and Film at Lincoln Center; $40,000 to the University of Pennsylvania; and $25,000 each to Dartmouth College, Delacorte Theater, Jewish Federation, and The National Education Equity Lab. The Whitney Museum of American Art received $20,000, and Squash Haven received $7,000.
The foundation states in its 2025 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Klein, Betty Lee Stern, and Lauren Rosenkranz as trustees.
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Betty Lee Stern
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Klein
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Rosenkranz
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Aaron Stern (2020) — Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern
How much does The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern give each year?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern gave $590K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $634K across 12 grants.
What is The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's typical grant size?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $34,676, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern give grants?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern gives mostly in New York: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (11%) and Pennsylvania (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants).
Does The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of the Organization's Mission" (17 grants).
Who are The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's largest grantees?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's largest 2025 grantees include David Lynch Foundation ($125,000), Weil Cornell Medical College ($125,000) and Breast Cancer Alliance ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $593K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $274K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span breast cancer research and support, film programming, American art, and academic and athletic support for young people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
What is The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's EIN?
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0771357. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern 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 May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-aaron-and-betty-lee-stern-morg_52e88e3561f44803acd662ad743e28b1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_270771357_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-aaron-and-betty-lee-stern-morg_52e88e3561f44803acd662ad743e28b1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern'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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