The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc
The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Audubon, Pennsylvania. Established in 2000, it supports nonprofit organizations and programs, focusing mainly on education, job training, and mentoring in Southeastern Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on Philadelphia.
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,183,761
- +306.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- +500.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,185
- -32.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $12,125,149
- -5.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (90% 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 Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from qualified tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Organizations not previously funded should begin with a two- to three-page letter of inquiry, which may be submitted at any time. It should describe the organization, the amount requested, the intended use of funds, short- and long-term outcomes, and the organization’s current-year total budget; the only attachment requested at this stage is the IRS tax-status determination letter. The board reviews inquiries and invites proposals consistent with its priorities and demonstrating documented positive outcomes. Previously funded organizations and those invited to apply should submit proposals of no more than four pages, with the requested amount, purpose, needed funding date, outcomes, and—when applicable—the program or project budget and other support received, requested, or expected. The proposal should include the current-year organizational budget and most recent audited financial statement.
- Review Cycle
- Proposals should be received by February 15 for spring consideration and August 15 for fall consideration. Both 2026 dates have passed. The foundation’s 2024 filing lists no deadlines, while its website gives these proposal dates.
- Deadline
- Proposals should be received by February 15 for spring consideration and August 15 for fall consideration.
- Contact
Application contact: Weston Somerville
Mailing address: 939 Jefferson Ave, Audobon, PA 19403
Phone: (215) 527-1940
Email: wsomerville@lenfestfoundation.org
Website: https://brookjlenfestfoundation.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 The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc
Who The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pennsylvania College of Technology ($126K). Together the top 10 received $608K.
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 64 grants of 89 (72%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports nonprofit organizations and programs operating in Southeastern Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on Philadelphia. In 2025, 90% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 5% to Massachusetts, 3% to New Jersey, and 2% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 183% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $291K (2024) to $6.6M (2020). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA | General Support | $125,832 |
| United Way of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Pathways to Opportunity | $100,000 |
| Big Picture Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Real World Learning Program | $50,000 |
| Heights Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| New Leash on Life USA Philadelphia, PA | Workforce Development Program | $50,000 |
| Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Wissahickon Foundation Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| The Commonwealth Society Harrisburg, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| West Chester University Foundation West Chester, PA | General Support | $46,812 |
| Cristo Rey Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reports 42 grants; the 2024 filing reports 7, and the 2023 filing reports 19.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,125,149 | $1,231,887 | $1,804,673 | $1,183,761 | 42 | $1,235,698 | $1,146,574 | $676,588 |
| 2024 | $12,805,222 | $902,762 | $767,861 | $291,382 | 7 | $572,426 | $516,974 | $624,949 |
| 2023 | $13,151,551 | $2,057,491 | $660,776 | $1,823,056 | 19 | $500,082 | $1,870,825 | $702,800 |
| 2022 | $14,117,845 | $1,236,439 | $1,181,935 | $1,181,935 | 15 | $1,285,439 | $1,225,189 | $746,771 |
| 2021 | $17,797,563 | $2,767,450 | $1,950,806 | $1,360,000 | 6 | — | $2,492,921 | $797,646 |
| 2020 | $16,001,339 | $1,729,254 | $2,120,897 | $6,638,500 | 31 | — | $1,674,357 | $805,942 |
| 2019 | $22,356,667 | $1,936,797 | $9,059,730 | $1,198,066 | 21 | — | $1,926,349 | $1,038,725 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $677K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it focuses mainly on education, job training, and mentoring. Its core activities include support for Mastery Charter Schools and scholarship programs operated by Penn State and Temple University. The university scholarships provide financial aid and mentoring; eligibility is based on demonstrated financial need and Federal Pell Grant eligibility.
Its 2025 grants also show support for organizations working in areas including workforce development, education, culture, and the environment. For example, New Leash on Life USA describes its work as reducing recidivism and saving at-risk dogs’ lives through a model that includes participant support during incarceration and after release. The Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild says it preserves historic ships and teaches seamanship, restoration skills, maritime science and culture, and environmental stewardship. Heights Philadelphia describes its work as building pathways to educational and workforce success for students.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 42 grants totaling $1,183,761. Individual grants ranged from $1,287 to $125,832, with a median of $25,000. The foundation’s website says typical grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 and that it considers operating, program or project, and capital support.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $125,832 to Pennsylvania College of Technology for general support; $100,000 to United Way of Pennsylvania for Pathways to Opportunity; and $50,000 each to Big Picture Philadelphia for its Real World Learning Program, Heights Philadelphia for general support, New Leash on Life USA for a workforce development program, the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild for general support, and the Wissahickon Foundation for general support. The foundation also gave $35,000 to Cristo Rey Philadelphia for general support and $30,000 to Mercy Career & Tech for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brook J Lenfest as president, Marguerita B Lenfest as treasurer, and Tracy Coyle as secretary. The foundation’s website also lists Wes Somerville as senior advisor.
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc is led by Brook J. Lenfest, President since 2022 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brook J. Lenfest
President
President & Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marguerita B. Lenfest
Treasurer
Treasurer & Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Coyle
Secretary
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Anna Lenfest (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bruce Melgary (2019–2021) — Executive Director & Assistant
- Former: William Luterman (2019–2021) — Chief Investment Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc
How much does The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc give each year?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $291K across 7 grants.
What is The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $28,185, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc give grants?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (25 grants), State College, PA (3 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and Camden, NJ (2 grants).
Does The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 62% of The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Pennsylvania College of Technology ($125,832), United Way of Pennsylvania ($100,000) and Big Picture Philadelphia ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc reported $12.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $677K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation says it focuses mainly on education, job training, and mentoring. Its core activities include support for Mastery Charter Schools and scholarship programs operated by Penn State and Temple University. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from qualified tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-3031338. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brook-j-lenfest-foundation-inc-morg_5cb8acb8be8848cdbd217ff73f5ecd34
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_233031338_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brook J Lenfest Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brook-j-lenfest-foundation-inc-morg_5cb8acb8be8848cdbd217ff73f5ecd34},
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 The Brook J Lenfest 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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