The Lawrence Foundation
The Lawrence Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including housing, community development, education, health, and workforce development.
The Lawrence Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lawrence Foundation gave $3.5M across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $50K), mostly in New York. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,470,150
- -2.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- -11.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $50,292
- +10.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $76,480,854
- +1.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (11 of 69, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (85% 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 The Lawrence Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 575 Lexington Ave 34Th Fl, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (516) 526-0181
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lawrence Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tides Foundation ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
394 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 191 grants of 394 (48%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 9% to California, 2% each to Minnesota and Washington, D.C., and 1% to New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Lawrence Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 69 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2024) to $3.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $3.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tides Foundation Los Angeles, CA | For Community Development Purposes | $250,000 |
| Arbor Rising ( Formerly Arbor Brothers) New York, NY | For Community Development Purposes | $100,000 |
| Bowery Residents' Committee (BRC) New York, NY | For Housing Purposes | $100,000 |
| Breaking Ground New York, NY | For Housing Purposes | $100,000 |
| Breakthrough New York New York, NY | For Educational Purposes | $100,000 |
| Broadway Housing Communities Inc (BHC) New York, NY | For Housing Purposes | $100,000 |
| Coalition for the Homeless New York, NY | For Housing Programs | $100,000 |
| Exalt New York, NY | For Workforce Development / Job Training Purposes | $100,000 |
| Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center New York, NY | For Health Purposes | $100,000 |
| Neighbors Link Corp Mount Kisco, NY | For Community Development Purposes | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lawrence Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $76,480,854 | $5,650,678 | $4,455,132 | $3,470,150 | 69 | $4,151,332 | $4,900,154 | $4,445,841 |
| 2023 | $75,285,773 | $4,703,154 | $4,301,495 | $3,547,600 | 78 | $4,079,398 | $2,326,774 | $4,195,010 |
| 2022 | $74,883,862 | $4,985,867 | $4,404,684 | $3,775,000 | 88 | $4,211,574 | $2,265,389 | $4,052,964 |
| 2021 | $74,293,520 | $2,659,172 | $4,041,289 | $3,530,100 | 84 | $3,918,173 | $2,537,591 | $4,211,891 |
| 2020 | $75,674,314 | $4,007,873 | $4,156,530 | $3,531,000 | 75 | — | $3,910,265 | $3,917,799 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lawrence Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M for 2024 — 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 available information does not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants included support for housing, community development, education, health, and workforce development. The grantees describe their own work in varied terms: Urban Pathways provides outreach and supportive housing services to homeless adults; Breakthrough New York supports students from low-income backgrounds on paths to college and careers; and Neighbors Link works to integrate immigrants through services including English-language, workforce, education, and legal programs. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 69 grants totaling $3,470,150. Grants ranged from $1,150 to $250,000, with a median of $50,000. In 2023, it made 78 grants totaling $3,547,600. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 69 grants totaling $3.5 million.
The largest 2024 grant was $250,000 to Tides Foundation for community development purposes. The foundation also awarded $100,000 each to Arbor Rising for community development, Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC) for housing, Breaking Ground for housing, Breakthrough New York for education, Broadway Housing Communities for housing, Coalition for the Homeless for housing programs, Exalt for workforce development and job training, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center for health, Neighbors Link for community development, Sparkyouth NYC for education, and Urban Pathways for housing programs. Other 2024 recipients included The Hope Program, The GO Project, and Lawyers for Children, each of which received $75,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lawrence Bernstein as trustee and executive director, Audrey Bernstein as trustee and director of programs, and Laura J. Bernstein as trustee.
The Lawrence Foundation is led by Lawrence Bernstein, Trustee & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lawrence Bernstein
Trustee & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$183K (2020) → $228K (2024)
Audrey Bernstein
Trustee & Director of Programs
Trustee & Program Officer → Trustee & Director of Programs, 2023
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$66K (2020) → $87K (2024)
Laura J. Bernstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Leonard S. Bernstein Decd (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $228K, to Lawrence Bernstein (Trustee/Exec Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Lawrence Foundation
How much does The Lawrence Foundation give each year?
The Lawrence Foundation gave $3.5M across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.5M across 78 grants.
What is The Lawrence Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lawrence Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $50,292, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lawrence Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does The Lawrence Foundation give grants?
The Lawrence Foundation gives mostly in New York: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (28 grants), Brooklyn, NY (9 grants), Bronx, NY (5 grants) and Mount Kisco, NY (2 grants).
Does The Lawrence Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on The Lawrence Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "For Community Development Purposes" (19 grants), "For Educational Purposes" (14 grants) and "For Workforce Development/Job Training Purposes" (11 grants).
Who are The Lawrence Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lawrence Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tides Foundation ($250,000), Arbor Rising ( Formerly Arbor Brothers) ($100,000) and Bowery Residents' Committee (BRC) ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lawrence Foundation?
The Lawrence Foundation reported $76.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Lawrence Foundation fund?
The available information does not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants included support for housing, community development, education, health, and workforce development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lawrence Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lawrence Foundation's EIN?
The Lawrence Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2880731. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lawrence Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lawrence Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lawrence Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lawrence-foundation-morg_7a760a92866546aabe4c1c6b2a12a20e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_132880731_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lawrence Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lawrence-foundation-morg_7a760a92866546aabe4c1c6b2a12a20e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Lawrence 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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