The Leary Firefighters Foundation
The Leary Firefighters Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2000 and based in New York City. The foundation was created by actor and comedian Denis Leary in response to a tragic fire in Worcester, Massachusetts that claimed the lives of his cousin, a childhood friend, and four other firefighters. The organization works directly with fire departments across the country to provide funding and resources that fall outside the typical fiscal capabilities of city and municipal budgets.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.8M
+0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$903K
+31.7% YoY
Grant Count
59
+22.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+7.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The foundation's mission is to provide funding and resources for fire departments to obtain the highest level of equipment, technology and training.
The foundation targets the development and funding of equipment, training, technology, and facilities for fire departments. According to founder Denis Leary, firefighters are often vulnerable to government budget cuts because they do not strike. The foundation addresses this gap by building state-of-the-art training facilities, purchasing cutting-edge vehicles, and supplying modern technology and tools to firehouses and departments across the country.
Grantmaking
The foundation actively accepts grant applications and maintains an open application process.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, though it funds fire departments across the country.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total Assets: $5.7 million
- Total Giving: $686,000
- Annual Expenses: $1.3 million
- Giving Rate: 12.0% of assets
Assets & Giving (2023):
- Total Assets: $5.71 million
- Total Liabilities: $718,000
- Revenue: $548,000
- Expenses: $1.26 million
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since January 2001 (EIN: 13-4125074)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,766,012 | $5,712,024 | $6,126,842 |
| Revenue | $1,425,552 | $547,639 | $943,276 |
| Expenses | $1,444,612 | $1,257,605 | $1,465,853 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $574,832 | $58,112 | $-341,757 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
221 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Leary Firefighters Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founder & President: Denis Leary, an actor and comedian. His stand-up comedy albums include "No Cure for Cancer" (1993) and "Lock 'n Load" (1997). From 2004–2011, he starred as Tommy Gavin in the FX series "Rescue Me," for which he received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2006 and 2007.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DENIS LEARY | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DAVID MORKAL | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| RONALD NASH | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARK BEZOS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIAN WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RACHAEL RAY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEANNA MCDEVITT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL FERDMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 200 Chambers Street, Apt. 25A, New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-867-1117
Email:
- info@learyfirefighters.org
- grants@learyfirefighters.org
- events@learyfirefighters.org
- social@learyfirefighters.org
Website: learyfirefighters.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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