The LEF Foundation
The LEF Foundation is a private foundation based in Belmont, Massachusetts. It supports documentary film and video through the Moving Image Fund, which funds New England-based independent filmmakers across production stages and supports programs that highlight the region’s independent film community.
The LEF Foundation at a glance
In short: The LEF Foundation gave $585K across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), top state New York. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $584,600
- +17.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- +9.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,439
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,750
- Total assets
- $7,194,118
- -0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (13 of 44, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (28% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The LEF Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Moving Image Fund accepts applications through separate cycles for production, early development and pre-production, and post-production. Applications require a written proposal adapted from the Documentary Core Application, project-budget information, and a film or video work sample. The LEF California office does not accept uninvited proposals.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 production deadline of April 2 and the early-development/pre-production and summer/fall post-production deadline of August 21 have passed. The website lists a winter/spring post-production cycle with applications opening in early February 2027 and a deadline in late March 2027.
- Deadline
- The 2026 production deadline of April 2 and the early-development/pre-production and summer/fall post-production…
- Contact
Application contact: Genevieve Carmel
Mailing address: PO Box 382066, Cambridge, MA 02238
Phone: (617) 492-5333
Email: gen@lef-foundation.org
Website: https://www.lef-foundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The LEF Foundation
Who The LEF Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Uniondocs ($75K). Together the top 10 received $348K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($70,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
316 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 314 grants of 316 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Moving Image Fund serves filmmakers whose director and/or producer lives in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. The foundation reports offices in New England and California, and its 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states, led by New York, Massachusetts, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The LEF Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 44 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 25% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 46% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 164% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 $401K (2022) to $587K (2021). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $585K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Uniondocs Ridgewood, NY | Funds in support of milton guilln's project my skin and I as part of the fsc-lef fellowship | $75,000 |
| Filmmakers Collaborative Inc San Francisco, CA | General Support of Filmmakers | $50,000 |
| Center for Independent Documentary Inc Sharon, MA | Funding for the following:unrestricted gift in support of center for independent documentary, and independent works by siobhan landry, carolina borras, brooke sais, and the completion of "the dreamers and I" | $45,000 |
| Points North Institute Camden, ME | A Grant in Support of the LEF/Ciff Fellowship | $40,000 |
| Women Make Movies Inc - Amanda Kowa New York, NY | Program support of amanda kowalski's project, "out in the mountains (working title)" | $32,500 |
| Color Congress Oakland, CA | Funds in support of color congress's work to strengthen bipoc-led media organizations (1 of 2) | $25,000 |
| 3 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $70,000 |
| Documentary Educational Resources Inc Watertown, MA | Unrestricted Gift in Support of Documentary Educational Resources | $25,000 |
| Experimental Sound Studio - Jodie M Chicago, IL | Program support of jodie mack's project, "early mourning, tarpon springs" | $25,000 |
| Film Forum - Luke Meyer New York, NY | Program support of luke meyer's project, "the teachers project (working title)". | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The LEF 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,194,118 | $831,985 | $927,282 | $584,600 | 56 | $791,481 | $692,702 | $483,611 |
| 2024 | $7,237,697 | $533,348 | $833,553 | $499,500 | 51 | $717,522 | $440,586 | $483,206 |
| 2023 | $7,561,197 | $296,843 | $936,751 | $550,000 | 74 | $749,655 | $188,892 | $463,839 |
| 2022 | $8,278,042 | $3,160,614 | $767,460 | $400,500 | 55 | $654,989 | $2,692,280 | $392,363 |
| 2021 | $5,867,752 | $374,215 | $856,187 | $586,500 | 80 | — | $281,608 | $371,652 |
| 2020 | $6,189,803 | $386,985 | $763,718 | $461,750 | 51 | — | $287,564 | $376,126 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The LEF Foundation reported a distributable amount of $484K 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
LEF New England’s stated goal is to fund independent documentary film and video artists in the region, broaden recognition and support for their work, and support programs highlighting New England’s independent film community. The Moving Image Fund supports nonfiction projects, including hybrid works that combine nonfiction and fiction approaches, and emphasizes cinematic quality, originality, the power of a project’s central idea or story, and feasibility. LEF also describes commitments to artistic risk-taking, creative growth, diversity, and sustained relationships with filmmakers.
The 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. UnionDocs says it brings together experimental media-makers, journalists, critical thinkers, and local partners. Filmmakers Collaborative describes its mission as catalyzing positive change through filmmaking, while Points North Institute says it inspires and supports documentary-media creators and audiences. Documentary Educational Resources says it champions documentary film and media that amplify underrepresented voices and foster understanding of people, cultures, and identities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $584,600. Individual awards ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median grant of $3,750. Larger awards included $75,000 to UnionDocs, $50,000 to Filmmakers Collaborative, $45,000 to Center for Independent Documentary, and $40,000 to Points North Institute. The stated purposes included project support, organizational support, and fellowships.
The Moving Image Fund offers support for early development, pre-production, production, and post-production. The website describes up to six Early Development grants of $2,500 and up to six Pre-production grants of $5,000. Applicants must propose a long-format project of at least 40 minutes, and the director and/or producer must reside in one of the six New England states. Projects must not be commissioned or work-for-hire, and the creative team must retain creative control. High school, undergraduate, and master’s students are ineligible; multi-channel and installation work is not considered. A fiscal sponsor is not required to apply, but an awarded applicant must have a confirmed 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor to receive funding. Prior grantees must submit a final report on previous LEF funding.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lyda Kuth as president; Byron Kuth as vice president and treasurer; and Lauren Finneran and Sarah Treeson as directors.
The LEF Foundation is led by Lyda Kuth, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lyda Kuth
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Finneran
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Treeson
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Byron Kuth
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 LEF Foundation
How much does The LEF Foundation give each year?
The LEF Foundation gave $585K across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $500K across 51 grants.
What is The LEF Foundation's typical grant size?
The LEF Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,750, and its average grant was $10,439, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The LEF Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The LEF Foundation give grants?
The LEF Foundation's top state is New York, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (26%) and California (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Albuquerque, NM (7 grants), San Francisco, CA (6 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Cambridge, MA (2 grants).
Does The LEF Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 11% of The LEF Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The LEF Foundation's largest grantees?
The LEF Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Uniondocs ($75,000), Filmmakers Collaborative Inc ($50,000) and Center for Independent Documentary Inc ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($70,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The LEF Foundation?
The LEF Foundation reported $7.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $791K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $484K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The LEF Foundation fund?
LEF New England’s stated goal is to fund independent documentary film and video artists in the region, broaden recognition and support for their work, and support programs highlighting New England’s independent film community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The LEF Foundation?
The Moving Image Fund accepts applications through separate cycles for production, early development and pre-production, and post-production. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The LEF Foundation's EIN?
The LEF Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0070194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The LEF Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lef-foundation-morg_34969a9c750d48138cf120ff9755836a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_680070194_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The LEF Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lef-foundation-morg_34969a9c750d48138cf120ff9755836a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 LEF 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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