The Leon Levine Foundation
The Leon Levine Foundation is a private philanthropic organization established in 1980 by Leon Levine, founder and former chairman of Family Dollar Stores, Inc. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Foundation operates as a nonprofit entity with a staff of 24 employees. It functions as a grantmaking institution dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations across North and South Carolina that align with its core mission areas.
Key facts about The Leon Levine Foundation
In short: The Leon Levine Foundation gave $42.2M across 433 grants in 2024 (avg $97K), mostly in North Carolina. 12% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 58-1427515
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $42,183,334
- Grants made (2024)
- 433
- Average grant
- $97,421
- Median grant
- $60,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (45 of 385, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,062,952,521
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation accepts Letters of Intent (LOIs) on a rolling basis. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Rolling
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about The Leon Levine Foundation
How much does The Leon Levine Foundation give each year?
The Leon Levine Foundation gave $42.2M across 433 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $34.6M across 409 grants.
What is The Leon Levine Foundation's typical grant size?
The Leon Levine Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $60,000, and its average grant was $97,421, across 433 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Leon Levine Foundation that year got $129K on average.
Where does The Leon Levine Foundation give grants?
The Leon Levine Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Carolina (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (109 grants), Raleigh, NC (30 grants), Durham, NC (24 grants) and Greensboro, NC (18 grants).
Does The Leon Levine Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 71% of The Leon Levine Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (309 of 433) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Capital Campaign" (17 grants).
Who are The Leon Levine Foundation's largest grantees?
The Leon Levine Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Atrium Health Foundation ($3,000,000 across 3 grants), Foundation of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Inc ($2,200,000 across 3 grants) and United Jewish Charities of Greater Charlotte Inc ($2,200,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is The Leon Levine Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 45 of 385 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $129K; repeat grants $107K. How we count
Medians: $70K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 55% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Leon Levine Foundation
- How to evaluate The Leon Levine Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Leon Levine Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1B
+52.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$42.2M
+21.9% YoY
Grant Count
433
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$97K
+15.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Leon Levine Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission is to empower underserved Carolinians to be self-sufficient and strengthen the Jewish community. The organization supports programs and organizations in four core mission areas:
Education — Supporting quality education and school readiness initiatives
Healthcare — Improving access to quality healthcare by investing in local and regional programs that prolong and enhance quality of life
Human Services — Supporting individuals and institutions seeking to accomplish human services goals
Jewish Values — Strengthening the Jewish community
Healthcare Focus
Within healthcare, the Foundation prioritizes:
- Direct Access to Care — Funding medical, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services, including preventative care, with special interest in organizations serving the uninsured and underinsured
- Supportive Services — Funding wraparound care and patient family support services in coordination with human services programs
- Care Coordination & Case Management — Fostering collaboration between community organizations and healthcare providers to streamline referrals and prioritize patient outcomes
The Foundation has a special emphasis on early childhood health funding to ensure young children and families have access to preventative care and medical support during critical developmental years.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
The Foundation accepts Letters of Intent (LOIs) on a rolling basis. Organizations may submit only one LOI during the Foundation's fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), and the Foundation reserves the right to decline repeat requests for funding made within a 12-month period.
Ready to take the next step with The Leon Levine Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation funds nonprofit organizations across North Carolina and South Carolina. Geographic expansion began in 2017, extending from Charlotte to communities throughout the Carolinas including Greensboro, Raleigh, Durham, Columbia, Greenville, and Charleston and their surrounding areas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 433 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2002: $130 million
- 2008: $342 million
- 2013: Foundation granted $15 million annually
- 2015: Assets exceeded $500 million following an additional $150 million contribution from Leon and Sandra Levine
Cumulative Grants Awarded:
- 2006: $50 million in cumulative grants
- 2013: $150 million in cumulative grants
- 2016: $200 million in cumulative grants
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,062,952,521 | $696,277,546 | $721,802,260 |
| Revenue | $454,802,339 | $14,848,840 | $101,958,051 |
| Expenses | $50,252,939 | $40,362,507 | $34,539,192 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $45,666,861 | $36,830,274 | $32,007,945 |
| Net Investment Income | $34,120,352 | $46,241,094 | $68,094,367 |
| Distributable Amount | $42,236,488 | $33,216,721 | $35,805,671 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
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
2,227 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Leon Levine Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Inc Charlotte, NC | Levine Scholars Program | $2,100,000 |
| Atrium Health Foundation Charlotte, NC | Levine Cancer Institute | $1,000,000 |
| Atrium Health Foundation Charlotte, NC | LCI (II) | $1,000,000 |
| Atrium Health Foundation Charlotte, NC | Levine Cancer Institute (III) | $1,000,000 |
| Foundation For The Carolinas Charlotte, NC | A Way Home Housing Endowment | $1,000,000 |
| United Jewish Charities of Greater Charlotte Inc Charlotte, NC | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| United Jewish Charities of Greater Charlotte Inc Charlotte, NC | Operation Swords of Iron Emergency Campaign/Local Fund | $1,000,000 |
| Appalachian State University Foundation Inc Boone, NC | Leon Levine Hall for Health Sciences | $500,000 |
| Care Ring Inc Charlotte, NC | Relocation Capital Campaign | $500,000 |
| NC DHHS Division of Child and Family Well-Being Raleigh, NC | SUN Bucks | $500,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Tom Lawrence — President (hired as first full-time employee in 2002; became Executive Director in 2012)
- Sandra Levine — Chairman Emeritus
- Justin Steinschriber — Senior Vice President
- Carla Miles — Director, Human Resources
- Michael C Tarwater — Board Member
- Michael Richardson — Director
The Board of Directors expanded to 5 members in 2009 and expanded again in 2018.
The Leon Levine Foundation is led by Tom Lawrence, Treasurer & President since 2020 (on filings since 2019); 3 of 5 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Tom Lawrence
Treasurer & President
Executive Director & Treasurer → Treasurer & President, 2020
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$107K (2019) → $350K (2023)
Larry Polsky
Director & Senior Advisor
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$101K (2019) → $0 (2023)
Michael Richardson
Director & Senior Program Officer
On filings since 2019
26 hrs/week
$100K (2019) → $231K (2023)
Michael Tarwater
Director & Senior Advisor
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$99K (2019) → $168K (2023)
Sandra Levine
Secretary & Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Leon Levine (2019–2023) — Chairman & CEO · Filing note: Deceased April 2023
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation committed $10 million to advance early literacy in underserved North Carolina communities, demonstrating continued focus on education initiatives.
The Leon Levine Foundation Commits $10 Million to Advance Early LiteracyThe Foundation provided a grant to support UNC's IMPACTT-NC program.
Leon Levine Foundation grants $10M to boost childhood reading - BusinessThe Foundation has announced a spend-down plan, indicating a strategic approach to deploying its assets over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Leon Levine Foundation fund?
The Foundation's mission is to empower underserved Carolinians to be self-sufficient and strengthen the Jewish community. The organization supports programs and organizations in four core mission areas: **Education** — Supporting quality education and school readiness initiatives **Healthcare** — Improving access to quality healthcare by investing in local and regional programs that prolong and enhance quality of life **Human Services** — Supporting individuals and institutions seeking to accom…
How do I apply for a grant from The Leon Levine Foundation?
The Foundation accepts Letters of Intent (LOIs) on a rolling basis. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Leon Levine Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Leon Levine Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Leon Levine Foundation's EIN?
The Leon Levine Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1427515. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Leon Levine Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.