The Lerner Foundation

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH EIN: 34-1744726

The Lerner Foundation is a private foundation established in 1993 in Ohio and based in Richmond Heights (also referenced as Highland Heights), Ohio. Founded by Alfred and Norma Lerner, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since August 1993. The foundation maintains a low profile and generally makes grants to preselected organizations with which it maintains ongoing relationships.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.2M

-26.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.4M

-22.8% YoY

Grant Count

-16.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$69K

-7.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lerner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $52K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily supports:

Jewish causes (largest giving area in recent years)
Medical care and health
Arts and culture
Education
Economic opportunity and economic development
Human services

The Cleveland area represents the foundation's main geographic priority, with more than half of all grantmaking staying in the Cleveland region.

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. It operates on an invite-only basis and is difficult to approach. Organizations interested in funding should network with foundation staff, particularly Cleveland-area organizations working in Jewish causes, human services, or economic development.

Grant Range

$20,000

Average Grant

approximately $68,500

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including:

Cities: Beachwood, Berea, Brooklyn, Chesterland, Cleveland, Forest Hills, Independence, Los Angeles, Mayfield, New York, Northbrook, Peoria, Princeton, Shaker Heights, Washington, and West Orange

States: California, District of Columbia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $7.2M (89%)

New York $715K (9%)

District of Columbia $140K (2%)

Illinois $26K (0%)

New Jersey $16K (0%)

California $15K (0%)

States

California District of Columbia Illinois New Jersey New York Ohio

Cities

BeachwoodBereaBrooklynChesterlandClevelandForest HillsIndependenceLos AngelesLyndhurstMayfieldMedinaNew YorkNorthbrookPeoriaPepper PikePrincetonShaker HtsWashingtonWest Orange

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (Most Recent Data):

Total assets: $2.2–$3.0 million
Total annual giving: $1.8 million
Total expenses: $1.39–$1.84 million
Revenue: $142,410 (2024)
Giving rate: 59% of assets

Background: The foundation was founded by Alfred Lerner, who at the time of his death in 2002 was Chairman of MBNA Bank and owner of the Cleveland Browns. He had invested $100 million in MBNA's initial public offering. Bank of America acquired MBNA for $35 billion in 2005.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,221,492	$3,028,691	$3,136,043
Revenue	$142,410	$1,733,319	$2,108,829
Expenses	$1,394,070	$1,840,137	$1,651,961
Qualifying Distributions	$1,392,800	$1,792,955	$1,650,221
Net Investment Income	$8,075	$186,137	$2,107,089
Distributable Amount	$51,757	$103,792	$125,894

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

104 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Federation of Cleveland ($500,000), Cleveland Orchestra ($344,225), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA CLEVELAND, OH	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$344,225
JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$500,000
US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$25,000
FOUNDATION FOR ART & PRESERVATION IN EMBASSIES WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$20,000
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$100,000
CLEVELAND CLINIC - VELOSANO BEACHWOOD, OH	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$50,000
UNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$60,000
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$50,000
MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF CLEVELAND BEACHWOOD, OH	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$900
LIFELINE PILOTS PEORIA, IL	GENERAL OPERATIONS	$8,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Norma Lerner – President and Treasurer
Randolph Lerner – Vice President
Nancy Lerner – Vice President
Douglas C. Jacobs – Secretary

None of the officers receive compensation for their roles.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
NORMA LERNER	PRESIDENT/TREASURER	—	—
RANDOLPH LERNER	VICE PRESIDENT	—	—
NANCY LERNER	VICE PRESIDENT	—	—
DANIEL PEARSON	Secretary	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation does not maintain a public website, restricting information about its grantmaking priorities and activities. It maintains a restricted information profile and is characterized as having limited transparency regarding its operations and funding opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Lerner Foundation fund?

The foundation primarily supports: • **Jewish causes** (largest giving area in recent years) • Medical care and health • Arts and culture • Education • Economic opportunity and economic development • Human services The Cleveland area represents the foundation's main geographic priority, with more than half of all grantmaking staying in the Cleveland region.

How do I apply for a grant from The Lerner Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 20-24 grants in recent fiscal years • Total annual giving: approximately $1.8 million • Median grant size: $20,000 • Grant range: $2,000 to $600,000 • Average grant size: approximately $68,500 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Jewish Federation of Cleveland: $500,000 (General Operations) • The Cleveland Orchestra: $344,225 (General Operations) • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: $100,000 (General Operations) **Application Process:** The foundation does not acc…

Where does The Lerner Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including: **Cities:** Beachwood, Berea, Brooklyn, Chesterland, Cleveland, Forest Hills, Independence, Los Angeles, Mayfield, New York, Northbrook, Peoria, Princeton, Shaker Heights, Washington, and West Orange **States:** California, District of Columbia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio

What size grants does The Lerner Foundation award?

In 2024, The Lerner Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Lerner Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Lerner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $52K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.