The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg
The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1984 and headquartered in New York City. The foundation is a leading philanthropic supporter of wildlife and community-based conservation work with a long operational history spanning multiple continents and regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$229.5M
+9.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.5M
-3.2% YoY
Grant Count
81
+35.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$118K
-28.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg reported a distributable amount of $11.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is dedicated to the survival of wildlife and wildlands and to the vitality of human communities with which they are inextricably linked.
The foundation operates as a private body devoted to the conservation of nature and the amelioration of human distress. It seeks to redress the breakdown in the processes linking nature and humanity, with particular concern for species extinction, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and resource depletion.
The board of directors has identified two primary program interests:
- Mitigation of conflict between land and resource needs of rural communities and conservation of biological diversity
- Implementation of field-based scientific, technical and practical training programs in conservation biology for local people
The foundation favors solutions that directly benefit local communities and serve as exemplars for saving species and wildlands. It emphasizes a community-based approach to conservation, supports the use of good science to inform sound public policies, and recognizes the importance of collaboration and cooperation in crafting solutions to habitat protection, responsible natural resource management, and sustainable economies.
Grantmaking
The foundation typically funds modest, carefully designed field activities, primarily in developing countries and in the northern Rocky Mountains region of the United States, in which local communities have substantial proprietary interest.
Average Grant
amount varies by year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation devotes a substantial portion of its funding to the protection of key wildlife landscapes in developing countries, with a long history in:
- Sub-Sahara Africa
- Madagascar
- Asia
- Latin America
- Northern Rocky Mountains region (particularly Montana, southern Canada, and neighboring states)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $229,502,423
- Total revenue: $33,167,173
- Total expenses: $13,568,371
- Net income: $19,598,802
- Total liabilities: $0
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total assets: $209,903,621
- Total revenues: $5,446,365
- Total expenses: $13,149,911
Organization Details:
- EIN: 13-3200329
- Tax-exempt status: Since August 1985
- Staff: 6-8 employees
- Contact: lcaof@lcaof.org | 212-333-2536
- Website: lcaof.org
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $229,502,423 | $209,903,621 | $217,607,167 |
| Revenue | $33,167,173 | $5,446,365 | $4,169,306 |
| Expenses | $13,568,371 | $13,149,911 | $14,137,321 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,878,384 | $12,036,736 | $12,883,857 |
| Net Investment Income | $32,471,193 | $4,507,772 | $3,788,714 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,479,074 | $10,888,040 | $11,286,556 |
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
245 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Heart of the Rockies ($1,100,000), Maliasili Initiatives ($500,000), Makeway Foundation ($300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICAN CONSERVATION CENTRE-US BOULDER, CO | AMBOSELI CONSERVATION PROGRAM | $192,200 |
| AFRICAN CONSERVATION CENTRE-US BOULDER, CO | LEADERSHIP TRAINING & ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING | $25,000 |
| AMAZON CONSERVATION TEAM FALLS CHURCH, VA | COMMUNITY PATROLS & SPECIES MONITORING, EASTERN GUIANA SHIELD (YEAR 1 OF 2) | $100,000 |
| ASSOCIATION FANAMBY | ANJOZOROBE ANGAVO PA, MADAGASCAR (YEAR 2 OF 3) | $150,000 |
| ASSOCIATION FANAMBY | CAPACITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING (COS) PROGRAM | $11,899 |
| AVES ARGENTINAS | ANSENUZA NATIONAL PARK, ARGENTINA (YEAR 2 OF 3) | $176,200 |
| AVES ARGENTINAS | CAPACITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING (COS) PROGRAM | $13,000 |
| AVES ARGENTINAS | CAPACITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING (COS) PROGRAM | $16,000 |
| BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE OVANDO, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT (YEAR 1 OF 3) | $100,000 |
| CARING AT COLUMBIA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was founded by the late Elisabeth "Liz" Claiborne Ortenberg and Arthur Ortenberg. Liz Claiborne was a fashion designer and entrepreneur, best known for founding Liz Claiborne Inc., the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500. She was also the first woman to become chairperson and CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOUGLAS CHADWICK | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $10,000 |
| GRANT PARKER | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $27,500 |
| ULLAS KARANTH | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $10,000 |
| WILLIAM DEBUYS | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $27,500 |
| ALISON RICHARD | TRUSTEE | 6 | $50,000 |
| VICTOR KOVNER | TRUSTEE | 8 | $100,000 |
| YOLANDA KAKABADSE | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $20,000 |
| HELEN GICHOCHI | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $20,000 |
| SHIVSHARAN SOMESHWAR | ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $20,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg fund?
The foundation is dedicated to the survival of wildlife and wildlands and to the vitality of human communities with which they are inextricably linked. The foundation operates as a private body devoted to the conservation of nature and the amelioration of human distress. It seeks to redress the breakdown in the processes linking nature and humanity, with particular concern for species extinction, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and resource depletion. The board of directors has identifie…
How do I apply for a grant from The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg?
The foundation typically funds modest, carefully designed field activities, primarily in developing countries and in the northern Rocky Mountains region of the United States, in which local communities have substantial proprietary interest. **Grant Activity (2023):** • Total giving: $9,530,697 • Notable grants include: • Wildlife Conservation Society: $654,565 (Leuser Ecosystem Program, Phase 2, Indonesia) • Wildlife Conservation Network: $501,000 (Fundación Proyecto Tití, Colombia) • Greater Y…
Where does The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg make grants?
The foundation devotes a substantial portion of its funding to the protection of key wildlife landscapes in developing countries, with a long history in: • Sub-Sahara Africa • Madagascar • Asia • Latin America • Northern Rocky Mountains region (particularly Montana, southern Canada, and neighboring states)
What size grants does The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg award?
In 2024, The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg awarded 81 grants totaling $9.5M — an average of about $118K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg reported a distributable amount of $11.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg's EIN?
The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3200329. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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