The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation
The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1978 and based in Los Angeles, California. The foundation manages substantial assets and distributes grants to nonprofit organizations across the United States, with a particular focus on arts, culture, education, and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.6M
-3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
-8.1% YoY
Grant Count
28
+21.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
-24.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Arts and culture
- Creative writing
- Historic buildings
- Journalism
- Education
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$3,000–$820,000
Average Grant
Approximately $321–$321,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations in multiple states, including:
- California
- Colorado
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Texas
- Virginia
- District of Columbia
Primary funding activity concentrates in major urban centers including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $32.7–$33 million (as of 2023)
Annual Activity:
- Total giving: $1.6–$1.8 million annually
- Giving rate: Approximately 5.6% of assets
- Total expenses: $2.1 million (2023)
- Total revenues: Negative $107,574 (2023)
Organization Type:
- 501(c)(3) private foundation
- EIN: 95-3333368
- Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,649,250 | $32,686,979 | $34,915,587 |
| Revenue | $925,322 | $-107,574 | $639,200 |
| Expenses | $1,963,051 | $2,121,034 | $2,300,825 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,756,478 | $1,907,123 | $1,935,955 |
| Net Investment Income | $779,700 | $741,386 | $714,275 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,809,374 | $1,744,937 | $1,853,930 |
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
135 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Los Angeles Philharmonic ($412,000), City of Hope ($400,000), Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust ($212,750).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACTIVE SOCIAL COMMUNITIES INC DBA VOLO KIDS FOUNDATION BALTIMORE, MD | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $2,500 |
| AKTIV AGAINST CANCER FOUNDATION RIVERDALE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $1,750 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM (AFMDA) NEW YORK, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN RIVER CONSERVANCY COLOMA, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $5,000 |
| BURN INSTITUTE SAN DIEGO, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $5,000 |
| CENTER THEATRE GROUP LOS ANGELES, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $125,000 |
| CITY OF HOPE DUARTE, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $400,000 |
| DISABLED SPORTS EASTERN SIERRA MAMMOTH LAKES, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $10,000 |
| ENTERPRISE FOR YOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $10,000 |
| EXHALE TO INHALE NEW YORK, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul James – Director and President (volunteer, no compensation)
- Bryan Isaacs – Director, Secretary, and Treasurer (volunteer, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL JAMES | DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| BRYAN ISAACS | DIRECTOR, SECRETARY AND TREASURER | 4 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Arts and culture • Creative writing • Historic buildings • Journalism • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: Approximately $1.6–$1.8 million • Number of grants: 23–31 grants annually • Grant range: $3,000–$820,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Average grant size: Approximately $321–$321,000 **Recent Grant Recipients (2023):** • Los Angeles Philharmonic Association: $457,500 • Los Angeles Opera Company: $160,000 • Center Theatre Group: $135,000 **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Where does The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations in multiple states, including: • California • Colorado • New York • Massachusetts • Michigan • Texas • Virginia • District of Columbia Primary funding activity concentrates in major urban centers including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation award?
In 2024, The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation's EIN?
The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3333368. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Norman & Sadie Lee Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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