The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-3429965 Website

The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY, designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 1987 by pioneering financier and entrepreneur Reginald F. Lewis, the foundation operates as one of the largest African-American private foundations in the world. The foundation is committed to economic and social justice, particularly for African-American youth, and works to redress the consequences and legacy of institutional discrimination by investing in youth and expanding opportunity.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$24.1M

+3.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$614K

-2.1% YoY

Grant Count

+27.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

-22.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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's mission is to be a force for economic and social justice in the United States and beyond, particularly for African-American youth. The foundation is inspired by the vision of its founder, Reginald F. Lewis, who demonstrated a strategic perspective on addressing challenges and potential for progress among economically, socially, and politically oppressed communities.

Primary focus areas include:

Education
Arts and culture
Children and youth
Libraries and public libraries
Information and communications
Community development
Human services
Philanthropy and voluntarism

Grantmaking

The foundation has distributed significant resources throughout its history. As of December 2019, the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation had given away $30 million in grants since inception.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across numerous cities and states in the United States, including:

New York
Maryland
California
Los Angeles
Washington, D.C.
And additional locations across the country

Grant Distribution by State

District of Columbia $2.0M (49%)

New York $1.0M (25%)

Maryland $835K (21%)

California $81K (2%)

Massachusetts $43K (1%)

Virginia $21K (1%)

New Jersey $12K (0%)

Alabama $8K (0%)

+8 more states

States

Alabama California District of Columbia Delaware Georgia Illinois Massachusetts Maryland Missouri North Carolina New Jersey Nevada New York Oklahoma Pennsylvania Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaBaltimoreBostonBrooklynBuffaloCamarilloCambridgeCharlottesvilleChicagoCockeysvilleColumbiaConleyDoverEllicott CityElliot CityEncinoEscondidoEvanstonFresh MeadowsJackson Heights

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2024:

Total assets: $24,140,280
Total revenues: $1,828,355
Total expenses: $1,063,847
Investment income and dividends: $489,610

As of Fiscal Year 2023:

Total assets: $23.4 million
Total revenues: $926,000
Total expenses: $1.32 million
Total liabilities: $0

Staffing:

1 employee (as of 2024)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$24,140,280	$23,375,772	$23,773,636
Revenue	$1,828,355	$926,148	$2,670,360
Expenses	$1,063,847	$1,324,012	$2,692,772
Qualifying Distributions	$877,518	$1,124,568	$2,404,562
Net Investment Income	$1,633,571	$740,496	$2,421,691
Distributable Amount	$1,426,197	$1,346,751	$1,592,601

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

198 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Barack Obama Foundation ($180,000), Cristo Rey Jesuit High School ($32,000), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALPHA HOCKEY INC ELLICOTT CITY, MD	SUPPORT CHILDREN'S ATHLETIC PROGRAM	$2,000
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER NEW YORK, NY	SUPPORT THE AILEY DANCE CAMP FOR STUDENTS	$25,000
APL DE AP FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL ENCINO, CA	SUPPORT FILIPINO YOUTH	$5,000
ARTS EVERY DAY BALTIMORE, MD	SUPPORT BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOL CHILDREN'S ACCESS	$5,000
ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE FUND NEW YORK, NY	SUPPORT WORK TO PROMOTE CIVIL RIGHTS OF ASIAN AMERICANS	$10,000
ATAP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEW YORK, NY	SUPPORT FELLOWS PROGRAM IN NEW YORK CITY	$1,000
BALTIMORE COMMUNTIY FOUNDATION BALTIMORE, MD	SUPPORT THE CAROLYN FUGETT FUND	$750
BRAVA THEATER CENTER (FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS) SAN FRANCISCO, CA	CULTIVATING THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OF WOMEN	$1,000
CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL BALTIMORE, MD	SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ACHIEVING KNOWLEDGE AND EMPLOYMENT SKILLS	$32,000
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM NEW YORK, NY	CHILDREN'S PROGRAM	$25,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Loida N. Lewis – Chair and Director
Beverly A. Cooper – Vice President, Secretary, and Director
Anthony S. Fugett – Director
Christina Lewis Halpern – Treasurer and Director

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
LOIDA N LEWIS	CHAIR AND DIRECTOR	1	—
BEVERLY A COOPER	VP SEC. & DIRECTOR	37.5	$175,000
ANTHONY S FUGETT	DIRECTOR	1	—
CHRISTINA LEWIS HALPERN	DIRECTOR	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2022

In December 2022, the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation announced a milestone $5 million grant to the Barack Obama Foundation. The grant funds youth programs including My Brother's Keeper and Girls Opportunity, as well as the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

Reginald F. Lewis Foundation Makes $5 Million Commitment to Obama Foundation

The foundation continues its commitment to educational and cultural initiatives, with ongoing support for institutions focused on youth development, arts and culture, and community advancement.

Reginald F. Lewis Foundation Makes $5 Million Commitment to Obama Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc?

The foundation has distributed significant resources throughout its history. As of December 2019, the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation had given away $30 million in grants since inception. **Recent Grant Activity:** • Total giving in fiscal year 2024: $613,945 • Total giving in fiscal year 2023: approximately $627,000 • Typical award range: $250–$1,500,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Cristo Rey Jesuit High School: $32,000 (Support High School Students in Achieving Knowledge and Employment Skills) •…

Where does The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation supports projects across numerous cities and states in the United States, including: • New York • Maryland • California • Los Angeles • Washington, D.C. • And additional locations across the country

What size grants does The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc awarded 61 grants totaling $614K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Reginald F Lewis Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3429965. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.