Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to health, arts and culture, and community organizations. It also earmarks funds for Jewish causes.

IP TAKE: The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. Since the Lauren Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, interested grantseekers will need to network if they want to be noticed by this funder.

PROFILE: The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation was established in 2013 by billionaire fashion designer Ralph Lauren and his wife Ricky. The foundation does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate further information on its priority areas and grantmaking strategies. According to tax filings, the Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to health, arts and culture, and community organizations. It also earmarks funds for Jewish causes.

Grants for Public Health and Access, Arts and Culture, and Jewish Causes

An older Lauren vehicle, the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation funds “initiatives in cancer care, education, and service in underserved communities.” The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation directs grants to Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care, which was created from the combined resources of Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Park Avenue Synagogue recently received a 7-figure gift from the foundation.

Past grantees include Carnegie Hall Society, New York Presbyterian Hospital Youth Anxiety Center, New York Stem Cell Foundation, Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Important Grant Details:

Grants range from $500 to $1 million. In a recent fiscal year, the foundation gave away around $3.1 million. The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

PEOPLE:

Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).

CONTACT:

Ralph and Ricky Lauren Family Foundation
c/o CBIZ - 1065 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10018