Leeds Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Leeds Family Foundation supports Jewish causes, arts and culture, education and sports and recreation mainly in the New York metropolitan area. The family bankrolled the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning at the New York Junior Tennis & Learning Center in honor of their late son.
IP TAKE: This foundation flies under the radar with a minimal web presence and no clear guidelines for grantseekers.
PROFILE: The Leeds Family Foundation was established by the financier Lawrence C. Leeds, Jr. and his wife, Dalia in 2000 and is based in New York City. Lawrence Leeds studied at Yale University and earned an MBA from Wharton in 1952. He was the chairman and CEO of the Manhattan Shirt Company until the 1980s, when he became more involved in the financial industry. In 1988 he began working with the Buckingham Research Group. This company is now known as Buckingham Capital Management, and Leeds is its chairman. He also serves on the board of the Hudson Institute, a conservative think-tank based in New York. Other past and present board positions include Prep for Prep, the FIT Foundation, the Alzheimber’s Drug Discovery Foundation and New York University’s Langone Medical Center.
The Leeds Family Foundation works mainly in the New York area and its largest area of grantmaking is education. Education funding tends to support higher education in New York City, as well as programs that support college readiness among public high school students. The foundation also provides ongoing support for some of New York City’s well-known visual and performing arts institutions. Jewish funding works broadly to support both religious and human services organizations, and health funding mainly supports disease research. The Leeds family established the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning in honor of their late son, Cary.
Past Leeds grantees include New York University, Hunter College, the UJA Federation of New York, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the New York Philharmonic and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Grants have been made in amounts as high as $500,000, but most grants remain under $10,000. The foundation gives away over $1 million each year.
This foundation maintains a low profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation can be reached at 212-840-6444, and an address is provided below.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
CONTACT:
Leeds Family Foundation
120 W. 45th St., 7th Fl.
New York City, NY 10036
(212) 840-6444
