The Lef Foundation
Belmont, MA · EIN 68-0070194. Reported 278 grants totalling $2,142,100 to 126 recipients across tax years 2020-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Lef Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,500 and $10,000; the smallest was $1,000 and the largest $75,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Independent Documentary Inc | Boston, MA | $270,000 | 23 | 4 | 2024 |
| Points North Institute | Camden, ME | $146,000 | 6 | 5 | 2024 |
| Uniondocs Inc | Ridgewood, NY | $130,000 | 8 | 5 | 2024 |
| Documentary Educational Resources Inc | Roslindale, MA | $105,000 | 9 | 4 | 2024 |
| California College of the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $92,500 | 8 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Bay School | Presidio of San Franci, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Progress Unity Fund | San Francisco, CA | $59,000 | 7 | 5 | 2024 |
| Color Congress | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Filmmakers Collaborative Inc | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Independent Feature Project | Brooklyn, NY | $50,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Westchester Institute for Human Develop | Valhalla, NY | $45,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Women Make Movies Inc | New York, NY | $45,000 | 5 | 2 | 2021 |
| Creative Capital | New York, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Filmmakers Collaborative Inc | Melrose, MA | $40,000 | 5 | 3 | 2022 |
| Tikkun Olam Productions | Somerville, MA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Calistoga Art Center | Calistoga, CA | $36,000 | 6 | 3 | 2023 |
| International Documentary Association | Los Angeles, CA | $28,000 | 5 | 2 | 2024 |
| Save the Children | Fairfield, CT | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Brain Arts Organization Inc | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| Cambridge Community Television | Cambridge, MA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Independent Film Alliance Chicago | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Meteor Films | Shelter Island, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| President & Trustees of Bates College | Lewiston, ME | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Experimental Sound Studio | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| Flahertyinternational Film Seminars | Brooklyn, NY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| California College of Arts & Crafts | Oakland, CA | $19,000 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| International Film Seminars | New York, NY | $19,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Brattle Film Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Film Independent | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| New York Foundation for the Arts | Brooklyn, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Southern Documentary Fund | Durham, NC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| The Film Collaborative | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Accion New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | $13,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Denver, CO | $13,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Roadrunner Food Bank | Albuquerque, NM | $13,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Project X Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $12,500 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts | Newcastle, ME | $12,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| American Indian Science and Engineering | Albuquerque, NM | $12,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Cerf | Montepelier, VT | $12,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Horizons Albuquerque | Albuquerque, NM | $12,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Direct Relief | Santa Barbara, CA | $11,500 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Massachusetts Production Coalition Inc | Cambridge, MA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Museum of Ceramic Artsny | New York, NY | $11,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Albuquerque Community Foundation | Albuquerque, NM | $10,500 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Global Giving | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| New Mexico Habitat for Humanity | Santa Fe, NM | $10,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Roots and Branches Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Evergreen State College | Nw Olympia, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Doctors Without Borders | New York, NY | $9,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Independent Film Society of Boston | Cambridge, MA | $9,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Peanut Butter & Jelly Family Services | Albuquerque, NM | $9,000 | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| The Flaherty | Brooklyn, NY | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bosque School | Albuquerque, NM | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Conservation Colorado Education Fund | Denver, CO | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| New Mexico Voices for Children | Albuquerque, NM | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Creative Sanctuary | Arcata, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Albuquerque Museum Foundation | Albuquerque, NM | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| American Civil Liberties Union | New York, NY | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Glbt Historical Society | San Francisco, CA | $7,000 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| New Mexico Land Conservancy | Santa Fe, NM | $7,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Outpost Performance Space | Albuquerque, NM | $7,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance | Salt Lake City, UT | $7,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Cove PTO the Cove School | Corte Madera, CA | $6,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Leopold Writing Program | Albuquerque, NM | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Navajo United Way | Window Rock, AZ | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Planned Parenthood | Washington, DC | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Project X Foundation for Art & Criticism | Los Angeles, CA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust | Albuquerque, NM | $6,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Yucca Valley Material Lab | Yucca Valley, CA | $6,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Everson Museum of Arts | Syracuse, NY | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Anderson Ranch Art Center | Snowmass Village, CO | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Calistoga Cares Food Bank Inc | Calistoga, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee | Cambridge, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Care USA | Merriefield, VA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Center for Architecture and Design | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cine Qua Non Incincite Pictures | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Community Foundation Boulder County | Boulder, CO | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Community Foundation of West Kentucky | Paducach, KY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Indigenous Peoples Task Force | Minneapolis, MN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Isamu Noguchi Foundation at the Garden Museum | Long Island City, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Next Leadership Development Corporation | Boston, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Northern California Public Media | Rohnert Park, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Palm Springs Cultural Center | Palm Springs, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Vermont Folklife Center | Middleburry, VT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Waipa Foundation | Hanalei, HI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Waterfall Arts | Belfast, ME | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Watershed Center for the Creative Arts | Newcastle, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of the Cameo Theater | St Helena, CA | $4,500 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Hispanic Federation | New York, NY | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Mercy Corp - National Processing | Boone, IA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mercy Corps | Portland, OR | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Project Angel Heart | Denver, CO | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| American Indian Services | Lehi, UT | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| First Nations Development Institute | Fredericksburg, VA | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mausa | Mclean, VA | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Palestine Children's Relief Fund | Kent, OH | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Thurgood Marshall College Fund | Washington, DC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spark | Larkspur, CA | $2,600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Chittenden Community Television | Burlington, VT | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation Inc | Brookline, MA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Emerson College | Boston, MA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Franklin Academy | East Haddam, CT | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Hall Middle School | Larkspur, CA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Film Posse Inc | Middletown, CT | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trustees of Dartmouth College | Hanover, MA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Upstander Project Inc | Boston, MA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum | Vallejo, CA | $2,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| American Institute of Architects | San Francisco, CA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Farm Link | Los Alamitos, CA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Food Forward | North Hollywood, CA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Namahana Education Fund | Kilauea, HI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Propublica | New York, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Alianza Coachella Valley | Coachella, CA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Foundation for Psusd | Palm Springs, CA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cfile Foundation | Santa Fe, NM | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Comite Civico Del Valle | Brawley, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Coolidge Corner Theatre | Brookline, MA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fulcrum Arts | Joshua Tree, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Harvard Innovation Lab | Boston, MA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Solano Serenity Center | Fairfield, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Southwest Research and Information Center | Albuquerque, NM | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Think New Mexico | Santa Fe, NM | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Wbur-Fm | Boston, MA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
47 of 126 (37%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 47%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Uniondocs
FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF MILTON GUILLN'S PROJECT MY SKIN AND I AS PART OF THE FSC-LEF FELLOWSHIP - Filmmakers Collaborative Inc
GENERAL SUPPORT OF FILMMAKERS - Center for Independent Documentary Inc
FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING:UNRESTRICTED GIFT IN SUPPORT OF CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY, AND INDEPENDENT WORKS BY SIOBHAN LANDRY, CAROLINA BORRAS, BROOKE SAIS, AND THE COMPLETION OF "THE DREAMERS AND I" - Points North Institute
A GRANT IN SUPPORT OF THE LEF/CIFF FELLOWSHIP - Color Congress
FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF COLOR CONGRESS'S WORK TO STRENGTHEN BIPOC-LED MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS (1 OF 2) - President & Trustees of Bates College
PROGRAM SUPPORT OF CAROLINA GONZALEZ VALENCIA'S PROJECT HOW TO CLEAN A HOUSE IN 10 EASY ...
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 191 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 80 | $586,500 | $5,000 |
| 2021 | 55 | $400,500 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 74 | $550,000 | $4,250 |
| 2023 | 25 | $194,500 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 44 | $410,600 | $3,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
27% of its giving went to organizations in Massachusetts. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Massachusetts.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Lef Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2020-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 42 Lewis Rd, Belmont, MA, 02478. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 68-0070194 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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