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The Lerner Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Lerner Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$1.4M
Granted FY2025still arriving
27
Grants FY2025still arriving
6
States reached
$500k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Philanthropy$3.7MArts & Culture$2.3MEducation$1.4MHealth$1.3MFood & Nutrition$307kCivil Rights$235kReligion$75kPublic Safety & Disaster$60kOther$0
02FY2025 · 27 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k10 grants · $22k
  • $10k–50k10 grants · $198k
  • $50k–250k5 grants · $300k
  • $250k+2 grants · $855k
$10,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$1.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND$500,000
CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA$354,500
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER$100,000
UNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND$50,000
GREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK$50,000
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS$50,000
CLEVELAND CLINIC - VELOSANO$50,000
CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S$48,400
MALTZ MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE$25,000
CEDARS-SINAI$25,000
CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION$24,500
FOUNDATION FOR ART & PRESERVATION IN EMBASSIES$20,000
CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION - PAIN MANAGEMENT$15,000
US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM$10,000
HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION$10,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–25, $56k) land where the poverty rate runs at 15%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 96% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%IN STEPS WITH HORSES: $1k → 6%LIFELINE PILOTS: $8k → 14%IN STEPS WITH HORSES: $600 → 6%LIFELINE PILOTS: $8k → 14%IN STEPS WITH HORSES: $600 → 6%LIFELINE PILOTS: $8k → 14%LIFELINE PILOTS: $8k → 14%BIKUR CHOLIM: $10k → 17%MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER: $5k → 17%MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF CLEVELAND: $3k → 17%MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF CLEVELAND: $3k → 17%MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF CLEVELAND: $900 → 17%MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF CLEVELAND: $900 → 17%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

95%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$5.9M · 26 repeat orgs$304k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +45% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

26 repeat relationships: 17 still active in FY2025, 9 since wound down; 9 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

26
12

Total granted

$5.9M
$230k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+45%
0%

Still filing today

65%
42%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 91% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $74k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationHealthHuman ServicesInternationalHousing & ShelterOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • TM
    The Musical Arts Association
    6× · 2020–2025 · $2.1M · revenue +45%
  • CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
    4× · 2020–2023 · $1.3M · revenue +39%
  • MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER
    6× · 2020–2025 · $600k · revenue +64%

Funded once

  • CC
    CLEVELAND CLINIC - COVID RESEARCH
    one grant, 2020 · $100k
  • PS
    PARK SYNAGOGUE
    one grant, 2024 · $50k
  • HO
    HOLD ON TO YOUR MUSIC FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $15k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Cleveland Museum of Art

The mission of the cleveland museum of art (cma) is to fulfill its dual roles as one of the world's most distinguished comprehensive art museums and as one of northeastern ohio's principal civic and cultural institutions. the museum,…

Arts & Culture
2
The Jewish Museum

The mission of the jewish museum is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art and jewish culture. see schedule o for more information.

Arts & Culture
3
Eastern European Jewish Heritage Foundation
Philanthropy
4
The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati
Philanthropy
5
Yeshiva University

The university is composed of several colleges and schools providing undergraduate, graduate, professional and post-doctoral education and training and research and clinical programs.

Education
6
Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

The mission of the hebrew academy is to imbue all students with a love of god, torah and eretz yisroel and to prepare them to achieve excellence in torah and general knowledge based on successful cooperation among family, judaic and…

—
7
The Central European University

Ceu is committed to promoting the values of open society and self-reflective critical thinking. it aims at excellence in the mastery of established knowledge, courage to pursue the creation of new knowledge in the humanities, the social…

International
8
Institute for Advanced Study - Louis Bamberger & Mrs Felix Fuld Foundation

The institute for advanced study (the institute) is one of the world's leading centers for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. see schedule o.

Science & Tech
9
American Museum of Natural History

The museum's mission statement is: "to discover, interpret, and disseminate - through scientific research and education - knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe."

Arts & Culture
10
The Contemporary Jewish Museum

The contemporary jewish museum (the cjm) makes the diversity of the jewish experience relevant for a twenty-first-century audience through innovative exhibitions and programs that educate, challenge, and inspire.

Arts & Culture
11
New York Genome Center Inc

Operate a state-of-the-art, world-class genomic research center that creates and uses advanced genomics to understand the genetic basis of disease. for more information, see schedule o.

Health
12
Hadassah the Women's Zionist Org of America Inc

Hadassah, the women's zionist organization of america, inc., a new york not-for-profit corporation ("hwzoa") enhances the health and lives of people in israel, the united states and worldwide through education, advocacy, women's…

Community Improvement
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Cleveland Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Downsyndrome Achieves. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

31 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 31 of the 49 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
31/31
Grantees still filing
19/31
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND: $3,310,000 · PhilanthropyJEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELANDUNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND: $330,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND+1 more: $10,000 · PhilanthropyThe Musical Arts Association: $2,073,725 · Arts & CultureThe Musical Arts Associatio…Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies: $120,000 · Arts & Culture+5 more: $113,200 · Arts & CultureCASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: $1,301,000 · EducationCASE WESTERN RESE…CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION: $114,000 · EducationCUYAHOGA COMMUNIT…+3 more: $22,000 · EducationCLEVELAND CLINIC - VELOSANO: $300,000 · OtherCLEVELAND CLIN…WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS: $235,000 · OtherWORLD JEWISH C…CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S: $195,200 · OtherCLEVELAND CLIN…CLEVELAND CLINIC - COVID RESEARCH: $100,000 · OtherCLEVELAND CLIN…SEMACH SEDEK R I A S SYNAGOGUE: $100,000 · OtherSEMACH SEDEK R…AMERICAN RED CROSS: $60,000 · OtherTHE TEMPLE-TIFERETH ISRAEL: $55,000 · OtherPARK SYNAGOGUE: $50,000 · Other+17 more: $142,160 · Other+17 moreMEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER: $600,000 · HealthCEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: $25,000 · Health+2 more: $9,500 · HealthGREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK INC: $200,000 · Food & NutritionLIFELINE INC: $31,500 · Human ServicesThe Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland: $11,800 · Human ServicesBIKUR CHOLIM OF CLEVELAND: $10,000 · Human ServicesIN STEP WITH HORSESINC: $2,200 · Human Services
Philanthropy$3,650,000Arts & Culture$2,306,925Education$1,437,000Other$1,237,360Health$634,500Food & Nutrition$200,000Human Services$55,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetJEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND: $3,310,000 over 6y, 0.8% of budgetThe Musical Arts Association: $2,073,725 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetCASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: $1,301,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER: $600,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND: $330,000 over 6y, 0.3% of budgetGREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK INC: $200,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetFoundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies: $120,000 over 6y, 1.7% of budgetCUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION: $114,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: $49,700 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetThe Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage: $41,500 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetLIFELINE INC: $31,500 over 4y, 2.2% of budgetCEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland: $11,800 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetTHE JEWISH FOUNDATION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS INC: $11,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetTHE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCLEVELAND BALLET: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetBIKUR CHOLIM OF CLEVELAND: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetHOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 4.1% of budgetDownsyndrome Achieves: $10,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetVALUES-IN-ACTION FOUNDATION: $7,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetTHE NEGEV FOUNDATION: $7,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetCreative Living for Life Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE LITTLEST HEROES INC: $5,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetEDWINS LEADERSHIP & RESTAURANT INSTITUTE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetARTS IN THE ARMED FORCES INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetAUTISM SPEAKS INC: $4,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM: $2,800 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetIN STEP WITH HORSESINC: $2,200 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetWESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNA'AMAT USA The Women's Labor Zionist Organization of America: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds JEWISH FEDERATION OF CLEVELAND ↗
  • Who funds The Musical Arts Association ↗
  • Who funds CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER ↗
  • Who funds UNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND ↗
  • Who funds GREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK INC ↗
  • Who funds Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies ↗
  • Who funds CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ↗
  • Who funds The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage ↗
  • Who funds LIFELINE INC ↗
  • Who funds CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER ↗
  • Who funds The Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland ↗
  • Who funds THE JEWISH FOUNDATION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS INC ↗
  • Who funds THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds CLEVELAND BALLET ↗
  • Who funds BIKUR CHOLIM OF CLEVELAND ↗
  • Who funds HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Downsyndrome Achieves ↗
  • Who funds VALUES-IN-ACTION FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE NEGEV FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Creative Living for Life Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE LITTLEST HEROES INC ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Cleveland Foundat…Jewish Federation of …Marla & Joseph Shafra…The Albert B & Audrey…Akron Community Found…Irving I Stone Founda…The Joseph and Floren…The Esther and Hyman …The Miller Family Fou…Abr Family Foundation…The Horowitz Ratner F…Kertesz Family Founda…
The Cleveland FoundationOH28.6× affinity12 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Cleveland Foundation · Jewish Federation of Cleveland · Marla & Joseph Shafran Foundation · The Albert B & Audrey G Ratner Family Foundation · Akron Community Foundation · Irving I Stone Foundation · The Joseph and Florence Mandel Family- Penni M and Stephen J Weinberg Family Fund · The Esther and Hyman Rapport Philanthropic Trust · The Miller Family Foundation · Abr Family Foundation No 1 · The Horowitz Ratner Family Foundation · Kertesz Family Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Lerner Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Lerner Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 20%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    2get no government money at all
    10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 49 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Lerner’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home