Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: $485,400 (2023)
- Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
- Decision Time: Not publicly available
- Grant Range: Average $25,547 (based on 2023 data)
- Geographic Focus: Primarily Philadelphia region
Contact Details
Foundation Address: 1835 Market Street, Suite 1400, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and has no public contact information for grant inquiries.
Overview
The Leroy E Kean Family Foundation is a private independent foundation established by the late Leroy Edward Kean, a prominent Philadelphia real estate developer who founded the Leroy Kean Corporation in 1955. With approximately $4.8-4.9 million in assets, the foundation distributed $485,400 across 19 grants in 2023, representing a significant increase from previous years (4 grants in 2022, 5 in 2021). Following Mr. Kean's passing in August 2022, the foundation appears to be managed by surviving family members including his children Kenneth, Candace, and Kirby Kean. The foundation operates as a traditional family foundation, making grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations without any public application process.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The foundation does not operate specific grant programs open to public application. All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's trustees to preselected organizations.
- Average Grant Size: Approximately $25,547 (2023)
- Annual Distribution: $485,400 (2023) across 19 organizations
Priority Areas
Specific funding priorities are not publicly disclosed. Grant recipients are selected privately by the foundation's trustees.
What They Don't Fund
As the foundation only makes grants to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications, they effectively do not fund any organizations outside their established network.
Governance and Leadership
The foundation was established by Leroy Edward Kean (deceased August 2022), a Temple University graduate (1953) who built a successful 60-year career in Philadelphia commercial real estate. The Leroy Kean Corporation, which he founded, specialized in shopping centers, strip malls, office buildings, and residential apartments. Mr. Kean served as President of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors in 1998.
Current governance likely includes family members:
- Kenneth Kean (son)
- Candace Kean (daughter)
- Kirby Kean (son) - Administrative Director at Leroy E Kean Corporation
Specific trustee information is not publicly available without accessing Form 990-PF filings.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
This foundation does not have a public application process. The Leroy E Kean Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grant decisions are made internally by the foundation's trustees.
Decision Timeline
Not applicable - no public application process exists.
Success Rates
Not applicable - the foundation does not accept external applications.
Reapplication Policy
Not applicable - organizations cannot apply directly to this foundation.
Application Success Factors
Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. Organizations receiving grants from the Leroy E Kean Family Foundation are likely:
- Connected through the Philadelphia business community, particularly real estate networks
- Associated with the Union League of Philadelphia (where the Kean Family Scholarship Fund was established)
- Part of established Philadelphia charitable institutions
- Connected through personal or professional relationships with the Kean family
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- This foundation does NOT accept grant applications - all funding decisions are made internally
- The foundation significantly increased its grant activity in 2023 (19 grants) compared to previous years
- Average grant size is approximately $25,000 based on 2023 distribution
- Connections likely come through Philadelphia business networks, particularly real estate and the Union League
- The foundation operates from the same building as The Philadelphia Foundation but is a separate entity
- Following the founder's death in 2022, the foundation appears to be continuing and even expanding its charitable activities
- Without a public application process, relationship-building through Philadelphia philanthropic networks is the only potential pathway
References
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Leroy E Kean Family Foundation, Form 990-PF filing November 11, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/10851933
- Instrumentl 990 Report - Leroy E Kean Family Foundation grant statistics. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/leroy-e-kean-family-foundation
- Cause IQ - The Leroy E Kean Family Foundation organizational profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-leroy-e-kean-family-foundation,010851933/
- GuideStar Profile - The Leroy E Kean Family Foundation. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/01-0851933
- Joseph Levine and Sons - Leroy Edward Kean Obituary, August 12, 2022. https://obits.levinefuneral.com/leroy-kean
- Grantmakers.io - Leroy E Kean Family Foundation profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/010851933-leroy-e-kean-family-foundation/
- All sources accessed February 25, 2026
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