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Ronald S Lauder Foundation

Annual Giving
$19.5M
Grant Range
$75K - $0.5M

Ronald S Lauder Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $19.5 million (charitable disbursements, 2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $500,000
  • Average Grant: $200,000
  • Geographic Focus: Central and Eastern Europe (primarily), limited U.S. and Israel grants
  • Total Assets: $92.2 million

Contact Details

  • Website: https://lauderfoundation.com/
  • Address: 767 5th Avenue, New York, NY
  • Phone: Not publicly available
  • Email: Contact form available on website

Overview

The Ronald S Lauder Foundation was established in 1987 by Ronald S. Lauder, businessman and heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune. The foundation is dedicated to rebuilding and revitalizing Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe through educational and cultural programs, as well as the preservation of Jewish monuments and buildings. With total assets of $92.2 million and annual charitable disbursements of approximately $19.5 million, the foundation operates primarily through proprietary educational programs that bear the Lauder name. The foundation has educated more than 30,000 Jewish children throughout 15 countries in Eastern Europe and operates facilities based in New York City and Berlin, Germany. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the foundation launched an Emergency Relief Program to support community organizations providing food, clothing, shelter, and education to Ukrainian refugees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation's grantmaking primarily supports five educational initiatives across Central and Eastern Europe:

Kindergartens

  • Ongoing support to 13 named kindergartens in 9 European nations
  • Teaching kindergarten curricula alongside Jewish culture and religion
  • Languages: Hebrew, Czech, German, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, and Ukrainian

Schools

  • Ongoing support for 9 Lauder schools in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Focus on Jewish K-12 education
  • Preparing young Jews for personal and professional success

E-Learning Schools

  • Newest initiative providing Jewish education to children without access to local Jewish programming
  • Lauder Morasha e-Learning Schools in Poland and Greece
  • Expanding access to remote communities

Youth Centers and Camps

  • Summer camps and year-round youth programming
  • Cultural and religious education

Student Exchange Programs

  • Student exchanges between New York and various European capitals
  • International networking and cultural exchange

Higher Education

  • Support for post-secondary Jewish education initiatives

Priority Areas

  • Jewish education in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Cultural preservation and Jewish heritage
  • Educational institutions that bear the Lauder name
  • Revitalization of Jewish communities post-communism
  • Emergency relief for Jewish communities in crisis (e.g., Ukraine)

What They Don't Fund

  • The foundation's grantmaking is mainly limited to educational organizations that bear the Lauder name in Europe
  • Only a few grants each year support Jewish organizations working in the U.S. and Israel
  • Grants to U.S. and Israeli organizations are extremely limited
  • Non-Jewish educational or cultural programs
  • General operating support for organizations outside the Lauder network

Governance and Leadership

President: Ronald S. Lauder

According to the foundation's mission statement, Ronald S. Lauder states: "Our philanthropy underwrites the future of Jewish life in Europe through supporting excellent Jewish schools."

Additional leadership details are available in the foundation's Form 990 filings, which show officer compensation of $650,000 in the 2024 fiscal year.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Ronald S Lauder Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

The foundation primarily supports its own proprietary educational programs and institutions that bear the Lauder name. Grants are made through trustee discretion rather than through an open application process. Most funding goes to the foundation's own network of 20 Jewish schools, kindergartens, and summer camps throughout 15 countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Limited grants (a few per year) are made to select U.S. and Israeli organizations, including recent grantees such as:

  • Colel Chabad (Brooklyn)
  • Congregation Beth David (Monsey, New Jersey)
  • Heritage House (Jerusalem, Israel)

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available, as grants are made through trustee discretion and ongoing relationships rather than a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation operates primarily through invitation-only grantmaking and support for its proprietary programs.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since the Ronald S Lauder Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, potential grantees should be aware that:

  • Network Alignment: The foundation prioritizes organizations that are already part of the Lauder educational network or bear the Lauder name
  • Geographic Focus: Organizations must align with the foundation's Central and Eastern European focus, with very limited opportunities in the U.S. and Israel
  • Mission Alignment: The foundation's core mission is "investing in the future of Jewish life in Europe" through education that "prepares young Jews for personal and professional success, and that inspires active participation in Jewish life"
  • Educational Excellence: The foundation emphasizes "excellent Jewish schools" as stated by Ronald S. Lauder
  • Crisis Response: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to launch emergency programs, such as the Ukraine relief initiative in 2022, suggesting flexibility for urgent community needs
  • Proprietary Programs: Most funding supports the foundation's own initiatives rather than external organizations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The Ronald S Lauder Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals - it operates primarily through trustee discretion and support for proprietary programs
  • Grants range from $75,000 to $500,000, with an average of $200,000, totaling approximately $19.5 million annually
  • Geographic focus is overwhelmingly Central and Eastern Europe, with only a few grants per year to U.S. and Israeli organizations
  • The foundation supports 20 Jewish educational institutions across 15 countries, having served over 30,000 children
  • Educational initiatives include kindergartens, schools, e-learning programs, youth centers, camps, and student exchange programs
  • Organizations already bearing the Lauder name or within the Lauder network are primary beneficiaries
  • The foundation has shown flexibility in crisis situations, launching an emergency relief program for Ukrainian refugees in 2022

References

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