← Back to US Funders Directory

The Litwin Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$4.5M
Grant Range
Up to $5.0M

The Litwin Foundation Inc - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,472,377 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $84.6 million
  • Number of Grants: Approximately 157-165 grants annually
  • Average Grant: Approximately $27,000-$29,000 (calculated)
  • Geographic Focus: New York City metropolitan area
  • Application Method: Preselected organizations only (no unsolicited applications)

Contact Details

Address: New Hyde Park, NY
EIN: 13-3501980
Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications

Overview

The Litwin Foundation Inc was established in 1989 in New York by Leonard Litwin (1914-2017), President of Glenwood Management, a real estate development firm specializing in residential construction in Manhattan. Currently led by Litwin's daughter, Carole Pittelman, the foundation continues the family's philanthropic legacy with total assets of $84.6 million and annual grant distributions of approximately $4.5 million. The foundation supports a diverse portfolio of causes including medical research (particularly Alzheimer's disease and inflammatory bowel disease), education, arts and culture, human services, environmental initiatives, and Jewish causes. The foundation operates as a private family foundation that makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific application processes. Instead, it makes strategic grants to preselected organizations across multiple focus areas:

Medical Research: Major funding for disease research, particularly:

  • Alzheimer's disease research (co-founded the Litwin-Zucker Research Center with a $5 million contribution in 2004)
  • Inflammatory bowel disease research ($5 million pledge to Crohn's & Colitis Foundation in 2017 for the Litwin IBD Pioneers initiative)
  • Hospital care and in-patient medical care

Education: Support for educational institutions and programs

Arts and Culture: Museums and cultural institutions (confirmed supporter of The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Human Services: Programs serving:

  • Older adults
  • Economically disadvantaged people
  • Homeless people
  • People with disabilities
  • Family services
  • Child welfare

Religious Organizations: Jewish causes, including Temple Beth-el in Great Neck, NY, and Jewish National Fund

Environment: Natural resources and environmental initiatives

Priority Areas

Based on IRS filings, the foundation's stated purpose is: "Education, Religious, Medical & Research"

The foundation makes approximately 157-165 grants annually, suggesting a portfolio approach with many smaller to medium-sized grants alongside occasional transformational gifts for major initiatives.

Geographic Focus: Primarily New York City metropolitan area

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from any organizations. They fund only organizations that have been preselected by trustees and leadership.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (all unpaid, serving 0 hours per week officially):

  • Carole Pittelman - President & Director (Leonard Litwin's daughter, acting as company president)
  • Howard Swarzman - Treasurer & Director (Litwin's grandson, diagnosed with Crohn's disease, which inspired IBD research funding)
  • Diane Miller - Vice President & Director (Leonard Litwin's daughter)
  • Richard Cohen - Secretary & Director
  • Seymour D. Reich - Assistant Secretary & Director

Leadership Quote: Regarding Alzheimer's research, Carole Pittelman stated that she, "along with her father and family, have committed substantial resources over the years to finding a cure for AD."

The foundation represents a continuation of Leonard Litwin's philanthropic vision, who was described as making "a monumental contribution to the Jewish National Fund" by Jeffrey Levine, national president of the organization.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Litwin Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Organizations cannot submit grant applications to this foundation. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have selected.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation operates through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships. Based on the family's known interests and the foundation's history, organizations might position themselves favorably by:

Focus on Foundation Priorities: The foundation has demonstrated particular commitment to Alzheimer's disease and IBD research. The personal connection (Howard Swarzman's Crohn's disease diagnosis) drove significant IBD funding, suggesting personal connections to trustees may influence funding decisions.

New York Presence: With a clear geographic focus on the New York City metropolitan area, organizations should have a strong presence in this region.

Established Organizations: The foundation appears to support well-established institutions (e.g., Metropolitan Museum of Art, major medical research centers) rather than startup initiatives.

Note: Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation, building awareness through sector events, mutual connections with board members, or recognition in the foundation's areas of interest may be the only pathways to consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation making grants to preselected organizations, there is no formal application cycle or decision timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Important Note: Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, understanding what they fund can help organizations assess alignment:

Disease Research with Personal Connections: The foundation's two largest known commitments ($5 million each for Alzheimer's research and IBD research) stemmed from personal family connections - Leonard Litwin's interest in Alzheimer's disease and his grandson Howard Swarzman's Crohn's disease diagnosis.

Established Institutions: Known recipients include major institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, suggesting preference for established, reputable organizations.

Multi-Year Commitments: The foundation makes both ongoing smaller grants (157-165 annually) and major multi-year commitments, indicating they support both broad charitable work and focused strategic initiatives.

Jewish Causes: Leonard Litwin was described as a "major supporter of Jewish causes" and "major benefactor of Temple Beth-el in Great Neck, New York," indicating continued support for Jewish organizations is likely.

New York Focus: Geographic limitation to NYC metropolitan area is clear and consistent.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications - they select their own grantees
  • Family-Driven Priorities: Personal connections and family interests (Alzheimer's disease, IBD) have driven major funding decisions
  • Significant Assets: With $84.6 million in assets and $4.5 million in annual giving, this is a substantial funder when they do commit
  • Portfolio Approach: Makes 157-165 grants annually, suggesting many organizations receive modest support alongside a few transformational gifts
  • Geographic Limitation: Focus on New York City metropolitan area is explicit and consistent
  • Medical Research Priority: Disease research, particularly Alzheimer's and IBD, represents a core focus area
  • Jewish Philanthropy: Continued support for Jewish causes reflects founder Leonard Litwin's values and interests

References

  1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Litwin Foundation Inc (EIN 13-3501980)

  2. Grantmakers.io Profile - Litwin Foundation Inc

  3. Instrumentl - Litwin Foundation Inc 990 Report

  4. Candid (Foundation Directory Online) - The Litwin Foundation Inc

  5. PR Newswire (November 1, 2017) - "Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Receives $5 Million to Fund Innovative Translational and Clinical IBD Research"

  6. Crohn's & Colitis Foundation - Litwin IBD Pioneers

  7. Wikipedia - Leonard Litwin

  8. Northwell Health - The Litwin-Zucker Research Center

  9. IBD News Today (November 2, 2017) - "Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Receives $5 Million Donation to Fund IBD Research"

  10. GrantStation - The Litwin Foundation

← Back to US Funders Directory