Levitt Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Levitt Family Foundation funds US non-profit organisations using free, live music to strengthen community life, chiefly free concerts in public spaces and free outdoor festivals, alongside partnerships, field-building and research into the arts' impact on community development, so charities outside this area are unlikely to fit.
- Its geographic focus is the U.S., and it works to fixed deadlines rather than taking applications year-round.
- Most grants to organisations fall between $500 and $30,000, with a median grant of $7,500, so a modest request in that range is realistic, though its own programme guidance allows Music Series Grants of up to $120,000 and Festival Grants of up to $5,000.
- In its latest filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its two prior filings, which suggests continuing relationships take up most of the money, so a first-time applicant is competing for a smaller share.
- Festival Grants are not available for seasonal or long-running events or single performances such as summer concert series, First Friday events or standalone concert presentations; Music Series applicants should start with the registration form to find out whether AMP, VIBE or BLOC suits their community, while Festival Grants applications are taken once a year.
Overview
Levitt Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Los Angeles, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Levitt Family Foundation supports non-profit organisations using free, live music to strengthen community life. Its primary grant programmes fund free concerts that invigorate public spaces and enhance community life, as well as free outdoor festivals that expand access to live music and the arts. Through creative placemaking, it backs community-driven efforts that turn underused spaces into vibrant, welcoming community hubs. Music Series grants support U.S.-based non-profits presenting free concerts in towns and cities, while Festival Grants support U.S.-based non-profits presenting free outdoor festivals. The Foundation also supports partnerships and field-building that foster cross-sector collaboration and shared learning, and research evaluating the arts’ impact on community development. Its approach values community support, inclusion, joy and connection, with projects that are catalytic and dynamic.
Themes
- Free outdoor concerts
- Creative placemaking
- Free outdoor festivals
- Community partnerships
- Field-building
- Arts impact research
Geographic Focus
U.S.
What They Don't Fund
- Festival Grants only: Seasonal and long-running events presented over a designated period of time, as well as single performances, are ineligible for this grant opportunity—for example: summer concert series, First Friday events, standalone concert presentations, etc., are ineligible
How to apply
Prospective Music Series grantees first complete a registration form to determine whether AMP, VIBE or BLOC is the right grant type for their community.
Deadlines: Festival Grants applications are due once annually.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 326 grants to organisations were $7,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For Music Series proposals, the foundation values an underused public space whose activation can create dynamic social and economic impact.
- Music Series proposals should offer inclusive, family-friendly programming across a wide range of music genres.
- Applicants should show a track record of professional-quality concerts or community events, or partner with someone who has one.
- Partnerships that broaden reach and deepen the impact of a Music Series strengthen proposals.
- Festival proposals should demonstrate accessibility to people of all ages and backgrounds and a welcoming atmosphere.
- Festival budgets should show community support, with the grant accounting for less than 30% of total festival expenses.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 15%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 17%
- The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations Levitt Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 91 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton · Community programming support$250,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion Denver · Community programming support$250,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion City of Angels · Community programming support$238,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion Arlington · Community programming support$225,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Shell Sioux Falls · Community programming support$200,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks · Community programming support$200,0002024 tax year
- Imagine Los Angeles · Community programming support$65,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose · Community programming support$60,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Helen Johnson — Director
- Sharon Yazowski — Director / Secretary / President / CEO
- Peter E Levitt — Director / Co-Chair
- Pasy Wang — Director / Treasurer
- Larry Chaifetz — Director
- Kathy Eberly Ovitt — Director / Co-Chair
- John McNamara — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,937,290 | $2,229,975 | $174,754,778 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $8,558,604 | $2,865,480 | $169,756,709 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $9,188,317 | $2,964,300 | $199,275,145 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Levitt Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (213) 201-6100
- grants@levitt.org
- Los Angeles, CA
- levitt.org
Applying to Levitt Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (213) 201-6100
- grants@levitt.org
- Los Angeles, CA
- levitt.org