Iris and Junming Le Foundation Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $967,100 (2023)
• Total Assets: $19.2 million (2024)
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $512,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida
• Foundation Type: Private Independent Foundation
• Application Process: No public application process - trustee discretion

Contact Details

Address: 501 South Ocean Boulevard, Unit 101, Boca Raton, FL 33432

Phone: (646) 807-9573 or (561) 391-8939

Website: www.thelefoundation.org

EIN: 20-6861899

Overview

The Iris and Junming Le Foundation Trust was established in 2006 to further health initiatives in research and patient care. Founded by Dr. Junming Le, an adjunct associate professor of microbiology at New York University School of Medicine and co-inventor of Remicade (a medication that revolutionized treatment of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease), the foundation is primarily funded by royalty streams from this groundbreaking medication. With total assets of $19.2 million and annual giving of approximately $967,100 (2023), the foundation operates as a private independent foundation making grants across medical research, healthcare, education, and religious causes. The foundation is guided by the belief that providing support to medical professionals engaged in research guarantees sustained pursuit of innovation leading to wide-ranging improvements in health.

Funding Priorities

Primary Focus Areas

Medical Research and Healthcare: The foundation's primary focus, supporting cutting-edge medical equipment purchases, research grants for young scientists, and translational science initiatives at major research institutions.

Education: Supporting educational institutions and programs, including financial assistance for medical students and educational technology initiatives.

Religious Organizations: Providing grants to religious institutions and meditation centers.

Patient Care: Supporting healthcare facilities with advanced medical equipment to improve patient outcomes.

Notable Grant Examples

Major Medical Equipment Grants:

• Cleveland Clinic Florida: $512,000 for CUSA NXT Ultrasonic Tissue Ablation System and ROSA 3.0 surgical robot (2016)
• Scripps Research Institute Florida: Zeiss ELYRA PS.1 Super-Resolution Microscope for Department of Neuroscience
• Boca Raton Regional Hospital: CT system for the Iris and Junming Le Foundation CT Suite

Research Grants:

• Mount Sinai School of Medicine: Two-year grant providing up to six grants of $35,000-$45,000 for psychiatric neuroimaging pilot projects
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Two-year grant for Translational Oncology Research by HOPP program fellows
• Rockefeller University: About a dozen 1-year grants for beginning-stage translational science studies
• Hospital for Joint Diseases: Endowment for annual Orthopedic Senior Resident Research Award

Educational and International Programs:

• NYU School of Medicine International Health Program: Financial assistance for students to travel abroad for clinical/basic research, public health initiatives, or clinical education
• Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Tibet and China

Recent Grants (2024):

• Chan Meditation Center: $20,000 (Religious)
• Packer Collegiate Institute: $10,000 (Educational)
• Friends of Grace Church School Brooklyn Heights: $2,000 (Educational)

Typical Award Range

Grants range from $2,000 to $512,000, with most grants falling between $10,000 and $100,000. The foundation made 5 awards in both 2022 and 2023.

Geographic Priorities

Primary focus on New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida, with occasional international grants (particularly China and Tibet for healthcare initiatives).

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Junming Le (Trustee): Co-inventor of Remicade and adjunct associate professor of microbiology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Le's pioneering work in developing treatments for autoimmune diseases informs the foundation's focus on medical innovation.

Sai Hong Yan (Trustee)

Daniella Loh (Trustee)

Iris Le: Co-founder and namesake of the foundation alongside her husband Junming Le. The couple has lived in Boca Raton since 2010.

Foundation Philosophy

As stated in their materials: "The Le Foundation believes that providing support to medical professionals engaged in research guarantees the sustained pursuit of innovation that leads to wide-ranging improvements in health." This philosophy drives their grantmaking strategy, focusing on early-stage research and cutting-edge medical technology that can create breakthrough improvements in patient care.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private independent foundation, the Iris and Junming Le Foundation makes grants through trustee discretion rather than open solicitation. Grants appear to be initiated through direct relationships with institutions and organizations rather than through competitive application processes.

The foundation operates under a trust structure dated March 10, 2006, with grantmaking decisions controlled by the trustees.

Getting on Their Radar

While there is no public application process, the foundation's grant history reveals specific patterns that may be helpful:

Institution Types They Fund:

• Major research universities and medical schools (NYU, Mount Sinai, Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering)
• Hospitals and healthcare systems (Cleveland Clinic Florida, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Scripps Research Institute)
• Educational institutions (Packer Collegiate Institute, Grace Church School)
• Religious and meditation centers

Dr. Le's Professional Connections: Given Dr. Junming Le's position as adjunct associate professor at NYU School of Medicine, institutions with connections to NYU or the autoimmune disease research community may have better positioning.

Geographic Connection: The foundation shows preference for institutions in areas where the trustees have connections - particularly New York (where Dr. Le maintains academic appointments) and Boca Raton, Florida (where the couple has lived since 2010).

Focus on Innovation: The foundation consistently supports cutting-edge technology and early-stage research that shows promise for breakthrough improvements in healthcare.

Financial Information

Revenue Sources (2024)

• Dividends: $420,280 (32.3%)
• Sales of Assets: $587,723 (45.1%)
• Interest Revenue: $293,874 (22.6%)
• No contributions received

Giving Patterns

• Annual charitable disbursements: $915,486 (2024)
• Consistently maintains 99% of expenses as charitable giving
• Total assets have remained stable around $19-21 million since 2018
• No officer compensation reported
• No full-time employees

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Private Foundation Structure: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are made at trustee discretion through pre-existing relationships.

• Medical Research Focus: Despite recent small grants to educational and religious organizations, the foundation's most significant grants have been to medical research and healthcare institutions, particularly for cutting-edge equipment and early-stage research.

• Equipment and Technology: A substantial portion of major grants support purchasing advanced medical equipment (MRI systems, surgical robots, microscopes) that enable innovation in patient care.

• Early-Stage Research: The foundation shows particular interest in supporting young scientists and beginning-stage translational research that could lead to breakthrough improvements.

• Institutional Relationships: Successful grant recipients tend to be established research institutions, major medical centers, and educational organizations with strong research programs.

• Geographic Preferences: New York institutions (particularly those with NYU connections) and Florida healthcare facilities (especially in Boca Raton area) appear most frequently among recipients.

• Range of Support: While capable of six-figure grants for major medical equipment, the foundation also makes smaller grants ($2,000-$20,000) to educational and religious organizations, suggesting diverse interests beyond the primary medical focus.

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Form 990-PF filings for Iris And Junming Le Foundationtrust Dated 3 10 06 (EIN 20-6861899), accessed February 5, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/206861899

• Cause IQ: Iris and Junming Le Foundation organizational profile, accessed February 5, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/iris-and-junming-le-foundation,206861899/

• Instrumentl: 990 Report for Iris and Junming Le Foundation Trust Dated 3-10-06, accessed February 5, 2026. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/iris-and-junming-le-foundationtrust-dated-3-10-06

• Foundation Directory (Candid): Iris and Junming Le Foundation grantmaker profile, accessed February 5, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=LEFO005

• South Florida Hospital News: "Cleveland Clinic Florida Receives $512,000 from Iris & Junming Le Foundation," accessed February 5, 2026. https://southfloridahospitalnews.com/cleveland-clinic-florida-receives-512000-from-iris-junming-le-foundation/

• Sun Sentinel: "Boca couple's gift funds equipment for liver transplant, epilepsy programs at Cleveland Clinic Florida," November 18, 2016. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2016/11/18/boca-couples-gift-funds-equipment-for-liver-transplant-epilepsy-programs-at-cleveland-clinic-florida/

• Mount Sinai: "Le Foundation Supports Psychiatry Neuroimaging Research," 2012. https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2012/le-foundation-supports-psychiatry-neuroimaging-research

• Scripps Research: "Remicade® Developer Funds New Super-Resolution Microscope at Scripps Florida," January 29, 2016. https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2016/20160129lefoundation.html

• The Iris and Junming Le Foundation official website: www.thelefoundation.org, accessed February 5, 2026.

• Charity Navigator: Iris and Junming Le Foundation Trust Dated 3-10-06 profile, accessed February 5, 2026. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/206861899