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Leir Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.9M

Leir Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,853,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $94.7 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Not specified, but supports educational, medical, cultural institutions and programs for disadvantaged populations

Contact Details

Address: 240 Branchville Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877-5900

EIN: 06-1466481

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries as they only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Leir Foundation Inc was established in 1996 by industrialist and philanthropist Henry J. Leir (1900-1998) and his wife Erna D. Leir. With total assets of $94.7 million as of 2024 and annual giving of approximately $2.9 million, the foundation is committed to the global humanitarian ideals and interests of its founders. The foundation supports high-quality educational and cultural institutions, medical research and care, services for children and disadvantaged populations, and programs that enhance multicultural understanding and diversity. The Leirs, who fled Nazi Germany in 1933 and eventually settled in the United States, were named Knights of the French Legion of Honor for their philanthropic efforts. The foundation also supports the Leir Retreat Center (formerly Leir House), a 33-acre conference facility in Ridgefield that hosts humanitarian, scientific, and health-related conferences.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The foundation's work supports:

  • Educational and Cultural Institutions: Advancing high-quality institutions in education and the arts
  • Medical Research and Care: Supporting medical research initiatives and healthcare programs
  • Services for Children and the Disadvantaged: Programs benefiting vulnerable populations, particularly children
  • Multicultural Understanding and Diversity: Initiatives that promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding

The foundation operates the Leir Retreat Center, which hosts conferences on subjects including substance abuse, Lyme disease, human rights, assessment and treatment of suicide risk, mental health, dementia, and child abuse.

What They Don't Fund

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

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership (as of 2024):

  • Markus Fuchs: Director and President
  • Paul Cambrai Bell: Director and Vice President
  • Joseph Whalen: Director, Chair, and Treasurer

The foundation reflects the values of its founders, Henry J. and Erna D. Leir, who devoted the latter part of their lives to philanthropy after successful careers in international business. Henry J. Leir was born to a Jewish family in Prussia, fled Nazi Germany with his wife Erna in 1933, and eventually settled in the United States in 1938. Their philanthropic work has endowed several university chairs and established multiple foundations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Leir Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the foundation's board of directors. In 2022, the foundation made 67 awards, but this decreased to 1 award in 2023, suggesting a shift in grantmaking strategy toward fewer, possibly larger grants or more selective grantmaking.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable for external applicants. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Leir Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations that receive funding from the foundation are selected by the board based on alignment with the foundation's mission to support:

  • Educational and cultural institutions of high quality
  • Medical research and healthcare initiatives
  • Programs serving children and disadvantaged populations
  • Multicultural understanding and diversity programs

The foundation's grantmaking reflects the founders' personal values, including their experience as Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany, their commitment to humanitarian causes, and their belief in education, healthcare, and cross-cultural understanding.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: The Leir Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only funds preselected organizations
  • Invitation-Only Grantmaking: Organizations must be selected by the foundation's board; proactive outreach is discouraged
  • Mission Alignment Critical: The foundation's priorities reflect the founders' humanitarian values and personal history
  • Shifting Grantmaking Pattern: The foundation moved from 67 awards in 2022 to 1 award in 2023, suggesting a strategic shift
  • Substantial Assets: With $94.7 million in assets, the foundation has significant resources but deploys them selectively
  • Founder Legacy: Understanding Henry and Erna Leir's story as refugees and philanthropists provides insight into funding priorities
  • Related Facilities: The foundation operates the Leir Retreat Center, which hosts conferences on humanitarian and health topics

References

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