Paul Liebman Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and gives by invitation only, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; a small charity should first look for an introduction through someone who knows the foundation or an organisation it already funds.
- Its recorded purposes are all general, and the filing shows grants across environmental, child and youth, education, housing and community work, so it gives no subject-specific policy to match against.
- About 8 in 10 of its 94 grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $75,000, and half are $20,000 or less, so a modest request in that range is a realistic size, though its largest grant was $300,000, to National Philanthropic Trust, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- In the latest filing, 58% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so renewing an existing relationship is a sound route.
- No geographic focus is stated, though the largest shares of grant dollars go to Oregon, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Illinois, so a charity elsewhere should not assume it is excluded.
Overview
Paul Liebman Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings show recipients including environmental and conservation organisations; child advocacy, youth and family-support organisations; education providers; housing and social-service organisations; and community, cultural and civic bodies. Their recorded purposes are all listed as general purposes, so the filings do not state a subject-specific giving policy. Grants recur to organisations funded in earlier filings. The filings record recipients across states, with the largest grant-dollar shares going to Oregon, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Recorded grantees include both local service organisations and national advocacy or conservation bodies.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Oregon, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 58% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 94 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 12%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 58% of grant dollars went to organisations Paul Liebman Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 17% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 46 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- One Simple Wish · General purposes$100,0002025 tax year
- Greenwood Project · General purposes$100,0002025 tax year
- Save the Boundary Waters · General purposes$100,0002025 tax year
- National Regional Defense Council (NRDC) · General purposes$100,0002025 tax year
- Green Empowerment · General purposes$100,0002025 tax year
- CASA for Children · General purposes$75,0002025 tax year
- Children's Healing Art Project · General purposes$60,0002025 tax year
- Adirondack Mountain Club · General purposes$50,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Meredith Freshley — Director
- Constance Edgerton — Director
- Nicholas Chase Edgerton — Director
- Henry Lesueur — Director
- Katherine Lesueur — Director
- Peter Liebman — Secretary & Director
- Louis S Harrison — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $565,127 | $390,000 | $34,007,658 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,892,755 | $1,425,000 | $42,741,907 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,175,210 | $1,595,000 | $54,646,799 | Filing for 2025 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
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At a glance
Applying to Paul Liebman Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
Applying to Paul Liebman Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL