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Paul Liebman Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.5M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,460,015 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $300,000
  • Grant Median: $25,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily US (Oregon, New York focus), with some international grants
  • Total Assets: $43 million

Contact Details

Address: 333 W Wacker Dr Ste 1700, Chicago, IL 60606-1247

Important Note: The foundation does not have a website, public phone number, or email address. They do not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Paul Liebman Family Foundation was established in 2017 as a private family foundation to honor the legacy of Paul Allen Liebman (1947-2020), who served as VP Marketing at Coilcraft for five decades. Paul was a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka (1969-70), which sparked a lifelong commitment to international development, particularly in South Asia. He established vocational schools in southern Sri Lanka and was deeply influenced by Buddhist philosophy. The foundation is led by his family, including his children Peter Liebman and Katherine LeSueur, his partner Constance Edgerton, and family friend Louis S. Harrison. With $43 million in assets and $1.46 million in annual distributions (2024), the foundation supports causes aligned with Paul's values: international development, environmental conservation, education, and community empowerment. In 2024, the foundation made 37 grants, with a notable concentration in Oregon (16 grants) and New York (7 grants), reflecting the family's geographic connections.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

All grants are designated for "general purposes," giving the foundation flexibility in supporting diverse initiatives. Recent grantmaking shows the following patterns:

Large Grants ($100,000+):

  • $300,000 to National Philanthropic Trust
  • $100,000 to Green Empowerment (multi-year commitment)
  • $100,000 to Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Mid-Range Grants ($25,000-$99,999): 17 grants in this range Smaller Grants ($5,000-$24,999): 17 grants in this range

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants and Paul Liebman's legacy:

  • International Development: Particularly projects in Sri Lanka, including water access, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood training
  • Environmental Conservation: Support for organizations like NRDC and environmental initiatives
  • Education and Workforce Development: Vocational training and skills development
  • Community Empowerment: Supporting disenfranchised communities
  • Buddhist Organizations: Support for Buddhist temples and cultural preservation

Geographic Priorities:

  • Strong focus on Oregon-based organizations (43% of 2024 grants)
  • New York organizations (19% of 2024 grants)
  • International work, particularly Sri Lanka
  • Some Chicago/Illinois connections

What They Don't Fund

As a family foundation with preselected grantees, they do not consider applications from organizations outside their existing network. The foundation has explicitly stated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Governance and Leadership

Key Officers and Directors (all serve without compensation):

  • Louis S. Harrison - President & Director (likely a family attorney or advisor)
  • Peter Liebman - Secretary & Director (Paul's son)
  • Katherine LeSueur - Director (Paul's daughter, married to Henry LeSueur)
  • Henry LeSueur - Director (Katherine's husband)
  • Constance Edgerton - Director (Paul's longtime partner)
  • Nicholas Chase Edgerton - Director (Constance's family)
  • Meredith Freshley - Director

The family's philanthropic approach is informed by the values articulated by Charles and Mary Liebman (Paul's parents), who emphasized that "it's terribly important to remember that 15 to 20 percent of people cannot thrive in our system without the rest of us helping." The family practices "thoughtful, compassionate giving" with a preference for strategic, behind-the-scenes support that addresses systemic challenges.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

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

Grants are awarded through:

  • Trustee discretion and family initiative
  • Pre-existing relationships with organizations
  • Organizations identified through family members' networks and interests
  • Invitation-only process

Getting on Their Radar

The Paul Liebman Family Foundation identified and began supporting Green Empowerment specifically because of Paul's Peace Corps service and love for Sri Lanka. According to Green Empowerment, "the Paul Liebman Family Foundation connected with Green Empowerment as a new donor because they knew Green Empowerment does work in the region."

This suggests the foundation discovers new grantees through:

  • Geographic/thematic alignment with Paul's legacy: Organizations working in Sri Lanka, environmental conservation, or areas Paul cared about
  • Family connections: Board members have connections to Oregon and may identify organizations through those networks
  • Sector networks: Organizations working in international development, environmental conservation, and education where family members are active

The foundation appears most receptive to organizations whose mission directly honors Paul Liebman's specific interests: Sri Lankan development, Buddhist cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and vocational education.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation with board-driven grantmaking, decisions are likely made during periodic board meetings throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - grants are by invitation only. However, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to provide multi-year support to organizations (e.g., Green Empowerment received "generous multi-year funding").

Application Success Factors

While there is no application process, organizations that have successfully received support share these characteristics:

Mission Alignment with Paul's Legacy:

  • Green Empowerment received major support specifically because their Sri Lanka water and agriculture project honored Paul's Peace Corps service and sustained involvement in the country
  • Organizations supporting Buddhist culture and philosophy align with Paul's lifelong study of Buddhism
  • Environmental and sustainability initiatives reflect Paul's values

Geographic Connection:

  • The foundation's heavy concentration of grants in Oregon (43% of grants) suggests family connections to that state
  • Sri Lanka remains a priority due to Paul's Peace Corps service there
  • Organizations with Chicago/Illinois roots may have advantage given family location

Organizational Approach:

  • Organizations providing practical, hands-on solutions (vocational training, water access, sustainable agriculture)
  • Groups addressing systemic challenges and supporting those who "cannot thrive in our system without help"
  • Programs combining immediate impact with long-term capacity building

Scale and Efficiency:

  • The foundation supports both established national organizations (NRDC, National Philanthropic Trust) and smaller community-based groups
  • Median grant of $25,000 suggests they appreciate organizations that can achieve meaningful impact at moderate funding levels

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation works exclusively with preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Mission alignment with founder's legacy is critical - Paul Liebman's Peace Corps service in Sri Lanka, Buddhist philosophy, environmental values, and commitment to vocational education drive grantmaking
  • Geographic factors matter significantly - 43% of grants go to Oregon, suggesting strong family or board connections to that state
  • Multi-year relationships are possible - the foundation has provided sustained support to organizations like Green Empowerment, indicating they build long-term partnerships
  • International development focus - particularly Sri Lanka and South Asia, with emphasis on practical solutions like water access, sustainable agriculture, and skills training
  • Environmental conservation is a priority - major grants to NRDC and Green Empowerment demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability
  • Family values drive decisions - the Liebman family believes in supporting those who cannot thrive without help, with emphasis on addressing systemic challenges through education, workforce development, and community empowerment

References

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