Private foundation · New York, NY (gives in Tennessee from out of state)
The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust
In 2024 it gave 6 grants worth $1.5 million to Tennessee groups, 6 of them in Davidson County. A typical grant was $163,405 to $330,000.
Invitation only: it picks who to fund. Don't send a proposal. Look for a connection through its board. See its board and officers below: do you or your board know any of them?
Key facts
- Grants in Tennessee
- 6 totaling $1.5 million · 6 in Davidson County
- Typical grant How we figure this
- $163,405 to $330,000 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask How we figure this
- About $275,000, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Davidson County · plus 564 grants outside Tennessee
- Buildings & equipment
- 1 of its Tennessee grants went to buildings, renovations or equipment, e.g. “Expansion of pancreatlas connectivity platform and phenotyping of...”
- Funds new groups? How we figure this
- Rarely: every Tennessee group it funded in 2024 had also been funded in 2022–2023. Build a relationship before asking.
- Total giving that year
- $440.9 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $440.9M | $1.5M | 6 |
| 2023 | $445.7M | $2.3M | 11 |
| 2022 | $433.7M | $2.1M | 8 |
All grants paid To Tennessee
How to apply
The foundation's filing doesn't describe how to apply. Look for a website, or send a short letter asking whether it accepts requests.
Board and officers
Does your board know anyone here?
Checked in your browser only. The names are kept on this device for other foundation pages and are never sent to GrantMe.
- Sandor FrankelTrustee
- David PanzirerTrustee
- Walter PanzirerTrustee
- Sarah E PaulChief executive officer
- Jacqueline F BauschGeneral counsel
- Joshua W FentonChief investment officer
- Nicholas J SchiavoChief financial officer
As listed in its 2024 IRS filing. Many foundations decide through their board, so a personal connection often matters more than a perfect application.
What it funds most often
- Expansion of pancreatlas connectivity platform and phenotyping of handel samples by cutting-edge single... (1 grant)
- Defining molecular mechanisms of cell dysfunction in type 1 diabetes to develop new approaches to prevent... (1 grant)
- Screening human islets to identify small molecules enhancing glucagon secretion under hypoglycemia (1 grant)
- Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes (1 grant)
- Isolating islets to understand hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes (1 grant)
- Normalizing hypoglycemia-induced glucagon secretion in t1d through pharmacological restoration of... (1 grant)
How big its Tennessee grants are
| Grant size | Grants |
|---|---|
| Under $1,000 | 0 |
| $1,000 to $4,999 | 0 |
| $5,000 to $9,999 | 0 |
| $10,000 to $24,999 | 0 |
| $25,000 to $99,999 | 0 |
| $100,000 or more | 6 |
From its 2024 IRS filing. Small groups: look at how many grants sit in the bands you'd ask for.
Tennessee organizations it funded
Davidson County grants are listed first, then the largest. Past winners are good people to ask what the foundation looks for. Select a group to see who else funds it.
| Past winner | Where | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Expansion of pancreatlas connectivity platform and phenotyping of handel... | $365K |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Screening human islets to identify small molecules enhancing glucagon... | $330K |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Defining molecular mechanisms of cell dysfunction in type 1 diabetes to... | $275K |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | Normalizing hypoglycemia-induced glucagon secretion in t1d through... | $275K |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Isolating islets to understand hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes | $163K |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes | $122K |
Grants approved for future years
In its tax-year 2024 IRS Form 990-PF the foundation listed grants it had approved but not yet paid: 8 to Tennessee groups totaling $1.3 million. These are multi-year commitments, so they show what it has promised to keep funding. Some may have been paid since.
| Recipient | Where | Purpose | Amount | Tax year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes | $233K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes | $233K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes | $182K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Adapting fams to optimize cgm use among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes | $182K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Expansion of pancreatlas connectivity platform and phenotyping of handel... | $149K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Expansion of pancreatlas connectivity platform and phenotyping of handel... | $149K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Defining molecular mechanisms of cell dysfunction in type 1 diabetes to... | $105K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Defining molecular mechanisms of cell dysfunction in type 1 diabetes to... | $105K | 2024 |
Data: GivingTuesday Data Commons, ODbL
Foundation website All its IRS filings (ProPublica) Sign in to save