The Lef Foundation
Historical FunderBelmont, Massachusetts · EIN 68-0070194 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$585K
Organizations funded49
Typical grant$3,000
Total assets$9.6M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $2,500 and $7,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | GENEVIEVE CARMEL |
|---|---|
| Address | PO BOX 382066, CAMBRIDGE MA 02238 |
| Phone | 6174925333 |
| GEN@LEF-FOUNDATION.ORG | |
| Form and materials | GUIDELINES LEF INVESTS IN DOCUMENTARY FILM AND VIDEO PROJECTS THAT DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE IN TECHNIQUE, ORIGINALITY OF VISION AND VOICE, AND CREATIVITY IN FORM. THE STRONGEST PROPOSALS WILL BE THOSE THAT CLEARLY ARTICULATE THE WAYS IN WHICH THE PROPOSED PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE PROGRAM'S FUNDING CRITERIA. FUNDING CRITERIA QUALITY OF CINEMATIC FORM AND TECHNIQUE ORIGINALITY OF FILMMAKER'S VOICE, VISION, AND POINT OF VIEW RESONANCE AND POWER OF THE FILM'S CORE IDEA OR STORY FEASIBILITY OF PRODUCTION. ELIGIBILITY PROJECTS MUST BE LONG FORMAT; RUNNING TIMES OF 40 MINUTES OR MORE. PRIMARY CREATIVE PERSONNEL (DIRECTOR AND/OR PRODUCER) MUST RESIDE IN NEW ENGLAND. PROJECTS WITH DIRECTORS OR PRODUCERS ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL, UNDERGRADUATE OR MASTER'S DEGREE PRPGRA,S AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION ARE INELIGIBLE. MULTI-CHANNEL OR INSTALLATION WORK WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. APPLICANTS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO HAVE A FISCAL SPONSOR. |
| Deadlines | PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION LETTER OF INQUIRY DEADLINE FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025. |
| Restrictions | SEE 2B ABOVE |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
85% of grants went outside Massachusetts.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uniondocs | Ridgewood, NY | Funds in support of milton guilln's project my skin and i as part of the fsc-lef fellowship | $75,000 |
| Filmmakers Collaborative Inc | San Francisco, CA | General support of filmmakers | $50,000 |
| Center for Independent Documentary Inc | Sharon, MA | Funding for the following:unrestricted gift in support of center for independent documentary, and independent works by siobhan landry,… | $45,000 |
| Points North Institute | Camden, ME | A grant in support of the lef/ciff fellowship | $40,000 |
| Women Make Movies Inc - Amanda Kowa | New York, NY | Program support of amanda kowalski's project, "out in the mountains (working title)" | $32,500 |
| Color Congress | Oakland, CA | Funds in support of color congress's work to strengthen bipoc-led media organizations (1 of 2) | $25,000 |
| Documentary Educational Resources Inc | Watertown, MA | Unrestricted gift in support of documentary educational resources | $25,000 |
| Tufts University - Riccardo Giaccon | Medford, MA | Program support of riccardo giacconi's project, "memory of lightning and affidavit as part of the harvard fs... | $20,000 |
| Museum of Ceramic Artsny | New York, NY | Program support of the work of the museum of ceramic arts/ new york | $11,000 |
| Flahertyinternational Film Seminars | Brooklyn, NY | In support of 2 fellowships at the 2024 flaherty seminar, and general operating/staffing expenses. | $10,000 |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | Program support of the architectural department | $10,000 |
| Roots and Branches Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | Program support of roots and branches programs | $10,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union | New York, NY | Program support of the aclu's civil rights work | $7,000 |
| Massachusetts Production Coalition Inc | Cambridge, MA | General support of film production | $6,000 |
| Cerf | Battleboro, VT | Program support of craft emergency relief fund/ cerf+ | $6,000 |
| Leopold Writing Program | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of the writing residency at the leopold writing program | $6,000 |
| Everson Museum of Arts | Syracuse, NY | Program support of arts | $5,500 |
| Blackstar Projects Inc - Luis Arnas | Philadelphia, PA | Program support of luis arnas's project, "tonada menguante" | $5,000 |
| Calistoga Cares Food Bank Inc | Calistoga, CA | Program support of the calistoga cares food bank | $5,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders | New York, NY | General support of doctors without borders work in palestine | $4,000 |
| Mercy Corp - National Processing | Boone, IA | Program support of mercy corps relief efforts | $4,000 |
| Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts | Newcastle, ME | Support of the watershed center for the ceramic arts | $4,000 |
| Global Giving | Washington, DC | Program support of global giving's relief work | $3,500 |
| Progress Unity Fund | San Francisco, CA | Program support of the progress unity fund's organizing activities | $3,000 |
| Yucca Valley Material Lab | Yucca Valley, CA | Program support of the work of the yucca valley material lamb | $3,000 |
| American Indian Science and Engineering | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of the american indian science and engineering society | $3,000 |
| American Indian Services | Lehi, UT | Program support of american indian services | $3,000 |
| Food Bank of the Rockies | Denver, CO | Program support of the food bank of the rockies | $3,000 |
| Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | Maui strong relief fund at the hawaii community foundation | $3,000 |
| International Documentary Association | Los Angeles, CA | Program support the archival producers alliance at ciff 2024 | $3,000 |
| Mausa | Mclean, VA | Program support of mausa's relief work in gaza | $3,000 |
| New Mexico Habitat for Humanity | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of new mexico habitat for humanity | $3,000 |
| Roadrunner Food Bank | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of roadrunner food bank | $3,000 |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | Program support of world central kitchen's relief work in gaza | $3,000 |
| Spark | Larkspur, CA | Funding for larkspur corte madera school district's 2024-25 school year. | $2,600 |
| Independent Film Society of Boston | Cambridge, MA | A strategic grant in support of the 2024 independent film festival boston | $2,500 |
| Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation Inc | Brookline, MA | Work of the theatre's staff | $2,500 |
| Fractured Atlas Productions Inc - E | New York, NY | Program support of "ezra" rose arscott's project, "paper ties" | $2,500 |
| University of Massachusetts Foundat | Newton, MA | Program support of rosalyn negrn's project, "rompi fuente en LA noche (water breaks at... | $2,500 |
| Cove PTO the Cove School | Corte Madera, CA | Program support of art displays for the cove school | $2,000 |
| Conservation Colorado Education Fund | Denver, CO | Program support of the conservation colorado education fund | $2,000 |
| Glbt Historical Society | San Francisco, CA | Funding of participation in the moving trans history forward conference. | $2,000 |
| New Mexico Land Conservancy | Santa Fe, NM | Program support of the work of the new mexico land conservancy | $2,000 |
| New Mexico Voices for Children | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of the programming of new mexico voices for children | $2,000 |
| Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of the rio grande agricultural land trust | $2,000 |
| Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance | South Salt Lake City, UT | Program support of the southern utah wilderness alliance | $2,000 |
| Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum | Vallejo, CA | Program support of the exhibit, a pride of trans posters, from the louise lawrence trans. | $1,500 |
| The Foundation for Psusd | Palm Springs, CA | Program support of the kings circle scholarships | $1,500 |
| Outpost Performance Space | Albuquerque, NM | Program support of outpost performance space | $1,000 |
The return also lists 7 grants to individuals ($111,500). We do not publish the names of individual recipients.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $584,600 | 56 |
| 2023 | $499,500 | 51 |
| 2022 | $550,000 | 74 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Dec 15, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202523499349100457
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 68-0070194
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.