The Lauder Foundation concentrates its giving on large, targeted gifts in two principal areas: biomedical research into Alzheimer’s disease and access to public higher education in New York City. Grants are sizable and directed to a small number of organizations, with repeated multi-year support for flagship recipients. The foundation appears to prioritize translational medical research aimed at dementia treatments and bolstering Hunter College’s mission to serve diverse, affordable higher-education students.
Lauder Foundation Inc C/o Lisa Somar is marked by repeated major support for Alzheimer’s and dementia research, alongside a separate, sustained commitment to Hunter College in New York City. The foundation’s recent grants show a small roster of large awards rather than broad dispersal, with multiyear funding to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation and Hunter College Foundation. In 2025, it continued that pattern with a $400,000 grant to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation for research aimed at the cure and prevention of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other cognitive aging conditions. The same recipient also received $400,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2023, indicating a stable line of support over multiple years. Educational giving is equally pronounced: Hunter College Foundation received $1,000,000 in 2024 to support the college’s mission of ensuring students from all walks of life receive affordable education, following a $1,000,000 award in 2023. The foundation also made three grants to University of Pennsylvania entities, each at $110,004, showing a pattern of repeated institutional support rather than one-off gifts.
In biomedical research, the foundation backs Alzheimer’s and dementia work through the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, giving $400,000 in 2025 for research focused on the cure and prevention of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other cognitive aging conditions. That same organization also received the same amount in 2024 and 2023, reinforcing a steady research commitment. On the education side, Hunter College Foundation received $1,000,000 in 2024 to support the college’s mission of ensuring students from all walks of life receive first-rate, affordable education. A separate $1,000,000 grant in 2023 went to the same grantee. The foundation also made three $110,004 grants tied to the University of Pennsylvania, including awards to both the University of Pennsylvania and the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, all framed as support to promote the work of the organization.
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $182,503, the median is $400,000, and the 75th percentile is $850,000. The recent record shows repeat awards across multiple years, especially to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Hunter College Foundation, and University of Pennsylvania entities. That pattern points to sustained institutional support rather than isolated project gifts. The foundation is not reported to fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grant profile is concentrated in a regional pattern, with most grants going to recipients in New York.
$400K
$793K
$42K
$435K
Most grants fall between $183K and $850K, with a median of $400K.
25th Percentile
$183K
Median
$400K
75th Percentile
$850K
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Concentrated, large-dollar giving to a few repeat grantees (multiple multi-hundred-thousand to million-dollar gifts), rather than many small awards; discretionary support and institutional/mission support are emphasized.
Notable grantees: Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Hunter College Foundation, Hunter College Foundation Inc
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in New York: 67% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and New York is also the top state by grant count. Named recipients in the city include Hunter College Foundation and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, both in New York, NY. Outside New York, grants also reached Philadelphia, PA through the University of Pennsylvania and the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All recent grants in the dataset were made to U.S. recipients.
The foundation focuses on Alzheimer’s and dementia research and on support for Hunter College in New York City. Recent grants also show repeated institutional support for University of Pennsylvania entities. The clearest thematic thread is large, targeted gifts to a small number of organizations.
Typical grant size is substantial: p25 is $182,503, median is $400,000, and p75 is $850,000. Recent grants include multiple $400,000 awards and $1,000,000 awards, which fits a pattern of large institutional gifts.
Yes. The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Hunter College Foundation also received repeat support in 2023 and 2024. University of Pennsylvania entities appear in 2023, 2024, and 2025 as well.
Most grants go to recipients in New York, which is also the top state by grant count. The data show 67% of grants going to organizations in the HQ state, with named New York recipients including Hunter College Foundation and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING. |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING. |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $110,004 | 2025 | TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZTION |
| HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE COLLEGE'S MISSION OF ENSURING STUDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE RECEIVE FIRST-RATE, AFFORABLE EDUCATION. |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING. |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $110,004 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZTION |
| HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2023 | TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE FOUNDATION |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK NY, NY | $400,000 | 2023 | TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGINAZATION |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $110,004 | 2023 | TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION |
TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING.
TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING.
TO SUPPORT THE COLLEGE'S MISSION OF ENSURING STUDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE RECEIVE FIRST-RATE, AFFORABLE EDUCATION.
TO SUPPORT THE RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CURE/PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMER'S, DEMENTIA AND OTHER COGNITIVE AGING.
TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGINAZATION
TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION