The Leventhal Family Foundation concentrates major gifts on medical education and cancer research, Jewish community-building (especially in New Orleans), and place-based workforce/cultural projects. Their funding favors endowed scholarships and named funds at universities and hospitals, while also supporting local training programs, museums, and community services in Boston and New Orleans. Grants combine large, multi-hundred-thousand commitments with smaller, targeted local gifts that reflect family interests and civic engagement.
A $333,333 scholarship gift to Boston University School of Medicine anchors the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Family Fdn C/o Beacon Capital’s recent giving and shows its preference for named, institution-based support. The foundation pairs that kind of medical-education commitment with equally large funding for cancer research, including a $200,000 grant to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Cancer Research Fund. Its pattern is not limited to health sciences, though: the family also directs major support to New Orleans institutions tied to Jewish community life, interfaith families, workforce training, and cultural programming. Recent grants show a mix of endowed funds, scholarship support, research fellowships, and annual fund gifts. Tulane University received $200,000 for an endowed fund tied to the Cowen Institute, and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans received $142,000 for the Leventhal Center for Interfaith Families. Other awards go to local organizations in Boston and New Orleans, suggesting a funder that combines large institutional commitments with smaller place-based gifts. The legal structure also allows support to individuals, which aligns with the scholarship-oriented side of the portfolio.
Medical education and cancer research are central themes. Boston University School of Medicine received $333,333 for the Leventhal Family Scholarship at the School of Medicine, while Dana-Farber Cancer Institute received $200,000 for the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Cancer Research Fund. Those grants point to a strong interest in training future physicians and supporting oncology research. The foundation also backs Jewish community and interfaith family work in New Orleans and Boston. A $142,000 grant to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans funded the Leventhal Center for Interfaith Families, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies received $100,000 for CJP’s Anti-Poverty Initiative. Beyond that, the family supports workforce and culinary education: New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute received $50,000 for the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Baking & Pastry Lab. Cultural and research programming appears as well through a $50,000 National WWII Museum Research Fellow award.
$0
$45K
$232
$10K
Most grants fall between $15K and $171K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$171K
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Concentrated giving with several large, named/endowed gifts to higher-education and medical institutions plus repeat, place-based support in Boston and New Orleans; a mix of multi-hundred-thousand strategic gifts and smaller community-level grants.
Notable grantees: Boston University School of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute
Typical grant size is moderate to large: the 25th percentile is $15,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $171,000. The recent list combines very large institutional awards with smaller gifts such as $5,000 and $1,000, so the distribution is broad rather than tightly clustered. The foundation also shows continuity across years: the grant list includes both 2023 and 2024 awards. Its structure permits support to individuals, which fits the scholarship grants in the portfolio. The recent pattern is primarily direct charitable grants and named funds, with no program-related investments reported.
Giving is regional and concentrated in Massachusetts, which accounts for 54% of grants by recipient location. Boston appears repeatedly in the recent list, including recipients such as Boston University School of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, MSPCA Angell, and The Fund for Parks and Recreation. Outside Massachusetts, New Orleans is another recurring destination, with grants to Tulane University, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans in Metairie, and New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute. All recent grants listed were made to U.S. recipients.
Recent grants emphasize medical education and cancer research, Jewish community-building and interfaith family services, and place-based education or cultural projects. Examples include Boston University School of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, and New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
The foundation’s grant sizes are fairly wide-ranging. The 25th percentile is $15,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $171,000. Recent awards range from $1,000 to $333,333, showing both smaller community gifts and large institutional commitments.
Yes. The foundation’s data indicates it funds individuals, and the recent grants include scholarship support such as the Leventhal Family Scholarship at Boston University School of Medicine and the Karen Flynn Shanahan Scholarship Fund at Hawken School.
Yes. Massachusetts receives 54% of grants by recipient location, with Boston appearing frequently in the recent list. New Orleans is another recurring location, showing a regional pattern centered on those two cities.
Yes. In addition to medical education and cancer research, recent grants support interfaith family programming, anti-poverty work, culinary training, museum research fellowships, animal welfare, and parks-related sponsorships.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | ROSE GARDEN PARTY SPONSORSHIP |
| HAWKEN SCHOOL | GATES MILLS, OH | $1,000 | 2024 | KAREN FLYNN SHANAHAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | BOSTON, MA | $333,333 | 2023 | LEVENTHAL FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AT THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE |
| TULANE UNIVERSITY | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $200,000 | 2023 | SHERRY & ALAN LEVENTHAL ENDOWED FUND - COWEN INSTITUTE, MARJORIE F. COWEN FUND |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2023 | SHERRY AND ALAN LEVENTHAL CANCER RESEARCH FUND |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS | METAIRIE, LA | $142,000 | 2023 | LEVENTHAL CENTER FOR INTERFAITH FAMILIES |
| COMBINED JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2023 | CJP'S ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE |
| NEW ORLEANS CULINARY & HOSPITALITY INSTITUTE | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $50,000 | 2023 | SHERRY AND ALAN LEVENTHAL BAKING & PASTRY LAB |
| NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM | SWEETWATER, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM RESEARCH FELLOW |
| MSPCA ANGELL | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2023 | ANGELL'S CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN, ANNUAL FUND |
| FRIENDS OF BASS RIVER | SOUTH YARMOUTH, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
THE FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION
$5,000ROSE GARDEN PARTY SPONSORSHIP
HAWKEN SCHOOL
$1,000KAREN FLYNN SHANAHAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$333,333LEVENTHAL FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AT THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
TULANE UNIVERSITY
$200,000SHERRY & ALAN LEVENTHAL ENDOWED FUND - COWEN INSTITUTE, MARJORIE F. COWEN FUND
LEVENTHAL CENTER FOR INTERFAITH FAMILIES
SHERRY AND ALAN LEVENTHAL BAKING & PASTRY LAB
NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM
$50,000NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM RESEARCH FELLOW
FRIENDS OF BASS RIVER
$10,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION