The George and Claire Lessner Charitable Trust focuses on supporting local Miami cultural institutions, music education/performance groups, youth services, and health-related research and patient care. Their grants repeatedly fund performing arts organizations (especially classical music and youth orchestras), Jewish community services, child- and cancer-related medical programs, and youth mentoring/education at area nonprofits and universities. Giving appears community-focused and programmatic, often directed to organizations with recurring annual needs rather than capital campaigns.
George and Claire Lessner Charitable Trust gives at a remarkably consistent level: the recent grants list shows a repeated $18,000 award across 29 grants. That pattern points to a funder using fixed program gifts rather than large one-off awards. The trust’s support stays local and is concentrated in Miami-area cultural institutions, youth-serving nonprofits, and health-related organizations, with all recent grants going to recipients in Florida. Performing arts and music education are a prominent thread. Florida Guitar Foundation, Friends of Chamber Music of Miami, Patrons of Exceptional Artists, and All Florida Youth Orchestra all appear in the recent record, indicating sustained support for classical and youth music. The trust also backs community and family-serving organizations such as The Michael-Ann Russell JCC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. Health-related giving is another clear part of the portfolio, including Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, and the Woman’s Cancer Association at the University of Miami. The repeated naming of these recipients across multiple years suggests ongoing program support for organizations with recurring annual needs.
Music and performing arts are a major part of the trust’s recent giving. It awarded $18,000 to Florida Guitar Foundation for programs, $18,000 to Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I for programs, and $18,000 to Patrons of Exceptional Artists Inc for the Miami International Piano Festival. Youth music appears as well through $18,000 grants to All Florida Youth Orchestra for programs. Education and youth development also show up in the portfolio. The trust gave $18,000 to Univ of Miami School of Education for programs and supported Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami with a $18,000 program grant. Community services are represented by The Michael-Ann Russell JCC, which received $18,000 for programs in multiple years. Health-related grants include $18,000 to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Founda and $18,000 to Diabetes Research Institute Foundat for programs.
The grant size pattern is flat: p25, median, and p75 are all $18,000. That means the trust’s recent awards are tightly standardized rather than spread across a wide range. The recipient list also shows repetition across years, with organizations such as The Michael-Ann Russell JCC, Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I, All Florida Youth Orchestra, and Diabetes Research Institute Foundat appearing more than once. Grants are program-based in the recent record. The trust appears to make institutional gifts rather than grants to individuals, and its filing indicates it does not make program-related investments.
$98K
$3.9M
$263K
$227K
Most grants fall between $18K and $18K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$18K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$18K
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Moderately concentrated local giving with multiple repeat grants to the same midsize nonprofits; gifts cluster around program support rather than capital, typically in mid-size amounts (several $18k–$54k grants) and often awarded in recurring tranches to longstanding community organizations.
Notable grantees: Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, All Florida Youth Orchestra, Friends of Chamber Music of Miami, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Michael-Ann Russell JCC
All recent grants went to U.S. recipients, and the trust’s giving is local in Florida. Miami is the most frequent recipient city, with additional grants to Coral Gables, Hollywood, and North Miami Beach. The Miami area dominates the list, including recipients in Miami and nearby North Miami Beach and Coral Gables. Hollywood also appears through grants to All Florida Youth Orchestra and Diabetes Research Institute Foundat. The trust’s HQ is in Miami, but the grant record shows the wider South Florida metro as the main recipient footprint.
The recent grants point to four main areas: music and performing arts, youth services, Jewish community services, and health-related research and patient care. Examples in the record include Florida Guitar Foundation, The Michael-Ann Russell JCC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.
Recent grants are standardized at $18,000. The provided distribution shows p25, median, and p75 all equal to $18,000, and the recent grants list matches that pattern across the recipients shown.
No. The recent grant record shows 29 grants to U.S. recipients, and 100% of grants went to recipients in Florida. The recipient cities listed are all in South Florida, including Miami, Coral Gables, Hollywood, and North Miami Beach.
Yes. Several organizations recur across multiple years, including The Michael-Ann Russell JCC, Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I, All Florida Youth Orchestra, Florida Guitar Foundation, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing program support rather than isolated awards.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I | Coral Gables, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| The MichaelAnn Russell JCC | North Miami Beach, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| Miami Internaitonal Piano Festival | Miami, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| Womans Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami | Miami, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Founda | Miami, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| Univ of Miami School of Education | Coral Gables, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | Programs |
| Temple Beth El | Hollywood, FL | $7,500 | 2026 | Programs |
| Diabetes Research Institute Foundat | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Miami Internaitonal Piano Festival | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Womans Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Founda | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Florida Guitar Foundation | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| All Florida Youth Orchestra | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| Univ of Miami School of Education | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| The MichaelAnn Russell JCC | North Miami Beach, FL | $18,000 | 2025 | Programs |
| All Florida Youth Orchestra | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Florida Guitar Foundation | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Patrons of Exceptional Artists Inc | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Woman's Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Nicklaus Children's Hospital Founda | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| The Michael-Ann Russell JCC | North Miami Beach, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Diabetes Research Institute Foundat | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| Univ of Miami School of Education | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2024 | Programs |
| All Florida Youth Orchestra | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Nicklaus Children's Hospital Founda | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Florida Guitar Foundation | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Patrons of Exceptional Artists Inc | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs- Miami International Piano Festival |
| Woman's Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami | Miami, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Univ of Miami School of Education | Coral Gables, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| Diabetes Research Institute Foundat | Hollywood, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
| The Michael-Ann Russell JCC | North Miami Beach, FL | $18,000 | 2023 | Programs |
Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I
$20,000Programs
Miami Internaitonal Piano Festival
$20,000Programs
Womans Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami
$10,000Programs
Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Founda
$10,000Programs
Programs
Temple Beth El
$7,500Programs
Miami Internaitonal Piano Festival
$18,000Programs
Womans Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami
$18,000Programs
Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Founda
$18,000Programs
Florida Guitar Foundation
$18,000Programs
Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I
$18,000Programs
Florida Guitar Foundation
$18,000Programs
Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I
$18,000Programs
Patrons of Exceptional Artists Inc
$18,000Programs
Woman's Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami
$18,000Programs
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
$18,000Programs
Florida Guitar Foundation
$18,000Programs
Patrons of Exceptional Artists Inc
$18,000Programs- Miami International Piano Festival
Woman's Cancer Assoc Univ of Miami
$18,000Programs
Friends of Chamber Music of Miami I
$18,000Programs
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
$18,000Programs