Lucius N. Littauer Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in New York City that was created by businessman and former U.S. Representative Lucius N. Littauer (R-NY). It primarily gives to Jewish community groups, educational groups, and organizations that provide social services. Its grantees include organizations supporting left-of-center policies on immigration, the environment, race, and gender. ¹

History

Lucius N. Littauer Foundation is a private foundation created in 1929 by Lucius N. Littauer, an American businessman and former Republican member of Congress from New York. At its inception, he contributed $1 million to the foundation, and he would give another $3.8 million over the following years before he passed away in 1944. ²

Littauer did not have children and designated his board to continue operations after his passing and continue his philanthropy in the areas of research focusing on Jewish studies, as well as education, healthcare, and social welfare. ³

From the Foundation’s inception until Littauer’s passing in 1944, Harry Starr worked as its secretary and as a philanthropic advisor. Starr is known for his contributions to Jewish studies, having created the first endowed chair of Jewish studies at Harvard University in 1926. After Littauer passed away, Starr took over as president until he retired in 1985 and then served as chairman until he passed in 1992. ⁴

William Lee Frost, founder of the Jewish college organization Hillel, succeeded Starr and worked as president of the Foundation until he retired in 2011. Frost was a diplomat and lawyer, and it is reported that his philanthropic interest focused on “education, libraries and archives, health care, and Jewish communal affairs.” ⁵

The Foundation reports that into the present day, it continues to give to organizations engaged in Jewish studies, Jewish community services, education and research programs, and social services, focused on groups in the New York metropolitan area and in Israel. ⁶

Grantmaking

Lucius N. Littauer Foundation states that it only gives to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and that international organizations must have an affiliation with one to receive support. ⁷ It provides grants to organizations Jewish community organizations, left-of-center immigration-advocacy groups, youth and education programs, and organizations that provide social services. In addition to immigration groups, several of the foundation’s grants funded organizations that promote left-of-center ideas on race, gender, and the environment. ⁸

In 2022, the Foundation gave $25,000 to Keshet to support its LGBTQ Equality and Inclusion youth programs, $25,000 to GrowNYC to “Provide essential services around food, green space, and conservation to improve quality of life for all New Yorkers,” $25,000 to Dayenu to support its Jewish-based environmentalist advocacy, and $10,000 to JOIN for Justice Inc., a New York fellowship for ethnic minority Jews. ⁹

The Foundation also gave $25,000 to Young Advocates for Fair Education (YAFFED), a nonprofit organization that advocates for secular education in Hasidic and Haredi schools, and $150,000 to United Jewish Appeal – Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, in 2022. ^{10 11} Also, it gave $50,000 to the New York Immigration Coalition, a nonprofit organization that funds legal services for detained immigrants and advocates for legislation that gives detained immigrants a right to an attorney. ^{12 13}

Lucius N. Littauer

Lucius N. Littauer is the founder of Lucius N. Littauer Foundation. In 1882, Littauer and his brother, Eugene, took over his father’s glove factory, growing the business. Lucius Littauer eventually held stock and board positions in utility companies, railways, and a bank. In 1925, he funded the creation of Harvard University’s School of Public Administration, which was renamed the Kennedy School of Government in 1966. ¹⁴

In 1896, Littauer was elected to Congress where he served until 1907 as a Republican. In 1899, Littauer was elected as governor for New York. He also served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions four times. ^{15 16}

In February 1914, Littauer and his brother William were found guilty of smuggling and conspiracy to defraud over $40,000 worth of jewels from Venice. ¹⁷

Financials

In 2021, Lucius N. Littauer Foundation reported no contributions, $4.8 million in investment income, and $4.7 million in total revenue. ¹⁸ It also reported $2.9 million in grants paid and $3.5 million in total expenses. ¹⁹

The Foundation reported on its 2021 taxes that it had over $64 million in assets. ²⁰

1. “Grants Payments 2022.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. PDF. http://littauerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022_grants.pdf
2. “The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc..” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. http://littauerfoundation.org/history/.
3. “The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc..” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. http://littauerfoundation.org/history/.
4. “Harry Starr, Jewish Studies Pioneer, Dead at 92 after Long Illness.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, July 29, 1992. https://www.jta.org/archive/harry-starr-jewish-studies-pioneer-dead-at-92-after-long-illness.
5. “The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc..” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. http://littauerfoundation.org/history/.
6. “The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc..” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. http://littauerfoundation.org/history/.
7. “Grants.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. http://littauerfoundation.org/grants/.
8. “Grants Payments 2022.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. PDF. http://littauerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022_grants.pdf
9. “Grants Payments 2022.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. PDF. http://littauerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022_grants.pdf
10. “Grants Payments 2022.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. PDF. http://littauerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022_grants.pdf
11. “Home.” Yaffed, June 20, 2023. https://yaffed.org/.
12. “Campaigns – NYC, Long Island, New York State.” New York Immigration Coalition – Revision, February 28, 2023. https://www.nyic.org/our-work/campaigns/.
13. “Grants Payments 2022.” The Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. Accessed September 9, 2023. PDF. http://littauerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022_grants.pdf
14. “The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation.” Chapman Legacy Society, May 27, 2020. https://chapman.utulsa.edu/donor/the-lucius-n-littauer-foundation/.
15. ^[1] “Blast from the Past: T.R. and L.L. Bffs.” The Gloversville Leader Herald, January 3, 2022. https://leaderherald.com/gloversville-local-news-johnstown-local-news/community-news/2022/01/blast-from-the-past-t-r-and-l-l-bffs/.
16. Tomase, Jennifer. “Judaica Division Awarded $1M Grant.” Harvard Gazette, February 1, 2007. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/02/judaica-division-awarded-1m-grant/.
17. “Littauers Pay Fine, but Escape Prison; Judge Thomas Sets Penalty at $1,000 Each and Six Months in Jail, Suspending Sentence.” The New York Times, February 5, 1914. https://www.nytimes.com/1914/02/05/archives/littauers-pay-fine-but-escape-prison-judge-thomas-sets-penalty-at.html.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. 2021. Part I, Lines 1-12.
19. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. 2021. Part I, Lines 25-26.
20. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Lucius N Littauer Foundation Inc. 2021.Part II, Lines 16.