Foundation History

  • 1980 The Leon Levine Foundation is created

    Leon and Sandra start The Leon Levine Foundation with a modest sum of money. Leon is appointed as President and Sandra is Vice President.

  • 2002 Tom Lawrence hired as the first full-time employee of The Leon Levine Foundation

    Tom would become the Foundation’s first Executive Director in 2012. The Foundation grows to $130M in assets.

  • 2006 The Leon Levine Foundation reaches $50M in funds granted

  • 2008 The Leon Levine Foundation undergoes strategic planning

    The Leon Levine Foundation undergoes a strategic planning process to hone the mission and grants process. The Foundation grows to $342M in assets.

  • 2009 The Board of Directors is expanded to 5 members.

    Tom Lawrence, Larry Polsky and Dr. Mike Richardson are added as Board Members.

  • 2013 The Leon Levine Foundation reaches $150M in funds granted

    The Leon Levine Foundation granted $15M annually with a staff of 5 people.

  • 2015 The Levines generously add an additional $150M to The Foundation, pushing Foundation assets above $500M

    With new resources,The Leon Levine Foundation plans its growth in staff, geographic reach and impact.

  • 2016 The Leon Levine Foundation reaches $200M in funds granted

  • 2017 The Leon Levine Foundation begins its geographic expansion

    The Leon Levine Foundation shifted its focus from grants in Charlotte to grants across communities in the Carolinas, beginning in Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham.

  • 2018 The Leon Levine Foundation makes its first grants in South Carolina. The Board expands again.

    The Leon Levine Foundation expands grantmaking to Columbia, Greenville, Charleston and their surrounding areas. Michael Tarwater is added as a Board Member.

  • 2019 The Foundation makes over 250 unique grants across communities in North and South Carolina

    The Leon Levine Foundation’s annual grantmaking surpasses $25M annually. The Foundation’s staff surpasses 15 people.

  • 2020 The Leon Levine Foundation reaches $300M in funds granted