Helen & Rita Lurie Foundation
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting charitable purposes primarily through grants to 501(c)(3) organizations. Its mission reflects a strong commitment to health-related causes, particularly through funding medical institutions, as well as a focus on Jewish organizations and human services that address poverty and community support. Additionally, it shows interest in cultural preservation, as evidenced by its support for museums like the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The foundation primarily serves recipients in the health and human services sectors, with a significant emphasis on the Jewish community.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Established New York-based health, Jewish-community, or human-services organizations with existing relationships or referrals to the foundation or its grantees.
Good Fit
- • Organization is based in New York or delivers major programming there.
- • Mission aligns with health care, Jewish community support, or human services as reflected in past grantees.
- • Track record or institutional profile consistent with multi-year institutional grants (past grants range from mid‑four figures to several hundred thousand).
- • A board, senior leader, or peer grantee can provide an introduction or endorsement.
- • Proposed request size matches the foundation's historical grant banding (many grants in the $10k–$300k range).
Geography
Although grants appeared in four states in the latest year, roughly 92% of dollars were allocated to organizations in a single state (New York), indicating a strongly local geographic footprint.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded ten distinct recipients in the latest year across health, Jewish community, and cultural organizations, with eight repeat grantees across years; dollar concentration toward a few large institutions tempers but does not eliminate observed variety.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly indicates it funds only preselected organizations and observed giving is dominated by repeat recipients; two new grantees appeared in the latest year, but the public application route appears invitation-driven rather than open to unsolicited entrants.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
