Leverlab Foundation

Leverlab Foundation is a Denver-based private foundation with $21.6M in assets that explicitly positions itself as 'venture philanthropy' rather than a conventional grantmaker. Founded in 2004 and led by Christopher Harding (President/Treasurer) and Vicki Henry (V.P./Secretary) — both uncompensated — the foundation models its philosophy on early-stage investment: deep engagement, risk tolerance, and outcomes focus over polished grant cycles.

The stated mission is providing human and financial resources to accelerate organizations dedicated to social change, specifically those supporting disadvantaged youth and their families. Six documented focus areas span the core needs of this population: employment initiatives, financial literacy, food and housing security, innovative education, literacy, and mental health. Geographic scope is primarily Colorado with stated openness to national work.

A structural reality applicants must understand: the overwhelming majority of tracked disbursements in IRS filings flow to the founders' own donor-advised fund vehicles — the Henry-Harding Family Fund ($3,331,370 across 3 grants) and a Chris Harding/Vicki Henry Donor Advisory account ($2,266,138 in one grant). The only independently documented external nonprofit grantee is Colorado Artists in Recovery, receiving $24,000 across 3 grants (~$8,000 per award). This pattern suggests Leverlab functions significantly as a wealth-consolidation mechanism that then redistributes through the founders' personal DAFs — meaning direct external grantmaking is highly selective and deeply relationship-dependent.

For prospective applicants, this means access depends on cultivating a direct relationship with Harding and Henry. The foundation explicitly states it prefers 'exploratory conversations over polished proposals' and invites contact via a web form to 'introduce yourself.' There is no published RFP, no submission portal, no stated review calendar.

The giving philosophy treats philanthropy as 'risk capital' — funding early-stage or pre-proof-of-concept ideas where flexible support can unlock meaningful progress. Organizations need not have an established track record, but they must articulate a compelling theory of change grounded in evidence, demonstrate measurement capacity, and be genuinely open to the founders as thought partners. First-time applicants should plan for a multi-month relationship arc: this is a long-relationship funder that deepens existing commitments rather than onboarding new grantees regularly.

Leverlab Foundation's annual giving has ranged from $274,744 (FY2019, with $0 in direct grants paid) to $2,509,654 (FY2020) across its documented history. The most recent four-year window shows a stable band of $1.1–1.3M annually: FY2025 at $1,265,427 (2 grants), FY2024 at $1,174,736 (1 grant), FY2023 at $1,217,454 (1 grant), and FY2022 at $1,064,958 (2 grants per earlier data). The FY2020 spike to $2.5M appears to be an outlier, not a new baseline.

With only 1–2 grants per fiscal year in the recent period, average grant sizes are technically large: the overall average across 7 tracked grants is $803,073. However, this figure is heavily distorted by large DAF transfers to the founders' personal vehicles. Stripping those out, the only documented grant to an independent nonprofit — Colorado Artists in Recovery — averaged ~$8,000 per award across 3 payments totaling $24,000.

Geographically, 100% of tracked grants are concentrated in Colorado (all 7 recorded grants). There is no documented grantmaking outside Colorado in available filings, though the foundation's public materials describe national scope.

By recipient type, an estimated 98.7% of the $5,621,508 in total tracked grants flowed to the founders' family philanthropic vehicles (Henry-Harding Family Fund: $3,331,370; Chris Harding/Vicki Henry Donor Adv: $2,266,138). The remaining $24,000 (0.43%) went directly to an external nonprofit.

Asset growth has been consistent: $8.1M (2010) → $9.6M (2012) → $12.8M (2014) → $18.9M (2022) → $21.6M (2025). Revenue is entirely investment-driven — net investment income of $1.55M in 2022, $698K in 2021 — with $0 in outside contributions received in recent years. FY2025 revenue of $4.2M, driven by asset sales and dividends, represents the strongest investment return on record and may support a giving increase if the foundation elects to raise its payout above the ~5.6% current rate.

The following table compares Leverlab Foundation against its five closest asset-size peers, all classified under NTEE code T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking) with assets within $20,000 of Leverlab's $21.6M:

Within this peer cohort, Leverlab is notably distinguished by its developed public-facing presence. It maintains an active website with an articulated giving philosophy, six named focus areas, and an open invitation for exploratory inquiry — something none of the peer foundations in this asset range offer to the same degree. Most peer foundations have no website or a minimal placeholder page, making them effectively closed to unsolicited applicants.

Leverlab's ~5.6% payout ratio ($1.2M on $21.6M assets) is consistent with the IRS minimum distribution requirement for private foundations and mirrors the conservative posture typical of wealth-preservation-oriented family foundations of this size. Its 'venture philanthropy' framing is philosophically distinctive within this peer set, though in practice the very low grant count (1–2 per year) and DAF-heavy giving pattern are broadly representative of similarly sized family foundations nationally.

No major public news announcements, press releases, or media coverage specific to Leverlab Foundation was found for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile consistent with a founder-led private foundation operating through personal relationships rather than competitive grant cycles.

The clearest picture of recent activity comes from financial filings:

• FY2025: 2 grants totaling $1,265,427; total assets $21,629,327; total revenue $4,219,058 — the strongest revenue year on record, driven primarily by investment asset sales (76.5% of revenue) and dividends (17.1%)
• FY2024: 1 grant totaling $1,174,736
• FY2023: 1 grant totaling $1,217,454
• FY2022: $1,064,958 in grants paid; assets $18,899,780; net investment income $1,553,656

The foundation's website at leverlab.org was active and substantively updated as of June 2026, describing the venture philanthropy approach and inviting contact. The About Us page reflects the founders' investment-era background and stated intent to operate as engaged, risk-tolerant funders.

No leadership changes were documented across available sources. Christopher Harding and Vicki Henry have served continuously as the sole officers across multiple consecutive 990-PF filings with $0 compensation, indicating stable, long-term founder control with no visible succession planning or board expansion. No new named programs, strategic plan announcements, or grantee spotlights were published publicly in the 2025–2026 window.

Given Leverlab's structure as a relationship-driven, two-person founder foundation, conventional grant-writing tactics are largely irrelevant. The following guidance is specific to how this funder actually operates:

Open with a personal introduction, not a proposal. The foundation explicitly invites 'exploratory conversations' via its website contact form. Your first outreach should be 2–3 paragraphs: who you are, what problem you address, why it affects disadvantaged youth or families, and why you believe LeverLab's involvement specifically — not any other funder — could make a difference. No attachments, no budget tables, no logic model on first contact.

Lead with evidence and data methodology. LeverLab's stated investment criteria center on 'rigorous data collection,' 'evidence-based methodologies,' and 'sound science.' Organizations that demonstrate measurement capacity — even if early-stage — will stand out. If you are pre-proof-of-concept, articulate your hypothesis and the evidence you plan to generate, not just your program description.

Name your leverage point explicitly. The foundation's name and philosophy center on leverage — where a modest intervention unlocks disproportionate impact. Write explicitly: what is currently blocked or stuck in your work, what flexible risk-tolerant funding would unlock, and why now. Generic operating support requests will not resonate with this framing.

Align tightly to the six focus areas. Employment initiatives, financial literacy, food and housing security, innovative education, literacy, and mental health are the documented domains. Work serving adult-only populations or issues outside these areas is unlikely to fit. Be explicit about which focus area your work addresses.

Prepare for relationship, not transaction. The foundation seeks 'collaborative relationships where shared learning and accountability are possible.' This means welcoming funders as thought partners, accepting ongoing reporting, and potentially co-designing evaluation with the foundation's leadership. Organizations that prefer arms-length funder relationships should seek a different match.

Colorado-based organizations have the clearest path. 100% of documented external grants have gone to Colorado-based recipients. If you are national, clearly explain your Colorado footprint or connection to the Denver philanthropic ecosystem.

Use the phone number judiciously. The foundation lists (303) 941-4365. A brief, warm cold call after a written introduction has gone unanswered for 3–4 weeks is appropriate. Do not lead with a phone call before written outreach.

Calibrate timing expectations. With 1–2 grants annually, the foundation may have committed its year's giving before you make contact. Build for a 6–12 month relationship arc and treat the first year as relationship-building regardless of outcome.