Marilyn Lichtman Foundation

The Marilyn Lichtman Foundation operates as a tribute to its namesake — a private, direct-service-focused grantmaker headquartered in Wantagh, New York (Long Island). With approximately $45.4 million in assets and a track record of $2.2–$3.1 million in annual grantmaking, it is a mid-sized foundation that favors established nonprofits delivering measurable, on-the-ground impact across four clearly articulated pillars: community services for those in need, wildlife and environmental preservation, support for American armed forces and veterans, and service animal training.

The foundation does not operate a formal letters of inquiry (LOI) process. Instead, it accepts complete PDF applications on a rolling basis, making it one of the more accessible foundations at this asset level. First-time applicants should understand that the foundation is relationship-driven: grant decisions rest with a three-person executive leadership team — President Robert Brull, Secretary Richard Yarmel Esq., and Vice President/Treasurer Anthony Abbate CPA — rather than a broad board of trustees. The contact point for all grant inquiries is RBrull@marilynlichtmanfoundation.org, meaning Brull serves as both primary decision-maker and principal point of contact.

The typical relationship progression is straightforward: submit a complete PDF application → receive a decision within 30–60 days → sign and return a Grant Notification and Acceptance Letter → receive disbursement → submit a Grantee Report within one year of notification. There is no site visit protocol mentioned in public materials, which reduces the time-to-funding considerably compared to larger foundations.

Multi-year grantees dominate the top of the recipient list — Foodlink Inc., Warrior Salute Veteran Services, Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, CP Rochester, and Lifespan of Greater Rochester have each received 3 documented grants — suggesting that delivering results and submitting required Grantee Reports on time creates a strong pathway to renewal and potentially increased award amounts.

A critical geographic shift took effect October 1, 2025: the foundation now restricts applications to nonprofits based in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Florida. This mirrors where giving has always been concentrated (~66% of documented grants went to New York) but formally eliminates applicants from other states. Organizations that aggregate and redistribute funding to other nonprofits are explicitly ineligible, as are for-profits, government entities, political organizations, and endowment campaigns.

The Marilyn Lichtman Foundation's giving reflects a consistent, multi-pillar approach to direct-service philanthropy. Based on 225 documented grants totaling $5,682,627, the median grant is $25,000, the average is $25,256, and the range spans from $1,500 to $100,000. Typical awards cluster between $10,000 and $50,000 — the sweet spot for organizations approaching without an established relationship.

Annual total giving has been remarkably stable across the foundation's active years: $3,146,608 (FY2022), $3,051,965 (FY2021), and $3,058,398 (FY2023). Grants paid were slightly lower — $2,273,692 (FY2022), $2,250,228 (FY2021), $2,164,126 (FY2023) — with the difference attributable to operating program expenses. The foundation's FY2019 total giving of just $224,257 and FY2020's $1,722,878 reflect its rapid scaling following large endowment contributions of $36.2 million (FY2020) and $17.6 million (FY2021).

Geographically, New York commands an overwhelming share: 148 of 225 documented grants (~66%) went to NY-based organizations, with Colorado (14), California (10), Pennsylvania (8), and Florida (6) as secondary markets. The October 2025 geographic restriction to NY/NJ/PA/CT/FL formalizes this historical pattern.

By program cluster, the grantee data reveals the following approximate breakdown:

• Food security and community services: Feedmore WNY ($200,000), Foodlink Inc. ($184,000), Comfort Food of Washington County ($175,571), Long Island Cares ($165,000), Island Harvest ($120,000), Long Beach Soup Kitchen ($76,250)
• Health and cancer services: Lustgarten Foundation ($180,000), Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester ($141,100), CP Rochester ($150,000), Dravet Syndrome Foundation ($100,000), 13Thirty Cancer Connect ($72,000), Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($60,000)
• Veterans and first responders: Warrior Salute Veteran Services ($180,200), FDNY Foundation ($135,000), NYC Police Foundation ($75,000), Tunnel to Towers Foundation ($75,000 + $50,000 from Siller entity)
• Animal welfare and service dogs: North Shore Animal League ($140,000), National Mill Dog Rescue ($60,000), New Vocations Racehorse Adoption ($72,000), K-9s for Warriors ($35,000), Freedom Service Dogs ($45,000)
• Disability and elder services: Lifespan of Greater Rochester ($130,000), Angela's House Foundation ($80,000), East End Disability Associates ($37,000)

The multi-grant pattern among top recipients demonstrates the foundation rewards consistency: most organizations receiving 3 documented grants show total cumulative awards well above the per-grant median, suggesting renewal amounts often hold steady or increase modestly over time.

The following table compares the Marilyn Lichtman Foundation to five peer foundations with similar asset levels (~$45 million), all classified under NTEE code T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking):

Among foundations with comparable assets, the Marilyn Lichtman Foundation stands out in two important ways. First, it operates an open, rolling application process with a publicly available PDF form — a rare posture at this asset level, where most peer family foundations operate by invitation only and do not publicly advertise application procedures. Second, with annual giving of approximately $3.1 million against $45.4 million in assets, it distributes at roughly a 6.8% payout rate — meaningfully above the 5% minimum required of private foundations, signaling an active, committed grantmaking program rather than an asset-preservation vehicle. For nonprofits in the five eligible states serving the four mission pillars, the Marilyn Lichtman Foundation offers unusually open access relative to its peer set.

The Marilyn Lichtman Foundation has maintained consistent, publicly visible grant activity through the first quarter of 2026. The foundation's website rotates monthly featured grant recipient announcements — a practice that reveals both the breadth of its portfolio and its preference for repeat partnerships.

In March 2026, featured recipients included Rochester Hearing & Speech Center, SIBS Place (a developmental disabilities affiliate of Mount Sinai South Nassau), and 13Thirty Cancer Connect — the latter a repeat grantee with $72,000 in cumulative documented awards. February 2026 highlights included Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (3 prior grants totaling $141,100), St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center, and Warrior Salute Veteran Services (3 prior grants totaling $180,200). January 2026 recognized Saint Peter's Kitchen (food services), Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center, and Allied Foundation.

In October 2025, the foundation granted $10,000 to Pal-O-Mine Equestrian to support its veteran programs and VetFest 2025 — a free event hosted October 19 at the organization's 13-acre farm, serving 40 veteran resource groups. The foundation also filed its most recent primary tax return in November 2025, confirming active compliance.

The most consequential operational change in this period was the October 1, 2025 implementation of geographic restrictions limiting eligibility to NY, NJ, PA, CT, and FL — accompanied by a May 2025 application form update that introduced strict version enforcement. No leadership changes have been publicly reported; President Robert Brull continues as the central point of contact.

Use only the current form — no exceptions. The foundation explicitly auto-declines any application submitted on a form predating 05/09/2025. Download the PDF directly from marilynlichtmanfoundation.org immediately before preparing your application. The form was updated at least once in 2025; do not reuse a cached or previously saved version.

Submit a complete PDF — incomplete applications are automatically declined. Every field must be filled out. The foundation offers no opportunity to cure deficiencies after submission. Treat this as a one-shot submission and review the form carefully before sending.

Align explicitly with one of the four pillars. Even if your organization spans multiple programmatic areas, identify the single pillar your funding request fits most clearly: (1) community services for those in need, (2) wildlife and environmental preservation, (3) support for armed forces and veterans, or (4) service animal training. Grantee language should echo the foundation's own mission wording.

Demonstrate direct service — not intermediary work. The foundation explicitly excludes organizations that pass funds to other nonprofits. Every element of your narrative should describe what your organization directly delivers: meals served, veterans assisted, animals rescued, training sessions completed. Quantify beneficiaries and geographic reach within the eligible states.

Start with a modest first-time request. With a median grant of $25,000 and documented awards as small as $1,500, first-time applicants are best positioned requesting $10,000–$25,000. Establishing a track record — and submitting a strong Grantee Report — is the primary pathway to larger renewals.

Plan for the rolling cycle but budget the timeline. There are no published deadlines; decisions come within 30–60 days of receipt. Submit when your organization is ready, but do not request funding for programs with hard launch dates fewer than 60 days away.

Prioritize the Grantee Report above all post-award obligations. The foundation's guidelines state that failure to submit the Grantee Report by the one-year anniversary of the Grant Notification Letter permanently disqualifies the organization from future funding. Use the current Grantee Report form (version 04/01/2026). Multi-year grantees dominate the top of the recipient list — this compliance step is the single most important factor in renewal eligibility.

Contact President Brull for pre-application questions. RBrull@marilynlichtmanfoundation.org is the sole public contact. A brief, professional inquiry confirming state eligibility or pillar alignment before submitting is appropriate; avoid lengthy back-and-forth or submission of incomplete applications expecting editorial feedback.