Bernard F & Alva B Gimbel Foundation
The Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1943 by Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel. Bernard Gimbel was one of the founders of Gimbels, a major American department store corporation that operated from 1887 through the late 20th century. Based in New York City, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking organization with a staff of three employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.9M
-3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.0M
+10.8% YoY
Grant Count
79
-8.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$76K
+20.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking historically supported education, workforce and economic development, criminal justice, civil legal services, reproductive rights, and environmental causes, with a focus on advocacy in these areas.
In 2019, the foundation began a ten-year spend-down process and shifted its grantmaking strategy. Current funding priorities are now concentrated on two programs:
- Defending and Strengthening Democracy
- Climate and Environmental Justice
Grantmaking
The foundation is not currently accepting unsolicited proposals.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is primarily limited to New York City, with some support for organizations operating in New York State and nationally focused advocacy work.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $31,851,864 – $36,436,327
- Total giving: $6,007,084
- Total revenues (2023): $2,844,026
- Total expenses (2023): $6,412,475
Investment Income (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $831,306
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $2,012,303
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,851,864 | $32,867,757 | $36,436,327 |
| Revenue | $6,089,548 | $2,844,026 | $3,376,498 |
| Expenses | $7,105,434 | $6,412,475 | $6,505,925 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,617,429 | $6,022,815 | $6,041,191 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,697,660 | $2,460,562 | $2,948,040 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,924,319 | $1,912,318 | $2,046,119 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Leslie Gimbel is identified as managing the foundation as of December 2024.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHEN D GREENBERG | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| LYNN S STERN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LESLIE GIMBEL | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $191,292 |
| NICHOLAS SG STERN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| THOMAS ST GIMBEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALVA G GREENBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER BLOOM GREENBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HOPE KITTREDGE GIMBEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK P GIMBEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation is in the midst of a ten-year spend-down process that began in 2019. This strategic shift has resulted in a narrowed focus on democracy and climate/environmental justice initiatives, with the foundation no longer accepting unsolicited grant proposals.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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