How the Helmsley Charitable Trust Shapes Philanthropy

Strategic philanthropy has the power to do more than fund programs, it can accelerate systems-level change. The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust operates with this mindset, deploying long-term, deeply targeted investments across a small number of high-impact areas. With a focus on chronic disease, rural access, vulnerable communities, and data-driven solutions, the foundation supports bold ideas that improve lives and unlock equity in underserved places.

For nonprofits, research institutions, and healthcare innovators aligned with Helmsley’s priorities, understanding the Trust’s grantmaking strategy can open the door to transformative funding partnerships.

The Helmsley Trust’s Strategic Focus Areas

Helmsley Charitable Trust channels its grantmaking through six dedicated focus areas, each selected for its potential to generate large-scale, measurable impact:

1. Crohn’s Disease

Helmsley is one of the largest private funders of Crohn’s disease research in the world. The foundation supports:

• Basic and translational research
• Development of novel therapies
• Biomarker discovery
• Global data sharing
• Patient-centered clinical trials

The goal is to dramatically improve diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of Crohn’s disease, and ultimately find a cure.

2. Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

Helmsley seeks to transform the lives of people living with T1D by funding:

• Technology development (e.g., continuous glucose monitoring, artificial pancreas systems)
• Behavioral health integration
• Provider education and care delivery models
• Access initiatives for underserved communities
• Prevention research

By supporting innovation from bench to bedside, Helmsley aims to reduce disease burden and advance health equity.

3. Building Better Rural Healthcare

Access to quality care in rural areas is often limited by geography, provider shortages, and infrastructure gaps. Helmsley invests in:

• Emergency medical services and telehealth
• Diagnostic imaging equipment
• Hospital modernization
• Health workforce development
• System redesign and care coordination

This work primarily focuses on the Upper Midwest and U.S. territories, where Helmsley’s investments have revitalized rural hospitals and health systems.

4. Community Development in Israel

The foundation funds public health, emergency preparedness, and inclusive development initiatives in Israel. Grants typically focus on:

• Mental health
• Emergency medical response
• Health equity for marginalized populations
• Trauma recovery
• National health system resiliency

Helmsley works with Israeli NGOs, hospitals, and government agencies to strengthen care and safety in the region.

5. Supporting the New York City Community

In NYC, Helmsley supports organizations that serve the city’s most vulnerable. Focus areas include:

• Healthcare access for the unhoused
• Behavioral health integration
• Reentry support for justice-involved populations
• Systemic reforms in public and community health

The foundation emphasizes population health strategies that can address structural barriers and scale across communities.

6. Helping Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa

Helmsley funds high-impact programs that promote survival, development, and resilience for children and families in rural African regions. Grants focus on:

• Maternal and child health
• Nutrition and food systems
• WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene)
• Community-based health systems
• Technology integration and mobile outreach

These grants often partner with local governments, NGOs, and global health agencies.

How the Helmsley Grant Process Works

Application Pathway: Helmsley does not accept unsolicited proposals across most programs. Rather, the foundation identifies prospective partners through research, sector engagement, and outreach.
If your organization operates within the above focus areas, you may initiate contact through a brief inquiry or request a discovery call. The foundation will evaluate strategic alignment before inviting a full proposal.

Grants Portal & Reporting: Once approved, grantees are onboarded through the Helmsley Grants Portal, where they submit project budgets, goals, and deliverables.

Ongoing reporting includes financial documentation, outcome tracking, and a final impact summary.

Grants vary in size—many are in the seven-figure range and fund multi-year initiatives. However, smaller organizations with regional impact or proof of scalable innovation are also considered.

Why This Opportunity Is Distinctive

A Precision Approach to Impact

Helmsley focuses deeply rather than broadly. This allows for tailored investments with long-term implications, often in areas where private funding is sparse, such as rural ultrasound deployment or AI-powered Crohn’s diagnostics.

Infrastructure and Innovation

Many funders avoid hard costs like equipment or systems upgrades. Helmsley embraces them, supporting the infrastructure necessary for sustainable change.

Global Footprint, Local Focus

From a community health worker in Uganda to a paramedic in North Dakota to a T1D teen in the Bronx, Helmsley’s portfolio spans continents but centers people and place. The foundation’s team cultivates deep regional knowledge to guide investment decisions.

Partnership Orientation

Rather than simply writing checks, Helmsley collaborates with grantees to iterate, learn, and refine strategy. Grantees report being valued as partners, not vendors.

Tips for Alignment & Application Readiness

Even though unsolicited proposals are not standard, here are ways to prepare and engage effectively:

• Know the focus area cold: Before reaching out, make sure your work clearly fits one of the six areas. Use Helmsley’s language and demonstrate familiarity with their strategy.
• Emphasize innovation and systems change: Show how your work doesn’t just treat symptoms, it shifts paradigms.
• Back it up with data: Share early impact indicators or outcomes from similar projects.
• Clarify scalability: Especially for health and research programs, Helmsley is interested in models that can expand or be replicated.
• Have strong financials and compliance capacity: Their grants are substantial, you’ll need to show stability, governance, and fiscal oversight.
• Start small: Even large-scale funders value pilots. If your project is high-potential but early-stage, suggest a phased approach.
• Network strategically: Attend events, forums, and conferences where Helmsley program staff are present. Many partnerships begin with relationships, not proposals.

From Vision to Global Value

The Helmsley Charitable Trust doesn’t aim to fund everything, it funds what matters, with depth and intention.
From life-changing health advances to lifesaving rural access, from reimagined systems in New York to hope for children in Africa, its philanthropy is about lasting infrastructure, equity, and discovery.

If your organization is doing work within these focus areas and is poised to scale its impact, exploring alignment with Helmsley could be one of the most strategic moves you make.

To explore more and learn about their latest initiatives, visit the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Grants page.