October 27, 2026
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (Helmsley) is one of the most significant and influential supporters of T1D research in the world. Since its inception in 2008, it has committed roughly $1.5 billion to type 1 diabetes research. In some years, it has given more to T1D than the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Breakthrough T1D.
The Trust is a private entity that is fully funded through a private trust. This makes it quite different from the NIH, an arm of the federal government funded by taxpayer dollars, or Breakthrough T1D, a publicly funded nonprofit.
Although the Trust supports many other causes, T1D has been and remains a top priority. Helmsley is operated under the guidance of three trustees who have the power to direct grants to the causes they choose, and they continue to choose T1D.
The T1D community is very fortunate to have one of the world’s largest private trusts in its corner. We are grateful and deeply appreciative that Helmsley continues to make T1D a priority.
This report takes a quick look at the Trust, its T1D priorities, and how it deploys its capital. Data is from fiscal year 2025 (April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025).
Background
Helmsley is a global philanthropic entity with a vision of “better futures for people by increasing access to healthcare, advancing new research and ideas, and improving the quality of everyday life.” The famous real estate businesswoman Leona Helmsley established the Trust in 1999, and it began active grantmaking in 2008.
To date, the trust holds an endowment of roughly $7.4 billion. It is managed as a perpetual Trust, meaning that it will preserve its capital while using some portion of the interest generated each year for grants.
Helmsley funds six distinct program areas:
- Crohn’s Disease
- Israel
- Rural Healthcare
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa
- New York City
In fiscal year 2025, Helmsley approved $343 million (220 grants) across its six program areas. Of these, T1D was awarded the most funding. Sub-Saharan Africa and Rural Healthcare were close seconds, making up 16% and 24% of total funding, respectively (see chart A).
Chart A: 2025 Helmsley Grant Commitments by Program (Total = $343M)
T1D Funding
The Trust says that its T1D program is “dedicated to helping the global T1D community live safer, better, and more fulfilling lives today while funding advancements in research and technology for a better tomorrow.” It fulfills this mission with three ‘pillars’ of activity:
- Transforming the trajectory of Type 1 Diabetes
- Improving access to care and technology in the U.S.
- Achieving equitable access in low- and middle-income countries
Helmsley has committed funding to T1D every year since it began grantmaking, totaling $1.5 billion in 1012 grants. Grants to T1D have ranged from a low of $13 million in 2010 to a high of $243 million in 2021. In fiscal year 2025, Helmsley awarded over $98 million to T1D across 37 grants.
Top T1D Grants
The largest number of T1D grants went to prevention and delay research ($22 million in 17 grants). The largest monetary amount went to initiatives seeking to improve diabetic outcomes and expand access to care ($75 million in 18 grants).
The top five grants received a total of $47 million, 48% of all T1D funding in fiscal year 2025, and 20% of all funding across program areas.
- $23.9 million: The largest grant went to Mass General Brigham for the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc., to accelerate progress and improve the quality of T1D care through the global PEN-Plus Partnership.
- $7.7 million: To the Clinton Health Access Initiative Inc. for its REACH program, expanding access to primary care for diabetes and hypertension.
- $6 million: To the New Venture Fund to support the management of the Type 1 Diabetes Camps Project initiative.
- $5 million: To the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Development Association to improve health services for people living with chronic diseases through the Health System Transformation and Resilience Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
- $4.9 million: To Panorama Global for the T1D Community Fund, providing funding and organizational support to T1D community-based organizations.
Opportunity
Helmsley’s influence is hard to underestimate, even though it is much less well known than a public-facing organization like Breakthrough T1D. As a private entity, it does not market or fundraise and tends to keep to itself. As a private entity, it can choose which programs and issues to fund.
When the Trust supports a T1D research area, people notice. A grant from the Trust signals to others that this area of research is worthwhile and may attract additional support. Lastly, after eighteen years of active grantmaking, the Trust is well established and has earned respect and trust. It is uniquely positioned to lead others to outsized results that just might, down the road, unlock a functional cure.
