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Booth Ferris Foundation
Information About the Trust and Grant Program
The Booth Ferris Foundation was established in 1957 under the wills of Willis H. Booth and his wife, Chancie Ferris Booth. Since that time, approximately $281 million has been contributed from the Foundation to worthy organizations for a variety of charitable purposes. Grants are made to charitable organizations that are exempt from federal taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that are not classified as private foundations.
In 2022, more than $10.4M was distributed through 95 grants.
Requests for conversations prior to proposal submission will be considered on a case-by-case basis between October 15 and January 15. Staff will follow-up for additional interviews, as needed, during the proposal review period.
We will make every effort to inform applicants promptly if their proposal will not be successful. An applicant whose proposal has been turned down is not encouraged to apply again until the following calendar year.
Grants are not made to organizations whose primary work is conducted outside of the United States, and grants are not made to individuals, to federated campaigns or to work with specific diseases or disabilities. Proposals from educational institutions for scholarships and fellowships and for unrestricted endowment are discouraged, as are proposals for individual research efforts at such institutions. Proposals from social services and cultural institutions from outside the metropolitan New York area will not be considered.
– JPMorgan Chase Bank, Trustee
General Guidelines
Funding Interests:
- Arts and culture,
- Education (K-12 and higher education),
- Parks and outdoor spaces, and
- Strengthening the nonprofit sector.
Geographic Focus:
In the area of the arts, K-12 education and strengthening the nonprofit sector, the Foundation focuses on projects in New York City. With respect to the field of higher education, the Foundation will consider proposals from organizations in the Northeast US.
Restrictions:
Maintain an annual budget over $1 million. A minimum of three years must elapse between grant awards. No grants are made to individuals, private foundations or for loans. Grants are not made to organizations whose primary work is conducted outside of the US, to individuals, to federated campaigns, or to work with specific diseases or disabilities. Proposals from educational institutions for scholarships, fellowships and for unrestricted endowment are discouraged, as are proposals for individual research efforts at such institutions. Proposals from social services and cultural institutions from outside the metropolitan New York area will not be considered.
Eligibility:
Organizations must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as public charities and tax-exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Application Deadlines:
The annual application deadline is February 1, with grant decisions finalized in late June or early July. If February 1 falls on a weekend, applications are due the next business day. Please see the Contact page for more information.
Type of Support:
Capital and capacity building
JPMorgan Chase Relationship:
Sole trustee.
The Foundation supports arts and culture organizations, including parks and gardens, located in New York City and working directly to enhance the vibrancy and cultural richness of New York City. Arts and culture organizations eligible to apply include performing, presenting, arts education, intermediary, advocacy, public policy and capacity-building organizations. Support is available for capacity building or capital projects. The Foundation does not provide general operating support or support for ongoing programs or activities. Grants may be single-year or multi-year commitments, and typically range from $75,000 – $150,000 per year.
Priority organizations will meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrate standards of artistic excellence
- Engage significant numbers and reach a diverse audience and constituency base
- Maintain an annual budget of over $1 million for the last complete fiscal year
- Demonstrate a proven record of success in achieving measurable outcomes
- Maintain a strong track record of fiscal health, including sound financial planning and robust funding from diverse sources
The following requests will receive priority:
- Requests for capacity building efforts or capital projects (see guidelines below) directly linked to long-term strategic planning
- For capacity building, requests that lay out a plan for sustainability beyond the funding period
- Requests that come at a period of transformative organizational growth or at a critical juncture in the organization’s life cycle
- Requests that lay out clear benchmarks for success and a plan for measuring project outcomes
Support is available for an organization’s own capacity building or for its capacity building activities on behalf of a group or network of nonprofits.
Guidelines for capacity-building support:
The Foundation supports capacity building activities that build nonprofit infrastructure and sustainability, enabling organizations to achieve greater performance and impact. The Foundation supports activities to strengthen leadership and adaptive capacities, as well as management and technical capacities. Strong proposals will clearly articulate intended goals and a process for measuring capacity building outcomes. Examples of capacity building activities supported by the Foundation include:
- Adaptive Capacity- Strategic planning, organizational assessment, needs assessment, strategic plan implementation, program evaluation, collaborations and mergers
- Leadership Capacity- Board development, professional leadership development and succession planning
- Management and Technical Capacity- Human resources management, financial management, fundraising, marketing/communications and technology
Guidelines for capital support:
Capital campaigns and major capital improvement projects must have already met at least 50% of their fundraising goals in order to apply for support. Priority will be given to smaller-scale projects and discrete capital requests.
K-12 Education:
The K-12 Education Program provides capacity building support for organizations working directly with or on behalf of district public schools in the New York City school system. Organizations must maintain an annual budget over $1 million. The following requests will not be considered:
- Requests from or on behalf of individual schools
- Requests from or on behalf of private and/or independent schools
- Non-New York City activities
- After-school programs
- Scholarship funds
- Endowment funds
- Requests for general support
Higher Education:
The Higher Education Program of the Booth Ferris Foundation provides capacity building support for institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. Organizations must maintain an annual budget over $1 million. The following requests will not be considered:
- Capital campaigns
- Arts-related facilities or initiatives (the Booth Ferris Foundation directs all arts giving through the Arts and Culture Program in New York City)
- Scholarship funds alone
- Endowment funds
Requests for general support
The Foundation supports:
1. Organizations which build the capacity and infrastructure of New York City’s nonprofit sector and work to address issues of systemic inequity. Support is available for an organization’s own capacity building or for its capacity building activities on behalf of the field. Eligible organizations include:
a. Organizations providing capacity building, management or technical assistance to nonprofits in New York City
b. Organizations engaged in advocacy or public policy work on behalf of underserved communities in New York City
c. Organizations supporting and working on behalf of membership agencies or a network of nonprofits
2. Organizations working directly to build vibrant communities and to promote equity for underserved populations in New York City. Support is available for capacity building or capital projects. Priority organizations will meet the following criteria:
a. Maintain an annual budget over $1 million
b. Be able to demonstrate a proven record of success in achieving measurable outcomes
c. Requesting support for capacity building efforts directly linked to long-term planning efforts
d. Requesting support at a period of transformative organizational growth or at a critical juncture in the organization’s lifecycle
Guidelines for capacity building support:
The Foundation supports capacity building activities that build nonprofit infrastructure and sustainability, enabling organizations to achieve greater performance and impact. The Foundation supports activities to strengthen leadership and adaptive capacities, as well as management and technical capacities. Strong proposals will clearly articulate intended goals and a process for measuring capacity building outcomes. The Foundation does not provide general operating support or support for ongoing programs. Examples of capacity building activities supported by the Foundation include:
- Adaptive Capacity – Strategic planning, organizational assessment, needs assessment, strategic plan implementation, program evaluation, collaborations and mergers
- Leadership Capacity – Board development, professional leadership development and leadership transitions
- Management and Technical Capacity – Human resources management, financial management, fundraising, marketing/communications and technology
Guidelines for capital support:
Capital campaigns and major capital improvement projects must have already met at least 50% of their fundraising goals in order to apply for support.
Application
Please include the following items in your organization’s request:
1. Proposal (maximum of three pages, 12 pt font, normal margins) which includes:
a. Overview of the organization (i.e., primary goals, needs or problems being addressed, population served)
b. Description of the project for which you are seeking support
i. Statement of purpose and the needs being addressed by the project
ii. Population served and how they will benefit from the project
iii. Project timeline/anticipated project duration
c. Brief biography of the executive director and key project staff
2. Project budget
a. If it is a two-year request, please include a two-year projected budget
b. Include a list of foundation, corporate and other support applied to the budget
3. Current fiscal year organizational budget
a. Also include a projected budget for upcoming year (if available)
b. Indicate if the organization has an endowment
i. Quote the most recent value of the corpus
ii. Indicate if the funds are permanently restricted or board restricted
4. List of foundation and corporate supporters
a. Include a list of funders for the current fiscal year
b. Also provide a list from the most recently completed fiscal year
c. Include foundation and corporation names and amounts
5. Most recently completed audited financial statements.
6. List of board members
a. Include professional affiliations (employer)
b. Include length of board service
Please note:
All applications to the
Booth Ferris Foundation
must be submitted online.
Contributions
Booth Ferris Foundation – Grants 2022
Total Contributions in 2022: $10,465,744
Arts Connection, Inc, New York, NY
$50,000 as the first installment for Building ArtsConnection Capacity: Expanding Program Models Through Youth-Adult Partnership
Battery Dance, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the hiring of a new Development Director
BOMB Magazine, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the BOMB Magazine Website Redesign and Marketing Plan
Bronx Council on the Arts, Inc, Bronx, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for Project Manager and Data Support Services for the Cultural Assets Mapping Initiative
Bronx Documentary Center, Bronx, NY
$75,000 as the first installment to hire a full-time Development Director
Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Inc, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 as the first installment for The Brooklyn Arts Exchange Strategic Facility Plan
Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 to support the NYC Greenways Coalition
Central Park Conservancy, Inc, New York, NY
$125,000 as the first installment to support a new Program Coordinator for the Institute for Urban Parks ‘New York City program
City Parks Foundation, New York, NY
$100,000 for the NYC Green Relief and Recovery Fund
City Parks Foundation, New York, NY
$75,000 as the second installment for the Collaborative Fundraising Pilot Program
Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Center, New York, NY
$50,000 for the Flamboyan Theater Upgrade
Dance/NYC, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment for Dance/NYC Infrastructure and Strategic Planning
El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the El Museo Business Plan - Creation and Implementation
Gibney, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the Strengthening Gibney’s Capacity: Senior Director of Operations
Japan Society, Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the first installment for the Japan Society's Auditorium and Public Event Space Lighting System Upgrade
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the Next chapter of New York City's LGBTQ+ Art Museum through PR and communications, and an updated database
Mind Builders Creative Arts Co, Bronx, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for Marketing and Communications Manager
Movement Research, Inc, New York, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for the Build-Out of Movement Research's First Long Term Home
Museum of Chinese in the America, New York, NY
$60,000 as the second installment for building the capacity of MOCA's collections Department: to hire a full-time Collections Manager
National Black Theatre, New York, NY
$125,000 as the second installment for the National Black Theatre Strategic Capacity Revitalization Plan
National Dance Institute, Inc, New York, NY
$125,000 as the first installment for Bolstering NDI's Capacity: Additional Staff Positions
New 42nd Street, Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for Upgrading New 42's Fiscal Management System
New Music USA, Brooklyn, NY
$75,000 as the second installment for the hiring of a new Development and Communications Associate
New York Foundation for the Arts, Inc, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to pilot the Volunteer in the Arts program
New York Hall of Science, Corona, NY
$150,000 for the capital improvements to Connected Worlds
New-York Historical Society, New York, NY
$100,000 for the New-York Historical Society/The American LGBTQ+ Museum Strategic Plan
New Yorkers for Parks, Inc, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment to support leadership capacity building, enhance advocacy-centered communications, and restructure NY4P to streamline systems
Queens County Farm Museum, Floral Park, NY
$110,000 as the first installment to hire a Director of Visitor Services and Public Programs
Silver Art Projects, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment for the Community Building and Expansion Capacity Building and to support the new ED
Society for the Preservation of Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant History
$130,000 as the second installment for the Hiring, Training, and Implementation of the Vision of a New Vice President of Learning and Engagement
Soho Repertory Theatre, Inc, New York, NY
$125,000 as the first installment for the Soho Rep Fundraising Capacity Building
South Street Seaport Museum, New York, NY
$83,000 as the first installment for Augmenting Staff Capacity for Capital Projects with New Director of Facilities
St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the Recovery and Rebuilding Capacity at St. Ann's Warehouse
Ukrainian Museum, New York, NY
$150,000 to be allocated as follows: $110,000 for Modernizing Collection Storage and $40,000 for general support in recognition of the current war in Ukraine
Urban Arts Partnership, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for The UAP Story: Enhancing our capacity to use storytelling and brand-building to increase support
Visual Arts Research and Resource Center Relating to the Caribbean, Inc, New York, NY
$125,000 as the second installment for the CCCADI Capacity Enhancement Project through the hiring of an Institute Director and a Director of Programming and Director of Communications
Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco), Bronx, NY
$125,000 as the first installment to hire a Technical Director and purchase ticketing software
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
$150,000 as the first installment for the Bard College Center for Ethics and Writing
Bridges from School to Work, Bethesda, MD
$150,000 as the first installment for capacity building
Businesses United in Investment Lending and Development (BUILD NYC), New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for a curriculum and instruction manager
CAMBA, Inc, Brooklyn, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for the hiring of a college success advisor
Center for New York City Affairs, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment for InsideSchools+
Center for Supportive Schools, Princeton, NJ
$100,000 as the first installment for building capacity to provide mentoring to NYC students in temporary housing
Children’s Aid, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the community schools capacity building initiative by hiring a Deputy Director of Capacity Building
City Year New York, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity
College Advising Corps, Chapel Hill, NC
$150,000 as the first installment to increase post-secondary educational opportunities for New York City high school students through a hybrid advising model in partnership with CUNY
DREAM, New York, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to secure stability and growth in the midst of The Great Resignation
Edible Schoolyard NYC, Brooklyn, NY
$125,000 as the second installment for the Critical Strategic Planning and Implementation
Educational Video Center, Inc, New York, NY
$140,000 as the first installment to hire a Deputy Director of Operations and Development Director
EL Education, Inc, New York, NY
$143,000 as the second installment for Driving Toward Equity and Excellence - Building Capacity in NYC
iMentor, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to hire a post-secondary partnership program supervisor
Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
$135,000 as the second installment for the Librarians as Leaders for Media Literacy in New York Public Schools
Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for CityEdge: Preparing Students for Career Success in the Post-Covid Workplace
Metropolitan College of New York, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment for a full-time Engagement and Retention Specialist
New Teacher Center, Santa Cruz, CA
$160,000 as the second installment for Unlocking the Power of Collaboration to Fulfill the Promise of Educational Equity
New York Community Trust, New York, NY
$40,000 as the second installment for general support of Early Childhood Partners
OneGoal - New York, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to expand leadership capacity
Playworks Education Energized, New York, NY
$50,000 as the second installment for an Outreach and Engagement Specialist
Research Foundation Of The City University Of New York f/b/o Graduate NYC, Brooklyn, NY
$100,000 for the College Completion Innovation Fund
Student Success Network, New York, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to strengthen network engagement
Teak Fellowship, Inc, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to hire a Director of Counseling and Youth Development
Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY
$172,500 as the second installment for Build CPRL’s Visibility through New Communications Capacity
uAspire, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for Technological Enhancement to the Virtual Advising Program
Urban Assembly, New York, NY
$125,000 as the first installment for operations capacity building
Access Justice Brooklyn, Inc, Brooklyn, NY
$134,000 as the second installment to hire a Director of Institutional Giving
Advocates for Children of New York, Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to hire a Director of Equity and Impact
Asian American Coalition for Children and Families, Inc, New York, NY
$75,000 as the second installment for Building Capacity: Hiring a Development Manager
Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, Brooklyn, NY
$150,000 as the second installment to hire a Vice President of Development
Center For Alternative Sentencing And Employment Services (CASES), Brooklyn, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to hire a Director of Clinical Initiatives and Implementation
Child Center of NY, Forest Hills, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to hire a Chief Development & Communications Officer
Civic Hall, Inc, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to hire a Director of Marketing and Community Engagement
Community Food Advocates, New York, NY
$125,000 as the first installment for the NYC Supermarket Access Program
Community Health Project, Inc, New York, NY
$100,000 as the first installment to support planning and program development in LGBTQ+ clinical education
Community Resource Exchange, Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment to hire a Director of Finance and Operations
Council of Peoples Organization, Inc, Brooklyn, NY
$142,003 as the second installment to hire a Chief Financial Officer
Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, New York, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for Cypress Hills/East New York Community Center
FJC, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the New York City Fund to End Youth & Family Homelessness
Fund for Public Housing, Inc, New York, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for NYCHA Family Self-Sufficiency: Expansion Evaluation and Landscape Analysis
Futures and Options, Inc, New York, NY
$125,000 as the second installment for the Futures and Options Data and Evaluation Project
Knowledge House Fellowship, Inc, Bronx, NY
$50,000 as the second installment for launching the Bronx Digital Pipeline Online JobsBoard to help Bronx students and jobseekers identify and secure local technology training programs and employment opportunities
Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment to enhance programming capacity and infrastructure
Metropolitan Center for Mental Health, Inc, New York, NY
$130,741 as the second installment to implement a data evaluation project for quality improvement
Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
$150,000 as the first installment to hire two Community Healthcare Workers as part of the Community Linkage to Care Program
New York Legal Assistance Group, Inc, New York, NY
$110,00 as the first installment for a Pro Bono Coordinator
Partnership for After School Education, New York, NY
$175,000 as the second installment to strengthen the PASE Network
Queens Community House, Inc, Forest Hills, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the Capital Campaign to Create an Expanded and Renovated Forest Hills Community Center
SeaChange Capital Partners, New York, NY
$50,000 as the third installment for the NY Mergers & Acquisitions Fund
St. Nicks Alliance Corp, Brooklyn, NY
$75,000 as the second installment for St. Nicks Alliance Digital Literacy For All through the hiring of Deputy Director of Technology
Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Inc, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the Housing Stability Initiative for Seniors
Sunnyside Community Services, Inc, Sunnyside, NY
$75,000 as the first installment for to hire a Director of Impact and Evaluation
Up2Us Inc, New York, NY
$150,000 as the second installment for Coaching Sports for Mental Health
Urban Resource Institute, New York, NY
$75,000 as the first installment to hire an Assistant director of Data Management and Improvement
Workforce Professionals Training Institute, New York, NY
$100,000 as the second installment for the WPTI's Digital Transformation Initiative
Contact Information
PLEASE NOTE: The contact person varies based on the program area. The annual deadline for applications is February 1. If February 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline is the next business day. All application materials must be submitted online.
Receipts and reports should be sent to: Grant.Reports@jpmorgan.com. All other correspondence should be addressed to the appropriate contact person
Arts and Culture:
Lindsey Crane, Program Officer, lindsey.s.crane@jpmorgan.com
Cheryl Anhava, Program Officer, cheryl.b.anhava@jpmorgan.com
Parks and Gardens:
Lindsey Crane, Program Officer, lindsey.s.crane@jpmorgan.com
Strengthening NYC’s Nonprofit Sector:
Carolyn Winter, Program Officer, carolyn.r.winter@jpmorgan.com
Lindsey Crane, Program Officer, lindsey.s.crane@jpmorgan.com
Cheryl Anhava, Program Officer, cheryl.b.anhava@jpmorgan.com
Education:
Carolyn Winter, Program Officer, carolyn.r.winter@jpmorgan.com
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