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Prentice Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.5M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M

Prentice Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,512,851 (2023)
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: N/A (preselected grantees)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $121,000
  • Median Grant: $5,125
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Florida, New York, and North Carolina; also California, Connecticut, Texas, Washington D.C., and other states nationwide

Contact Details

Phone: 800-839-1754

Address: Foundation Source, 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809

Note: The foundation uses Foundation Source, the nation's largest provider of foundation management services, for administrative and compliance functions.

Overview

Prentice Foundation Inc (EIN: 06-1386173) is a private foundation that has held tax-exempt status since August 1994. With assets of approximately $25-33 million, the foundation distributed $2.5 million in grants during 2023 across 226 awards. The foundation's income derives primarily from investment returns, with dividends and asset sales making up the majority of revenue rather than new contributions. Under the leadership of Executive Director Janna Six and President John Powers, the foundation operates with a clear focus on education, human services, philanthropy/voluntarism/grantmaking, reproductive rights, environmental conservation, and civic engagement. The foundation operates by invitation only, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with public application processes. All grants are made at the discretion of the board to preselected organizations.

Grant Range: Awards typically span from $500 to $121,000, with a median grant of $5,125 and an average of approximately $9,237.

Recent Activity:

  • 2023: 226 grants totaling $2,512,851
  • 2022: 278 grants
  • 2021: 276 grants

Priority Areas

Based on recent giving patterns, the foundation supports:

  • Education: A core focus area with grants distributed across multiple states
  • Human Services: Significant funding for social service organizations
  • Reproductive Rights: Recent emphasis on reproductive health and rights organizations
  • Environmental Conservation: Support for environmental protection initiatives
  • Civic Engagement: Funding for organizations promoting democratic participation
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking: Support for the philanthropic sector

Geographic Focus

While based in Delaware (for administrative purposes), the foundation primarily focuses on:

  • Florida
  • New York
  • North Carolina

Additional grants have been awarded to organizations in California, Connecticut, Texas, Washington D.C., and other states nationwide.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publicly specify exclusions, but as an invitation-only funder, they do not consider unsolicited proposals from any organizations.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a board of directors who serve without compensation, supported by a part-time Executive Director. All board members dedicate minimal hours per week (1-3 hours), suggesting a streamlined decision-making process.

Board of Directors:

  • John Powers - Director, President (3 hours/week)
  • Jerry Babicka - Director, Treasurer (1 hour/week)
  • Lynn P. Babicka - Director, Vice President (1 hour/week)
  • Barbara Hapgood - Director, Secretary (1 hour/week)
  • James Bohart Jr. - Director (1 hour/week)
  • Lauren Zuskin - Director (1 hour/week)

Staff:

  • Janna Six - Executive Director (25 hours/week, compensation: $62,056)

The foundation's lean governance structure reflects its focused approach to grantmaking, with board members receiving no compensation and the Executive Director working part-time.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This foundation does not have a public application process.

According to the foundation's Form 990-PF filing: "The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made by invitation only, based on the board's discretion and existing relationships. Prospective grantees cannot apply directly to the foundation.

Getting on Their Radar

No specific, funder-unique information is available about how the Prentice Foundation identifies and selects grantees. The foundation operates through trustee discretion with preselected organizations, and there is no documented public process for new organizations to be considered.

Organizations seeking funding should focus on other funders with open application processes, as this foundation's invitation-only model does not provide opportunities for relationship building with unknown organizations.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made to preselected organizations only.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - only preselected organizations receive funding.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the foundation does not accept applications. Organizations cannot influence their chances of receiving funding, as all grantees are preselected by the board of directors.

The foundation's giving patterns suggest the board members have established relationships with organizations in their primary geographic focus areas (Florida, New York, and North Carolina) and make funding decisions based on their personal knowledge and priorities in education, human services, reproductive rights, environmental conservation, and civic engagement.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates exclusively by invitation and does not accept unsolicited proposals - do not spend time pursuing this funder
  • Preselected Grantees Only: All funding decisions are made by the board for organizations they have already identified and selected
  • Geographic Concentration: Focus areas are Florida, New York, and North Carolina, with some additional grants nationwide
  • Wide Grant Range: Awards vary significantly from $500 to $121,000, with most grants on the smaller end (median: $5,125)
  • Consistent Giving: The foundation maintains steady annual grantmaking of approximately $2.5 million across 200+ grants
  • Diverse Focus Areas: Recent giving emphasizes education, human services, reproductive rights, environmental conservation, and civic engagement
  • Professional Management: The foundation uses Foundation Source for administrative services, suggesting efficient operations and compliance

References

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