The Bay and Paul Foundations Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $20,483,289 (2023)
• Number of Grants: 122 grants awarded (2023)
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $1,200,000
• Median Grant: $73,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, with some grants nationally and internationally
• Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 17 West 94th Street, 1st Floor, New York, NY 10025

Phone: (212) 663-1115

Website: www.bayandpaulfoundations.org

EIN: 13-1991717

Note: The foundation does not respond to unsolicited inquiries or requests for funding. All proposals are by invitation only.

Overview

The Bay and Paul Foundations Inc was formed in January 2005 through the merger of two sister foundations: The Bay Foundation (established 1950) and the Josephine Bay Paul and C. Michael Paul Foundation (established 1962), both founded by Josephine Bay Paul, a former president of the A.M. Kidder securities company. The foundation's mission is to foster and accelerate initiatives that prepare agents of change working to strengthen the social compact and develop authentic solutions to the challenges of this pivotal century. The foundation frames its grantmaking as support for social movements and expects proposals to demonstrate both program rigor and a vision for contributing to civil society. In 2023, the foundation awarded 122 grants totaling over $20.4 million across its five core program areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates five distinct program areas:

1. Transformative Pre-K-12 Learning

• Grant range: Varies, typically $25,000 - $500,000+
• Supports projects where students and educators collaborate in developing "environments that contribute to strengthening civil society" with emphasis on youth voice and agency
• Focuses on educational restructuring and projects reinforcing the centrality of arts in pre-collegiate curricula
• K-12 math, science, and arts-in-education grants are limited to the New York metropolitan area

2. Arts and Humanities Education

• Grant range: Varies, typically $25,000 - $400,000+
• Supports projects that move beyond academic study to involve communities in developing cultural literacy
• Aims to "engage the broader community to help youth and adults acquire powerful expressive literacies and cross-cultural intelligences"
• Notably, the foundation distinguishes itself by stressing interest in adults as well as youth
• Emphasizes that while programs can take place in classroom settings, it is more interesting if they do not

3. Support for Indigenous Communities

• Grant range: Varies, historically through regranting programs
• Broadly supports indigenous peoples in "strengthening self-governance and control over their assets," "developing land stewardship via traditional knowledge, culture, and sustainable development," and "advocating for Indigenous Peoples' rights within local, national and international forums"
• Historically funded primarily through First Peoples Worldwide's regranting program, the Keepers of the Earth Fund (now administered by Cultural Survival)
• Provided significant multi-year support to First Peoples Worldwide, including a $1,000,000 gift

4. Research & Initiatives for Ecosystem Integrity

• Grant range: Varies, typically $25,000 - $500,000+
• Aims to "preserve or repair biodiversity" by supporting work "often emphasizing culturally significant natural heritage conservation"
• Supports scientific research and community-based initiatives
• Marine programming prioritizes scientific research and community engagement
• Includes awards by nomination only to researchers in biodiversity conservation field
• Partners with Earthwatch on programs connecting students with scientists, including an 8-day program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

5. Civil Society and Human Rights

• Grant range: Varies, typically $50,000 - $750,000+
• Supports organizations committed to the rule of law in the United States and globally
• Especially targets "government corruption and kleptocracy" as threats to democracy
• Funds programs that "demand government accountability, expose abuses, protect legal rights and enable access to justice and legal remedies"

Priority Areas

The foundation's key values include: courage, patience, humility, listening, understanding, collaboration, and opportunities. The foundation expects all proposals to demonstrate a vision for contributing to civil society, regardless of funding area.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations with which it does not already have a relationship. Grant recipients are preselected.

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

• Marilyn Reznick - Chair and Director; co-director of the Ecosystem Integrity and Civil Society and Human Rights grantmaking programs; secretary of the Investment Committee

• Kenneth D. Hurwitz - Secretary, Treasurer, and Director

• Fred Bay - Former President and CEO (retired 2019 after over 30 years); remains actively engaged in advocating for school-based and philanthropic initiatives that elevate youth voice and agency, promote the practice of democracy in schools, advance environmental stewardship, and integrate academic coursework with meaningful community service

Board of Directors:

• Rebecca Adamson (Director; founder of First Peoples Worldwide and expert in Indigenous rights and social investment)
• David Bury (Director)
• Gail Stone (Director)
• William E. Terry (Director)

The board includes individuals with deep expertise in education, indigenous rights, civil society, and environmental conservation, reflecting the foundation's diverse program areas.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Bay and Paul Foundations only accepts proposals by invitation and does not respond to unsolicited inquiries or requests for funding. All grant recipients are preselected by the foundation based on their existing knowledge of organizations and their strategic priorities.

Organizations cannot submit letters of inquiry, concept papers, or full proposals unless specifically invited to do so by the foundation.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation proactively identifies organizations aligned with its mission and strategic priorities. Based on their grantmaking patterns, organizations might become known to the foundation through:

Board Member Connections: The foundation's website suggests that grantseekers new to the foundation may wish to reach out to members of the board of directors, whose names and backgrounds may provide insight into the foundation's networks. Board member Rebecca Adamson, for example, has deep connections in the indigenous rights community through her founding of First Peoples Worldwide.

Regranting Programs: The foundation has historically worked through intermediary organizations like First Peoples Worldwide's Keepers of the Earth Fund (now administered by Cultural Survival). Organizations working in indigenous communities might become known through such established regranting mechanisms.

Sector Networks: Given the foundation's focus on social movements and civil society, active participation in networks focused on democracy, human rights, investigative journalism, environmental conservation, and education reform may increase visibility. Notable 2023 grantee Global Investigative Journalism Network received $750,000, suggesting strong relationships in journalism and accountability sectors.

Partnership Organizations: The foundation partners with established organizations like Earthwatch Institute on specific initiatives. Organizations collaborating with current grantees or partner institutions may come to the foundation's attention.

Geographic Presence: While the foundation does fund nationally and internationally, many grantees operate in the greater New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, where the foundation is based. K-12 education grants for math, science, and arts-in-education are explicitly limited to the New York metropolitan area.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates by invitation only, success depends on alignment with its strategic vision rather than application technique. Organizations that have received funding demonstrate:

1. Clear Contribution to Civil Society The foundation expects all proposals to demonstrate "a vision for contributing to civil society." This is not limited to the Civil Society and Human Rights program area but extends across all funding streams. Projects should show how they strengthen the social compact.

2. Support for Social Movements The foundation explicitly frames its grantmaking as support for social movements. Successful grantees are positioned as agents of change rather than service providers. The foundation values courage, patience, humility, listening, understanding, collaboration, and opportunities.

3. Program Rigor The foundation expects proposals to demonstrate program rigor. This is particularly evident in education grants, where recipients like Up for Learning use "research-based methods" and Young People's Chorus of New York City operates "rigorous after school programs."

4. Youth Voice and Agency In the Transformative Pre-K-12 Learning program, the foundation emphasizes "youth voice and agency." Projects should show students as active collaborators with educators, not passive recipients of instruction.

5. Community Engagement Beyond Classrooms For Arts and Humanities Education, the foundation has stated that "while a program can take place in a classroom setting, it is more interesting to them if it does not." The emphasis is on engaging broader communities in cultural literacy, not just academic study.

6. Cultural and Indigenous Knowledge Projects supporting indigenous communities should emphasize traditional knowledge, culture, and sustainable development. The foundation has shown strong commitment to indigenous self-governance and land stewardship.

7. Intersection of Issues Many successful grants address multiple foundation interests. For example, the Earthwatch partnership combines ecosystem research with education; indigenous grants often combine land stewardship with cultural preservation and civil rights.

8. Accountability and Transparency In the Civil Society and Human Rights area, the foundation prioritizes organizations that expose abuses and demand government accountability, as evidenced by major support to Global Investigative Journalism Network.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation Only: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All grants are made to preselected organizations. Do not submit unsolicited proposals.

• Social Movement Framing: The foundation sees itself as supporting social movements, not just individual programs. Align your work within broader movements for change and demonstrate how you strengthen civil society.

• Multiple Program Areas: With five distinct focus areas (Pre-K-12 Learning, Arts/Humanities Education, Indigenous Communities, Ecosystem Integrity, Civil Society/Human Rights), the foundation has diverse interests. Projects that bridge multiple areas may be particularly compelling.

• Geographic Nuance: While national and international funding exists, K-12 education grants are limited to the New York metropolitan area, and many grantees operate in the New York/New Jersey region.

• Beyond the Classroom: In education and arts, the foundation favors community-engaged approaches over traditional classroom-only models. Youth voice, agency, and expressive literacies are key.

• Long-term Relationships: Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $1,200,000, with a median of $73,000, suggesting the foundation maintains relationships with organizations at various scales and may provide multi-year support to aligned partners.

• Board Expertise: The board includes recognized experts in indigenous rights (Rebecca Adamson), suggesting deep knowledge and high standards in specific program areas.

References

• Candid Foundation Directory Online. "Bay and Paul Foundations Inc." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=PAUL001

• Inside Philanthropy. "Bay and Paul Foundations." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-b/bay-and-paul-foundations

• InfluenceWatch. "Bay and Paul Foundations." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/bay-and-paul-foundations/

• Philanthropy New York. "The Bay and Paul Foundations." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://philanthropynewyork.org/redhen/org/676

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Bay And Paul Foundations Inc - 990 Forms." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131991717

• University of Colorado Boulder, Tallgrass Institute. "First Peoples Worldwide Receives Two-Year Gift from the Bay and Paul Foundations." March 2, 2021. https://colorado.edu/program/fpw/2021/03/02/first-peoples-worldwide-receives-two-year-gift-bay-and-paul-foundations

• Earthwatch Institute. "The Bay and Paul Foundations Partnership Profile." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://earthwatch.org/partnerships/our-partners/bay-and-paul-foundations

• Society for Nonprofits. "The Bay And Paul Foundations, Inc." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.snpo.org/publications/fundingalert_details.php?id=1746

• GuideStar. "Bay and Paul Foundations Inc Profile." Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/13-1991717

• The Bay and Paul Foundations Form 990-PF (2023). Available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and GuideStar.