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Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation

Annual Giving
$9.6M
Grant Range
$500K - $1.0M

Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $9,567,000 (2024)
  • Foundation Status: Currently Sunsetting (Closing)
  • Number of Grants: 21 awards in 2024, 23 in 2023
  • Grant Range: Varied widely; recent major grants $500,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York City and New York State
  • Application Process: No public application process; invitation/trustee discretion only
  • EIN: 13-2918230

Contact Details

Address: Dix Hills, NY

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information. The foundation is in the process of sunsetting (closing) and is not accepting new applications.

Public Records: Information available through:

Overview

The Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation was established in 1976 (originally as the Clara Miller Foundation) shortly before founder Charles Lawrence Keith's death in 1974. The foundation distributed $9,567,000 in grants in 2024 across 21 awards, focusing on its stated mission: "the preservation and defense of human rights and opposition to tyranny and oppression."

Important: The foundation is currently in the process of sunsetting (closing down) and has been making substantial final grants to long-supported organizations as part of its spend-down process. The foundation has supported institutions involved in the preservation of human rights and the elimination of human suffering throughout its history, with a particular focus on New York City-based organizations.

Charles Lawrence Keith's remarkable life story—from the Hebrew Orphan Asylum to fighting fascism in Spain with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade—shaped the foundation's commitment to social justice, human rights, and supporting the most vulnerable members of society. After returning to New York City, Keith worked as a house painter, built a real estate portfolio, and dedicated his resources to fighting oppression in all its forms.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The foundation's legacy supports:

  • Food Security: Food kitchens and pantries addressing hunger
  • Arts-in-Education: Programs bringing arts education to underserved communities
  • Social Justice and Human Rights: Organizations fighting oppression and defending human rights
  • Education: Scholarship programs and educational institutions serving disadvantaged youth
  • Foster Care Programs: Support for youth in foster care and transitional programs
  • Gender Justice: Legal services and advocacy for women and girls
  • Access to Justice: Legal aid and pro bono services for low-income populations

Recent Major Grants (2023-2024)

As part of the sunsetting process, the foundation made several substantial final grants:

  • Catholic Charities of New York: $1,000,000 (to bolster their Feeding Our Neighbors program)
  • Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS): $500,000 (to establish the Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Gender-Justice Fund)
  • Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility: $500,000 (to establish the Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation Training and Support Fund)
  • Women's Prison Association: Program support (amount not publicly disclosed)
  • Saint Ignatius School (Bronx, NY): Support for establishing the Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation Award for eighth-grade graduates

Geographic Focus

Primary focus on New York City and New York State, with particular attention to organizations serving:

  • The Bronx
  • Manhattan
  • Underserved communities throughout NYC

Governance and Leadership

Board President

Brian O'Dwyer serves as President of the Board of the Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation.

In his role overseeing the foundation's sunsetting process, O'Dwyer noted that the decision to sunset "gave them the opportunity to support organizations in a more substantive way" through larger final grants to long-term partners.

Founder's Legacy

Charles Lawrence Keith (d. 1974) was a lifelong fighter for social justice who:

  • Spent part of his childhood in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in NYC
  • Met social worker Clara Miller, his lifelong companion, at the orphan asylum
  • Joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade to fight fascism in Spain (1937)
  • Served as Commissar with the XV Brigade, Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion
  • Was taken prisoner by Franco's forces
  • Served as a merchant seaman in World War II
  • Built a real estate business in Greenwich Village after the war
  • Was a feminist and early investor in the Women's Bank of NY
  • Personally funded a neighborhood theater

Keith's quote on education reflects the foundation's values: "A good education expands the horizons of the individual and the community."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation is a private foundation that historically operated through trustee discretion and invitation only. The foundation is currently in the process of sunsetting (closing down) and is not accepting new applications.

Grants were typically made to organizations with which the foundation had long-standing relationships. For example, VOLS received support from the foundation for more than twenty years before receiving their final $500,000 grant in 2023.

Foundation Status: Sunsetting

The foundation began its formal sunsetting process in 2023 and has been making final substantial grants to long-term grantee partners. The foundation distributed $9,567,000 in 2024 across 21 awards as part of its spend-down process. No end date for the foundation's closure has been publicly announced, but organizations should not expect to receive funding from this source going forward.

Application Success Factors

Foundation Philosophy

The foundation's approach to grant-making was rooted in Charles Lawrence Keith's lived experience and lifelong commitment to fighting oppression. As described in foundation materials, Keith "made it his life's mission to fight human oppression" and "actively fought against tyranny, ignorance, poverty and oppression, and for democracy and social justice."

This philosophy manifested in support for:

  • Organizations serving the most vulnerable populations
  • Institutions fighting for human rights and dignity
  • Programs providing access to justice and opportunity
  • Educational initiatives expanding horizons for disadvantaged youth

Long-term Partnerships

The foundation favored long-term relationships with grantee organizations. For example:

  • VOLS received support "for more than twenty years" before their final grant
  • The foundation's sunsetting grants went to organizations it had supported over extended periods
  • Final grants were structured to create lasting impact (endowed funds, multi-year support programs)

Strategic Sunsetting Approach

The foundation's approach to closing down reflects its values:

  • Making larger, more substantial final grants to maximize impact
  • Creating endowed funds to ensure legacy continues (Gender-Justice Fund, Training and Support Fund)
  • Focusing on organizations aligned with founder's mission
  • Supporting core operating costs and program expansion rather than restricted grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Foundation is closed to new applications: The Charles Lawrence Keith & Clara Miller Foundation is sunsetting and not accepting proposals
  • Private foundation model: This foundation never had a public application process; grants were made through trustee discretion and long-term relationships
  • Human rights focus: All funding aligned with the mission of "preservation and defense of human rights and opposition to tyranny and oppression"
  • New York City concentration: Nearly all identified grants went to NYC-based organizations
  • Long-term commitment: The foundation preferred sustained relationships with grantees over many years
  • Substantial final grants: Sunsetting grants ranged from $500,000 to $1,000,000, significantly larger than typical annual grants
  • Legacy continues through endowed funds: Organizations can still benefit from foundation's legacy through established funds like the Gender-Justice Fund at VOLS

References

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