Booth Ferris Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 13-6170340 · since 1965jpmorgan.com/private-bank/foundations/boothferris·New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$10.4M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$50,000 to $200k

Grant range

From the funder's website

$100k

Typical grant (median)

93 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Booth Ferris Foundation funds arts and culture, education, parks and outdoor spaces, and strengthening the nonprofit sector, with a geographic focus on NYC and New York State, so only organisations working in these fields and this area should consider applying.
Most of its grants fall between $50,000 and $200,000, and half of its 278 grants across its recent filings were $100,000 or less, so a modest request in that range is realistic.
Applications are made through its online portal with a proposal and required information, and are due by the annual February 1 deadline.
Around 46% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded in the two previous filings, suggesting some relationship-building value in repeat contact, though this is a share of money rather than of grant numbers.
Applicants must have maintained an annual operating budget of over $1 million for at least three years, and the foundation does not fund individuals, private foundations, ongoing general operating support, scholarships, endowments, or organisations whose primary work is conducted outside the US, so those falling into these categories should not apply.

Overview

Booth Ferris Foundation is a US private foundation administered by its trustee, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., in Chicago, IL.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports arts and culture, education, parks and outdoor spaces, and strengthening the nonprofit sector. Grants are made to charitable organisations exempt under section 501(c)(3) and not classified as private foundations; organisations must have maintained an annual operating budget of over $1 million for at least three years, excluding in-kind contributions. Its arts and culture support serves organisations in New York City that enhance the city’s vibrancy and cultural richness, with a focus on organisational capacity building and limited support for capital projects. Its education work includes capacity building for organisations working with or on behalf of New York City public schools or advancing early childhood education there, and for higher education institutions in New York State. It also supports organisations building the capacity and infrastructure of New York City’s nonprofit sector and those working to build vibrant communities and promote equity for underserved populations. Capacity-building support is intended to improve organisational efficiency and effectiveness, infrastructure and long-term sustainability.

Themes

Arts and culture
Education
Parks and outdoor spaces
Strengthening the nonprofit sector

Geographic Focus

NYC; New York State.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
Private foundations
Loans
Ongoing general operating support or program costs
Projects restricted to an organization’s membership
Benefit events, galas or similar fundraising activities
Scholarships
Fellowships
Unrestricted endowments
Individual research efforts
Grant requests exceeding the organization’s total budget
Organizations whose primary work is conducted outside of the U.S
Federated campaigns
Work with specific diseases
Arts and Culture (including parks and open space) only: general operating support; support for ongoing programs or activities
Early Childhood and K-12 Education Program only: Requests from or on behalf of individual schools or private and/or independent schools; Requests for activities outside of New York City; After-school programs; Scholarship funds; Endowment funds; Requests for general support
Higher Education Program only: 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; Endowment funds; Requests for general support

How to apply

Applicants submit through the application portal, uploading a proposal and the required information.

Deadlines: The annual application deadline is February 1; if February 1 falls on a weekend, applications are due the next business day.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 46% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 278 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

For Arts and Culture, priority organisations demonstrate standards of artistic excellence.
For Arts and Culture, priority organisations engage significant numbers of NYC residents and reach a diverse audience and constituency base.
For Arts and Culture, priority organisations demonstrate a proven record of success in achieving measurable outcomes.
Arts and Culture organisations maintain strong fiscal health through sound financial planning and robust funding from diverse sources.
Requests should clearly demonstrate the increase in capacity that will result from a successful project.
Requests should lay out a plan for sustainability beyond the funding period.
Requests should lay out clear benchmarks for success and a plan for measuring project outcomes.
Capital projects are favoured when more than 50% of funds have been raised; smaller-scale projects and discrete capital requests also receive priority.
Capacity-building applicants should show why the project is a priority now, their readiness to achieve its goals and the capacity successful completion will build.
Strong proposals clearly articulate intended goals, a process for measuring outcomes and the capacity that will be built.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York94%

New Jersey1%

Connecticut<1%

Maryland<1%

Pennsylvania<1%

District of Columbia<1%

5 other states: 2%

The largest single recipient received 1% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 46% of grant dollars went to organisations Booth Ferris Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

93 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $100k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 93 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$25k–$50k1%

$50k–$100k20%

$100k–$250k78%

Median $100k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Facing History and Ourselves · General operating
$150,0002024 tax year
Times Square Alliance · General operating
$150,0002024 tax year
New Visions for Public Schools · General operating
$150,0002024 tax year
Gods Love We Deliver Inc · General operating
$150,0002024 tax year
City Harvest · General
$150,0002024 tax year
New York University · General
$150,0002024 tax year
Parent Child Center · General operating
$150,0002024 tax year
Anthos Home · General operating support
$150,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Administered by its trustee, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$12,055,787	$10,617,444	$225,018,984	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$11,726,873	$10,378,100	$245,087,369	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$11,866,280	$10,360,000	$260,381,314	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.