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The Grace And Mercy Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$21.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M

The Grace And Mercy Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $21.6 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $495-500 million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Average Grant: $242,897
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York and New Jersey, with international reach

Contact Details

Address: Manhattan, NY
Phone: (212) 271-2022
Website: https://www.graceandmercy.org
Press Contact: press@graceandmercy.org
General Inquiries: Contact form available on website

Overview

Founded in 2006, The Grace And Mercy Foundation Inc is a private grant-making foundation based in New York City. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over $180 million in grants across 200+ organizations worldwide. With total assets exceeding $495 million and annual giving of approximately $21.6 million (2023), the foundation operates with the mission to "support the poor and oppressed" and help people "learn, grow, and serve." Guided by their abiding belief in the power of grace and mercy, they share resources with partners across five key areas. The foundation awards an average of 63-79 grants annually, with a significant portion of funding going to Christian organizations and faith-based initiatives. New York and New Jersey appear to be geographic areas of priority, though the foundation maintains a global reach.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with set application cycles. Instead, grants are made through trustee discretion to preselected organizations. Recent grant activity shows:

  • 79 grants awarded in 2023 totaling $21.6 million
  • Grant range: $10,000 to over $1 million
  • Average grant size: $242,897
  • Application method: Invitation only/trustee discretion

Priority Areas

The foundation supports five key areas:

  1. Mercy - Organizations assisting trafficking survivors, refugees, the working poor, justice-involved citizens trying to rebuild their lives, and people experiencing homelessness. Examples include Bowery Mission, NYC Rescue Mission, and Rescue Alliance NYC.

  2. Education - K-12 schools, seminaries, colleges, parachurch organizations, arts and sports organizations. Recent grantees include Dwight-Englewood School (NJ), Manhattan Christian Academy, Geneva School (NYC), and Pave Schools (charter organization).

  3. Family - Organizations providing nurturing, learning, and healthy programs for families.

  4. Work - Organizations helping people advance professionally and become community leaders. Grantees include Mango Fund, NURU International, and Rising Tide Capital.

  5. Church - Local churches, church communities, and denominations.

Additional focus areas include: Housing and homelessness, mental health, and human rights.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not disclose specific exclusions, but their funding pattern shows clear focus on Christian organizations and faith-based initiatives serving vulnerable populations.

Governance and Leadership

Leadership information is not publicly disclosed on the foundation's website or readily available public documents. Board members and trustees can be found in the organization's IRS Form 990 filings available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and other nonprofit databases.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Organizations interested in the foundation's support can submit general inquiries through the contact form on their website (www.graceandmercy.org) or call (212) 271-2022, though there is no guarantee of funding consideration.

The foundation operates through trustee discretion, meaning the board identifies and selects organizations to support based on alignment with their mission and funding priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on a public application timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as they are not accepted.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since The Grace And Mercy Foundation operates exclusively through preselected organizations and trustee discretion, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their funding patterns reveals:

Organizations most likely to receive funding:

  • Faith-based organizations, particularly Christian ministries and churches
  • Organizations serving vulnerable populations (refugees, trafficking survivors, formerly incarcerated individuals, homeless populations)
  • Educational institutions including K-12 schools, particularly those with Christian foundations
  • Organizations operating in New York and New Jersey
  • Programs focused on family support and workforce development

Funding patterns show:

  • The foundation has distributed grants ranging from $10,000 to over $1 million
  • Average grant size of approximately $243,000 suggests they make both smaller grants and significant multi-year commitments
  • 57 of their grants in recent years went to religion-related organizations, followed by education (29) and international affairs (25)
  • They have supported over 200 organizations since 2006, indicating openness to new partnerships over time

Organizations they have supported include:

  • Bowery Mission, NYC Rescue Mission, Rescue Alliance NYC (homeless services)
  • Dwight-Englewood School, Manhattan Christian Academy, Geneva School, Pave Schools (education)
  • Mango Fund, NURU International, Rising Tide Capital (workforce development)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this funder operates exclusively through trustee discretion and preselected organizations
  • Faith-based alignment is critical - a significant portion of funding goes to Christian organizations and ministries
  • Geographic focus on NY/NJ - while they fund internationally, New York (200 grants) and New Jersey (50 grants) dominate their grant portfolio
  • Substantial grant capacity - with $21.6 million in annual giving and an average grant of $243,000, this is a major funder for organizations that gain access
  • Vulnerable populations - their "mercy" focus on trafficking survivors, refugees, working poor, justice-involved citizens, and homeless populations is consistent across their grantmaking
  • Building awareness over time - while unsolicited applications aren't accepted, the foundation has supported over 200 organizations since 2006, suggesting they do identify new partners through their networks
  • Contact for general inquiries - while not promising funding consideration, they do maintain a contact form and phone line for organizations to reach out

References

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