Brunckhorst Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $7,445,000 (2023)
Total Assets: $138.8 million
Number of Grants: 30 (2023)
Grant Range: Approximately $25,000 - $1,160,000
Average Grant: $248,167
Geographic Focus: National (focus on environmental and reproductive health organizations across the US)
Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: Melville, NY

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or accept direct inquiries, as it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Brunckhorst Foundation was established in 1968 as a private foundation focused primarily on environmental conservation. With total assets of approximately $138.8 million, the foundation distributed $7,445,000 across 30 grants in 2023. The foundation is managed by trustees Susan S. Kemp and Richard Todd Stravitz, both of whom serve without compensation. Dr. Stravitz is a board-certified transplant hepatologist and long-time AASLD member who has demonstrated significant philanthropic leadership through multiple foundations. The Brunckhorst Foundation operates as a tightly managed grantmaker with a clearly defined portfolio of preselected beneficiaries, concentrating its funding on established national environmental organizations, reproductive rights groups, and animal welfare organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no formal grant programs or application cycles. All grants are made at trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

2023 Grant Distribution (30 grants totaling $7.7M):

Largest grants: $300,000 - $1,160,000
Mid-range grants: $100,000 - $300,000
Smaller grants: $25,000 - $100,000

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three primary areas:

Environmental Conservation (largest funding category):

Climate change advocacy and litigation
Land and water conservation
Wildlife habitat protection
Environmental policy and legal advocacy
Sustainable forestry and river conservation

Reproductive Rights and Healthcare:

Reproductive rights advocacy organizations
Planned Parenthood affiliates
Reproductive healthcare access

Animal Welfare:

Domestic animal welfare (humane societies, SPCAs)
Wildlife conservation and sanctuaries
Endangered species protection

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's grant history shows:

No grants to individuals
No grants to organizations outside their established portfolio
Limited or no support for: arts and culture, religious organizations, international development, higher education institutions, or general operating support for small grassroots organizations

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

Susan S. Kemp (serves without compensation)
Richard Todd Stravitz, MD, FAASLD (serves without compensation)

About Dr. R. Todd Stravitz: Dr. Stravitz is a board-certified transplant hepatologist who spent 30 years at Virginia Commonwealth University specializing in hepatology before retiring in 2020. He has demonstrated extraordinary philanthropic leadership, directing over $100 million in gifts to support liver research and medical education. In 2022, he arranged for VCU to receive $104 million from the Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation (a separate but related entity) to establish the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health—the largest publicly shared gift for liver research in U.S. history. In 2024, he and the Barbara Brunckhorst Foundation made a $25 million gift to the AASLD Foundation to support early-career hepatology researchers. The Brunckhorst Foundations also committed $50 million to William & Mary for marine science scholarships. His philanthropic portfolio reflects deep commitments to medical research, environmental conservation, and scientific education.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have selected in advance.

Organizations seeking funding should not submit proposals, letters of inquiry, or other application materials, as these will not be reviewed.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation maintains a consistent portfolio of national environmental, reproductive rights, and animal welfare organizations. Based on their 2023 grantmaking patterns, they support:

Established national environmental advocacy organizations with strong track records in conservation litigation, policy advocacy, and land/water protection
Major reproductive rights organizations at both national and regional levels
Respected animal welfare organizations including both domestic animal shelters and wildlife conservation groups

The foundation appears to have long-term relationships with its grantees, making repeat grants to many of the same organizations year after year. New organizations are rarely added to the portfolio.

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

The foundation's 2023 grants demonstrate their funding priorities:

Environmental Conservation:

Sierra Club Foundation (Oakland, CA): $1,160,000
Southern Environmental Law Center (Charlottesville, VA): $480,000
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Annapolis, MD): $425,000
Earth Justice (San Francisco, CA): $405,000
Nature Conservancy (Arlington, VA): $400,000
Conservation Fund (Arlington, VA): $400,000
Environmental Defense Fund (New York, NY): $350,000
Ocean Conservancy: funding amount not disclosed
Natural Resources Defense Council: funding amount not disclosed
American Rivers: funding amount not disclosed
American Forests: funding amount not disclosed

Reproductive Rights:

Center for Reproductive Rights (New York, NY): $300,000
Multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates: funding amounts not disclosed
NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation: funding amount not disclosed

Animal Welfare:

Tri County Humane Society (Boca Raton, FL): $300,000
Richmond SPCA: funding amount not disclosed
Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee: funding amount not disclosed
African Wildlife Foundation: funding amount not disclosed
American Humane Association: funding amount not disclosed

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals:

Characteristics of Funded Organizations:

National or regional scope: Nearly all grantees are well-established organizations with significant reach and impact
Track record of effectiveness: Recipients are recognized leaders in their respective fields
Strong governance and financial management: All funded organizations are established 501(c)(3)s with professional operations
Mission alignment: Organizations must work in environmental conservation, reproductive rights, or animal welfare
Capacity for significant impact: The foundation favors organizations that can deploy substantial grants effectively

Grant Size Patterns:

Environmental organizations receive the largest grants ($350,000-$1,160,000)
Reproductive rights and animal welfare grants typically range from $100,000-$300,000
The foundation makes relatively fewer but larger grants compared to foundations of similar size

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - do not invest time in proposal development for this funder
The foundation operates with a closed, invitation-only model with all grants made to preselected organizations
Funded organizations are primarily large, national environmental advocacy groups with established track records
The foundation demonstrates multi-year commitment to its grantees, suggesting long-term relationships rather than one-time grants
Environmental conservation is the dominant priority, receiving approximately 60-70% of total grantmaking
Grant sizes are substantial (average $248,167), indicating the foundation prefers to make meaningful investments in fewer organizations
The trustee leadership reflects deep expertise in medical research and philanthropy, though the foundation's funding priorities center on environmental and social issues rather than healthcare

References

Brunckhorst Foundation Profile - Instrumentl - Accessed December 2025
Brunckhorst Foundation - Grantmakers.io - Grant recipient information, accessed December 2025
Brunckhorst Foundation - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF filings, accessed December 2025
Brunckhorst Foundation - Candid Foundation Directory - Foundation profile, accessed December 2025
AASLD Foundation Receives Transformational $25 Million Gift - November 2024
The donor behind the gift that will transform liver care at VCU - VCU News, February 2022
Brunckhorst Foundation - Charity Navigator - Accessed December 2025
$50M historic gift fuels scholarships in coastal and marine sciences at William & Mary - Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 2025