Bok Fam Foundation Tr (Bok Family Foundation Trust)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3,894,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation/preselection only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $5,000 – $1,070,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts

Contact Details

• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 966, Canaan, CT 06018
• Website: No public website
• Application Portal: None (no unsolicited applications accepted)
• EIN: 25-6872863

Overview

The Bok Fam Foundation Tr, commonly known as the Bok Family Foundation Trust, is a private independent foundation established in 2005 and based in Canaan, Connecticut. With total assets of approximately $45.6 million as of 2024, the foundation distributes around $3.9 million annually across 30-35 grants. Since 2015, it has awarded at least 87 individual grants totaling approximately $13.3 million.

The foundation is led by trustees Scott L. Bok (former CEO of Greenhill & Co. and current Chair of the American Museum of Natural History Board), Roxanne Bok, and Elliot P. Bok. The foundation's giving spans education, environment, arts and culture, and health, with particular focus on the northeastern United States including the Housatonic Valley region of Connecticut where the Boks maintain a 115-acre farm. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications; all grants are made to preselected organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate named grant streams. All grant-making is at trustee discretion to preselected organizations:

• Education grants: $5,000 - $1,070,000 (supporting universities, independent schools, educational nonprofits)
• Environmental/conservation grants: Up to $400,000 (documented Nature Conservancy award)
• Arts and culture grants: Variable amounts to major cultural institutions and regional arts organizations
• Health grants: Targeted support for specific research causes

Priority Areas

• Education: Higher education (particularly University of Pennsylvania), college access for underserved youth, independent schools, literacy programs
• Environment and Animals: Land conservation, environmental advocacy, wildlife protection with emphasis on Housatonic Valley and New England/Hudson Valley region
• Arts and Culture: Theatre, museums, historic preservation in New York City and western New England
• Health: Targeted health research causes including breast cancer research

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited applications (funds only preselected organizations)
• International organizations (focus is northeastern US)
• No documented support for religious organizations, government bodies, or individual scholarships

Governance and Leadership

Scott L. Bok (Trustee) - Former CEO of Greenhill & Co. (16 years until acquisition by Mizuho in 2023), currently Senior Advisor to Mizuho. University of Pennsylvania alumnus (C'81, W'81, L'84), served as Chair of Penn's Board of Trustees (2021-2023). Currently Board Chair of American Museum of Natural History and board member of CARE (joined 2025). Previously served on Berkshire Taconic Advisory Council of the Nature Conservancy.

Roxanne Bok (Trustee) - University of Pennsylvania alumna (C'81) with background in banking and retail. Holds Master's degree in American Literature from King's College London.

Elliot P. Bok (Trustee) - Listed trustee, presumed family member.

None of the trustees receive compensation for their roles.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. There is no grant portal, open application cycle, or publicly listed deadlines. Grants are awarded entirely at trustee discretion based on existing relationships and personal philanthropic priorities.

Getting on Their Radar

• Board-linked organizations: Organizations where Scott Bok serves on the board (American Museum of Natural History, previously UPenn and Prep for Prep) have documented foundation support
• Nature Conservancy Berkshire Taconic Advisory Council: Environmental organizations in western Connecticut, Berkshires, or Hudson Valley that intersect with Nature Conservancy work are well-positioned
• University of Pennsylvania connections: Both Scott and Roxanne are UPenn alumni with deep institutional ties; UPenn-affiliated organizations have particular visibility
• Housatonic Valley/Litchfield Hills region: Local conservation, arts, and community organizations in northwestern Connecticut have higher likelihood of trustee attention through personal networks

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Form 990-PF typically filed October-November annually.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. Foundation awarded 34 grants (2024), 16 grants (2023), 15 grants (2022), 16 grants (2021).

Reapplication Policy

Not documented. Many grantees appear to receive recurring support.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only, traditional application factors don't apply. Key strategic observations based on documented patterns:

• Trustee relationships are essential: Every grant is trustee-directed; no process exists for unknown organizations to apply
• Personal passion alignment matters: Foundation priorities directly reflect Boks' personal interests - their Connecticut farm (environmental focus), UPenn ties (education portfolio), Scott's board roles (arts/culture giving)
• Regional specificity valued: Marked preference for organizations in Housatonic Valley, Litchfield Hills, New England/Berkshires/Hudson Valley corridor
• Grant sizes vary widely: $5,000-$1,070,000 range means both small local nonprofits and large institutions receive support
• Long-term partnerships preferred: Organizations like UPenn, Prep for Prep, Nature Conservancy show multi-year support patterns

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Active grant maker distributing ~$3.9 million annually but does not accept unsolicited applications under any circumstances
• All grants are trustee-directed to preselected organizations; relationship with Scott or Roxanne Bok is prerequisite
• Four funding pillars reflect trustees' personal/professional lives, not abstract strategy
• Scott Bok's current board roles (American Museum of Natural History, CARE) and past roles signal which organizations are within foundation's orbit
• Regional focus on northeastern US (particularly Housatonic Valley CT, NYC, Massachusetts) gives local organizations structural advantage
• Wide grant range ($5,000-$1,070,000) accommodates both small nonprofits and major institutions
• No public website, published guidance, or official contact channel - engagement requires organic relationship development with trustees

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer – Bok Fam Foundation Tr profile and 990-PF filing data. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/256872863. Accessed February 2026.
2. Grantmakers.io – Bok Fam Foundation Tr profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/256872863-bok-fam-foundation-tr/. Accessed February 2026.
3. Instrumentl – Bok Family Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/bok-family-foundation. Accessed February 2026.
4. Cause IQ – Bok Family Foundation Trust profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/bok-family-foundation-trust,256872863/. Accessed February 2026.
5. Inside Philanthropy – Scott and Roxanne Bok donor profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/major-donors/scott-bok-html. Accessed February 2026.
6. Candid/Foundation Center – The Bok Family Foundation directory listing. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=BOKF003. Accessed February 2026.
7. University of Pennsylvania/Penn Arts & Sciences – Bok Family Professorship in the Humanities. https://web.sas.upenn.edu/endowed-professors/bok/. Accessed February 2026.
8. Wikipedia – Scott Bok biographical entry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Bok. Accessed February 2026.
9. CARE.org – Scott Bok board member profile. https://www.care.org/about-us/leadership/scott-bok/. Accessed February 2026.