BLBB Charitable
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work is in college access, economic self-sufficiency, K–12 education or environmental education, and serves the Greater Philadelphia area with a priority on Montgomery and Bucks counties, the foundation's stated focus fits.
- About 8 in 10 of its 608 grants to organisations fall between $400 and $25,000, and half are $2,500 or less, so a modest request is the realistic size; the largest grant reported was about $300,000.
- In its latest filing, 93% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so it leans heavily on groups it already knows, and current or recent grantees should email to discuss a future request before submitting a new LOI.
- For Education & Leadership Impact Grants, submit an online Letter of Inquiry; the foundation reviews new LOIs monthly and invites selected organisations to submit a full application, with quarterly deadlines for invited requests over $15,000 or for multiple years.
- Do not apply if you are an individual, a private foundation or a supporting organisation, or if your primary mission is political or religious (unless that component is not a primary part of the programme), and, for Education & Leadership Impact Grants, do not apply if you are a public or charter school.
Overview
BLBB Charitable is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
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
BLBB Charitable supports initiatives that help people discover their full potential through education and leadership opportunities. It invests in nonprofit organisations whose creative approach and sound strategies yield meaningful and measurable outcomes for the people they serve. Its Education & Leadership Impact Grants support college access and post-secondary opportunities, economic self-sufficiency, K–12 educational opportunities and local environmental education. Its support includes operating support, project support and capacity building, such as sustainability and strategic planning, programme planning and growth, leadership or professional development, and staff training. It gives particular attention to disadvantaged young people and families, youth development and leadership, and programmes that can change a participant’s life trajectory. Eligible nonprofits serve the Greater Philadelphia area, with particular focus on Montgomery and Bucks counties.
Themes
- College access
- Economic self-sufficiency
- K-12 education
- Environmental education
Geographic Focus
Greater Philadelphia area. Priority: Montgomery; Bucks.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals, private foundations, or supporting organizations
- Organizations whose primary mission is political or religious (such as organizations whose principal purpose is promulgating a particular religious faith, creed, or doctrine), unless the political or religious component is not a primary component of the program
- Education & Leadership Impact Grants only: public or charter schools
How to apply
Organisations may apply for Education & Leadership Impact Grants by submitting an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI). BLBB Charitable reviews new LOIs monthly and invites selected organisations to submit a full application.
Deadlines: Invited Education & Leadership Impact Grant requests over $15,000 or for multiple years follow quarterly submission deadlines.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 93% 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 608 grants to organisations were $2,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours programmes that maintain connections over time and can positively change a participant’s life trajectory.
- It prioritises programmes that remove barriers to success for disadvantaged young people or provide life-changing opportunities, experiences or connections.
- It particularly focuses on programmes working with family systems and intergenerational stability.
- For one-time special sponsorships, it gives priority to organisations it already supports or those recommended by a BLBB employee.
- Current or recent grantees should email to discuss future requests before submitting a new LOI.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to organisations BLBB Charitable had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 15% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 207 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $2,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Williamson College of the Trades · Alumni Relations$170,0002024 tax year
- Ellis Foundation · Scholarship FUND (SEE GENERAL STATEMENT)$140,1142024 tax year
- Gemma Services · Precision Analytics and Teacher Apprentice Program$75,0002024 tax year
- Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Delaware Valley · Montgomery County Financial Empowerment Center Expansion$50,0002024 tax year
- Bucks County Opportunity Council · Economic Self-Sufficiency Program and Montgomery County Expansion$50,0002024 tax year
- Temple University · BLBB Charitable Financial Planning Scholarship FUND at Fox School of Business$32,0002024 tax year
- Achieveability · Family Self-Sufficiency Program$30,0002024 tax year
- Meadowbrook School · Professional Development and Curriculum/Resources INVESTMENT$30,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- John T Lawton — Director, Vice President
- W Dean Karrash — Director, Secretary, Vice President
- Clifford Haugen — Director, President
- Diana Loukedis Doherty — Director
- Laura W Brewer — Director, Vice President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,650,173 | $2,051,518 | $42,709,641 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,303,738 | $1,730,689 | $46,429,697 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,269,614 | $1,568,403 | $48,982,567 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
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Applying to BLBB Charitable?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required