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F. M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.

Annual Giving
$16.8M
Grant Range
Up to $1.0M00
00

F. M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.

Quick Stats

  • Total Assets: $302.9 million
  • Annual Giving: $16.8 million (2024)
  • Average Grant Size: $60,753
  • Decision Time: Varies (invitation-only process)
  • Grant Range: Varies widely by program
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New Jersey and North Carolina; also Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and national organizations
  • General Operating Support: 56% of grants (2024)
  • Longtime Partners: 40.6% of grants to organizations funded for 25+ years

Contact Details

Address: 17 DeHart Street, PO Box 151, Morristown, NJ 07960-5207

Website: https://fmkirbyfoundation.org/

Email: info@fmkirby.com (responds within 24 hours to general inquiries)

Phone: Available on website

EIN: 51-6017929

Overview

Established in 1931 by Fred Morgan Kirby, a five-and-dime merchant and co-founder of F.W. Woolworth Company, the F.M. Kirby Foundation is a family foundation with approximately $302.9 million in assets. The Foundation awarded $16.8 million across 266 grants in 2024, representing a 9% increase year-over-year. Its mission is to invest in opportunities that foster self-reliance or otherwise create strong, healthy communities. The Foundation is led by Justin Kiczek, who in 2021 became the first non-family member to serve as President, while the Board includes five Kirby family members spanning two generations plus two non-family directors. The Foundation has distributed more than $440 million to nonprofits, primarily in geographic areas of particular interest to five generations of Kirby family members. A significant portion of grants (40.6% in 2024) go to organizations that have been funding partners for more than 25 years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grantmaking (Invitation-Only)

  • Varies by program area and organizational need
  • 56% of grants provided as general operating support (2024)
  • Rolling application process for invited organizations only
  • Application windows communicated at the start of each calendar year

Innovation Engine Grant Program

  • $300,000 per organization over three years
  • Only available to current Kirby Foundation grantees who received a minimum of three grants between 2020-2024
  • Organizations must have average annual budget between $250,000 and $4 million
  • Next application window to be announced in late 2026 for 2027 awards
  • 2025 recipients: Adirondack Community Foundation, Braver Angels, and Prevention is Key

F.M. Kirby Prize for Scaling Impact

  • $150,000 in unrestricted funding (annual global prize)
  • Administered through CASE at Duke University
  • Open to social enterprises and nonprofits globally
  • Separate application process from general grantmaking

Priority Areas

Education ($4.4 million in 2024)

  • Expanding educational equity
  • Extending opportunities for underserved students
  • Higher education support
  • K-12 educational programs

Human Services ($4 million in 2024)

  • Emergency and disaster services
  • Child protection and domestic violence support
  • Homeless services and food pantries
  • Housing assistance programs
  • Drug and alcohol rehabilitation
  • Mental health services
  • Youth and family development programs
  • Physical and cognitive disability services
  • Veteran affairs
  • Community development

Health and Medicine ($2.7 million in 2024)

  • Health services
  • Cancer support services
  • Medical research (including Type 1 diabetes research)

Arts, Culture, and Humanities ($2.4 million in 2024)

  • Cultural institutions
  • Arts programming

Environment and Animals ($1.7 million in 2024)

  • Environmental conservation
  • Animal welfare

Public Affairs ($1.2 million in 2024)

  • Higher education reform
  • Drug and alcohol prevention policy
  • Sexuality and reproductive health and rights
  • Democratic capitalism and free enterprise think tanks
  • Individual rights and free speech policy
  • Immigration reform
  • Public news media support

Religion ($127,500 in 2024)

  • Faith-based organizations

Geographic Priorities

Primary Geographic Focus:

  • New Jersey (approximately 60% of funding when combined with North Carolina)
  • North Carolina (approximately 60% of funding when combined with New Jersey)

Secondary Geographic Areas:

  • Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (where Fred Morgan Kirby opened his first store in 1887)
  • Morristown, New Jersey (Foundation headquarters)
  • Connecticut
  • New York
  • National nonprofits based in Washington, D.C. and New York City

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants to individuals
  • Grants to public foundations which would become private foundations as a result
  • Loans of any kind
  • Grants to underwrite fundraising activities such as benefits, dinners, performances, or sporting events

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Chair: Laura H. Virkler (assumed role in 2021)

President and Executive Director: Justin Kiczek (promoted September 2021, first non-family member to lead the Foundation)

Board Composition: Five Kirby family members spanning two generations, plus two non-family directors

Notable Board Members: S. Dillard Kirby (former President, now Director); Jefferson W. Kirby (Vice President)

Key Leadership Quotes

Justin Kiczek on the Innovation Engine Grant Program: "What excites us most about these projects is how each organization identified unmet needs and developed creative solutions that extend their impact. Each recipient has developed a thoughtful approach to expanding their reach while staying true to their core mission."

Justin Kiczek on the Foundation's approach during COVID-19: "A common theme to our grantmaking this past year was resilience," emphasizing that the Foundation offered general operating support "allowing non-profit leaders to respond quickly and flexibly to shifting needs."

Justin Kiczek on his leadership: "It is the honor of my life to serve as President of the F. M. Kirby Foundation. While I am humbled by the prospect of following the previous leaders of the Foundation, I am grateful to draw upon their wisdom and experience as well as the timeless values that have defined our philanthropy for over ninety years."

Foundation History

The Foundation was endowed by Fred Morgan Kirby in 1931 with approximately nine million dollars. Fred M. Kirby II led the Foundation for 43 years as President and 55 years on the Board, greatly enlarging its endowment and stature before retiring in 2010. S. Dillard Kirby succeeded his father as President in 2010 and served until 2021. In 2015, the "Kirby Alliance" initiative resulted in the allocation of approximately one-third of the Foundation's corpus to three "cousin" Donor Advised Funds/Foundations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The F.M. Kirby Foundation does not have an open public application process. The Foundation is no longer accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry.

Invitation-Only Process:

  • The Foundation's program team identifies organizations working to strengthen communities and extends invitations to apply when appropriate
  • Invited organizations are notified of their designated application window at the start of each calendar year
  • The invitation email contains a link to access the online Grants Portal and instructions on how to proceed
  • Applications are submitted through the Foundation's online portal using GivingData

For Invited Organizations:

  • Once logged into the Grants Portal, applicants can access a Resource Guide to assist in navigating the online application
  • A Word version of the application is available for previewing questions beforehand
  • Technical questions about the portal can be directed to the Foundation at the email address provided in the invitation
  • The Foundation responds to general inquiries within 24 hours at info@fmkirby.com

Who Gets Invited: Successful new applicants tend to be organizations already well known to one or more of the directors of the Foundation and/or other members of the Kirby family. The Foundation operates as a family foundation with grantees largely in geographic areas of particular interest to five generations of Kirby family members, and in many cases, are organizations with which family members have been associated.

Decision Timeline

Rolling Basis: The Foundation operates on a rolling application process for invited organizations, with application windows communicated at the beginning of each calendar year.

General Inquiries: The Foundation commits to responding within 24 hours to general inquiries sent to info@fmkirby.com.

Innovation Engine Grant Program Timeline (when offered):

  • Applications due: May
  • Finalist interviews: Fall
  • Final selections announced: December

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. However, the Foundation demonstrates strong preference for:

  • Organizations in their primary geographic areas (New Jersey and North Carolina accounted for nearly 60% of funding in 2024)
  • Longtime funding partners (40.6% of grants in 2024 went to organizations funded for 25+ years)
  • Organizations with existing connections to Kirby family members or directors

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

Long-Term Relationships: The Board recognizes that achieving philanthropic aspirations takes time, effort, and perseverance, often resulting in sustained funding relationships. Over 40% of grants go to organizations that have been partners for more than 25 years.

General Operating Support: More than half of all grants (56% in 2024) are provided as general operating support, reflecting the Foundation's trust in nonprofit leaders to respond quickly and flexibly to shifting needs.

Geographic Alignment: Organizations located in New Jersey and North Carolina have significantly increased chances of obtaining grants, with these two states receiving nearly 60% of all funding.

Family Connection: As a family foundation, successful applicants are typically organizations already well known to directors or Kirby family members, or located in areas of particular interest to five generations of the family.

Innovation and Impact: For the Innovation Engine Grant Program, the Foundation seeks organizations that identify unmet needs and develop creative solutions that extend their impact while staying true to their core mission. Selected organizations must demonstrate how initiatives complement rather than duplicate existing work, showing clear pathways to sustainability and measurable impact.

Resilience and Adaptability: The Foundation values organizations that demonstrate resilience and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining organizational focus.

Self-Reliance: The Foundation's goal is to invest in opportunities that foster self-reliance or otherwise create strong, healthy communities.

Recent Funding Examples

2025 Recipients:

  • Solar Freeze (Kenya): 2025 F.M. Kirby Prize for Scaling Social Impact for mobile, solar-powered cold storage units for smallholder farmers
  • Breakthrough T1D: Three-year grant of $1 million for Type 1 diabetes research at the New England Center of Excellence
  • Adirondack Community Foundation: $300,000 over three years (Innovation Engine Grant)
  • Braver Angels: $300,000 over three years (Innovation Engine Grant)
  • Prevention is Key: $300,000 over three years (Innovation Engine Grant)
  • American Red Cross, Market Street Mission, National Alliance on Mental Illness: Among 36 human service organizations receiving grants

2024 Focus Areas:

  • Newark Academy: Multi-year commitment to Ad Lumen campaign (50-year partner with Kirby family ties dating to mid-1970s)
  • 266 total grants across education, human services, health, arts/culture, environment, public affairs, and religion

Strategic Considerations

For New Organizations:

  • Building relationships with Kirby family members or directors is essential
  • Geographic location in primary focus areas (NJ, NC) significantly increases viability
  • Connection to areas of historical Kirby family interest (Wilkes-Barre, PA; Morristown, NJ) can be advantageous
  • Wait for Foundation outreach rather than submitting unsolicited inquiries

For Current Grantees:

  • Demonstrate sustained impact and organizational resilience
  • Consider eligibility for Innovation Engine Grant Program if you've received 3+ grants since 2020 and have budget between $250,000-$4 million
  • Multi-year commitments are possible for strategic initiatives
  • General operating support requests are welcomed and frequently approved

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only process: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Focus on building relationships and getting on the Foundation's radar through connections to Kirby family members or board directors.

  • Geographic focus is critical: Organizations in New Jersey and North Carolina receive nearly 60% of funding. Location in primary geographic areas significantly increases likelihood of support.

  • Longtime relationships matter: Over 40% of grants go to organizations funded for 25+ years. Once you become a grantee, maintain the relationship through excellent stewardship and impact reporting.

  • General operating support is preferred: 56% of grants provide flexible, general operating support. The Foundation trusts nonprofit leaders to allocate resources where most needed.

  • Family foundation dynamics: Success correlates with connections to five generations of Kirby family members. Organizations with which family members have been personally associated have distinct advantages.

  • Innovation opportunities for existing grantees: Current grantees with 3+ grants since 2020 and budgets of $250,000-$4 million should watch for Innovation Engine Grant Program opportunities offering $300,000 over three years.

  • Mission alignment on self-reliance: Frame proposals around fostering self-reliance and creating strong, healthy communities—the Foundation's core mission.

References

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