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The Morton K And Jane Blaustein Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$4.1M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.4M
Decision Time
3mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,057,092 (2023)
  • Decision Time: Varies; board meets 2-3 times annually
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $400,000
  • Median Grant: $75,000
  • Geographic Focus: Baltimore City, Maryland & DC regions, and New York
  • Awards Made: 61 grants in 2023

Contact Details

Address: One South Street, Suite 2900, Baltimore, MD 21202

Phone: 410-347-7201

Website: blaufund.org

Key Contacts:

  • Jeanne P. Blaustein, President
  • Regan E. Ralph, Executive Director - Tel: 410-347-7103
  • Tanya C. Herbick, Senior Program Officer - Tel: 410-347-7206

Pre-Application Support: Applicants are encouraged to contact a Program Officer via the contact form on the foundation's website before submitting a proposal to discuss potential fit.

Overview

The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation was established in 1988 as part of the Blaustein Philanthropic Group, a constellation of multi-generational family foundations inspired by the charitable legacy of Louis and Henrietta Blaustein. The foundation distributed approximately $4.1 million in grants in 2023 across 61 awards. The foundation is guided by the principle that people develop and flourish best when they enjoy fundamental civil and political rights and live in a safe and healthy environment. In recognition of the ongoing impact of institutionalized racism in the U.S., rising threats of xenophobia worldwide, and the devastating effects of climate change particularly on people of color and low-income communities, the foundation focuses its grantmaking on three interconnected program areas: Climate Justice, Racial Justice, and Immigrant Justice. The foundation works primarily in Baltimore City, the Maryland and DC regions, and New York.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates with rolling deadlines and reviews proposals as they are received. Boards meet independently 2-3 times per year to make funding decisions.

Climate Justice - Grants support:

  • Building broad-based, bipartisan alliances pushing for robust and equitable energy and climate policies at federal, state, and local levels
  • Grassroots organizing and advocacy led by communities most affected by climate change

Racial Justice - Grants support:

  • Advocacy for justice system reform
  • Addressing discriminatory school practices affecting students of color
  • Exposing and challenging institutionalized racism
  • Ensuring equal and fair treatment for all

Immigrant Justice - Grants support:

  • Immigrant-led organizing and advocacy for just immigration policies
  • Immigrant legal services and impact litigation to ensure critical legal and social protections
  • Creating support networks for asylum seekers
  • Organizations include American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Immigration Council, International Refugee Assistance Project, and the Refugee and Immigrant Fund

Priority Areas

The foundation actively funds organizations working on:

  • Environmental protection and climate change mitigation with focus on vulnerable communities
  • Criminal justice reform and police accountability
  • Educational equity and dismantling discriminatory practices
  • Immigration rights, refugee protection, and asylum seeker support
  • Policy advocacy at federal, state, and local levels
  • Grassroots community organizing

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed on the foundation's website. As with most private foundations, they typically do not fund:

  • Individuals
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status (though organizations with fiscal sponsors or agents are eligible)

Governance and Leadership

Foundation Leadership:

  • Jeanne P. Blaustein - President of the Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation
  • Regan E. Ralph - Executive Director of Blaustein Philanthropic Group. Ralph brings extensive experience from her 20-year tenure as founding President and CEO of the Fund for Global Human Rights until 2022, as well as previous work at National Women's Law Center and Human Rights Watch.

Program Staff:

  • Tanya C. Herbick - Senior Program Officer
  • Lara A. Hall - Senior Program Officer: Educational Opportunity, Health and Mental Health
  • Brenda Bodenheimer Zlatin - Senior Program Officer: Jewish Life, Israel, Human Rights

Administrative Staff:

  • April Crowder - Grants and Office Administrator
  • Sonja Klein Sugerman - Data and Grants Manager

The foundation is part of the Blaustein Philanthropic Group, which collectively distributes over $19 million in grants annually across its family of foundations, with over half supporting organizations working in metropolitan Baltimore and statewide in Maryland.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation accepts unsolicited grant proposals on a rolling basis. Before submitting a full proposal, applicants are encouraged to submit a 2-3 page letter of intent explaining their ideas and then submit the full proposal upon request.

Pre-Application Contact: Applicants should contact a Program Officer using the contact form on the foundation's website to discuss potential fit and receive guidance about submission before preparing a full proposal. A Program Officer will respond and can provide the correct email address for proposal submission.

Eligibility: Grantees must be nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, organized and operated for charitable purposes. Organizations with fiscal sponsors or agents are also eligible to apply.

Proposal Requirements:

  • Anticipated outcomes and how your organization assesses results
  • List of institutional funders including grant amounts, periods, and purposes
  • Budget information with projected income and expenditures
    • For income: show institutional donors by name and amounts
    • For expenditures: clearly show expenses for fundraising, administration, and program
  • Statement explaining how the program will be sustained after the grant period

Proposals are typically submitted electronically after corresponding with a Program Officer.

Decision Timeline

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and will be acknowledged within three weeks of receipt. Each of the Blaustein foundations meets independently 2-3 times per year to consider requests. The typical timeframe from submission to decision varies depending on the board meeting schedule but generally takes several months.

Success Rates

With 61 awards made in 2023 from total annual giving of approximately $4.1 million, the foundation receives many more requests for support than it can fund. Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation's specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly detailed. Applicants are encouraged to contact a Program Officer to discuss reapplication possibilities.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and program areas, successful applications should:

  • Demonstrate clear alignment with one of the three program areas (Climate Justice, Racial Justice, or Immigrant Justice) and show understanding of how these issues intersect with vulnerable communities
  • Focus on geographic priorities - Organizations working in Baltimore City, Maryland and DC regions, or New York have the strongest fit
  • Emphasize community leadership - The foundation values grassroots organizing and advocacy led by those most affected by the issues, particularly for climate justice and immigrant justice work
  • Show policy impact - Applications should demonstrate how the work will influence policy at federal, state, or local levels
  • Address systemic issues - The foundation seeks to support work that confronts institutionalized racism, xenophobia, and climate injustice at structural levels
  • Include measurable outcomes - Clearly articulate anticipated outcomes and methods for assessing results
  • Demonstrate sustainability - Explain how programs will be sustained beyond the grant period
  • Contact a Program Officer first - The foundation strongly encourages initial contact before submitting a full proposal to ensure fit and receive guidance

Organizations should review the foundation's Grants Database on their website to understand the types of organizations and projects they have recently supported.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Make initial contact before applying - Reach out to a Program Officer via the foundation's contact form to discuss fit before investing time in a full proposal; start with a 2-3 page letter of intent
  • Geographic fit is crucial - Your organization should operate primarily in Baltimore City, Maryland/DC regions, or New York to have the strongest chance of funding
  • Focus on one of three program areas - Ensure your work clearly aligns with Climate Justice, Racial Justice, or Immigrant Justice; show understanding of how these issues intersect
  • Center community voices - The foundation values grassroots organizing and advocacy led by affected communities, not just services provided to them
  • Think systemically - Frame your work in terms of addressing institutionalized racism, xenophobia, or climate injustice at structural levels, not just addressing symptoms
  • Plan for 2-3 month decision timeline - With board meetings occurring 2-3 times annually, expect several months from submission to decision
  • Grant range is wide - Grants range from $10,000 to $400,000 with a median around $75,000, so be realistic about your request based on your organization's size and project scope

References

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