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Evelyn Y Davis Foundation

Annual Giving
$17.2M
Grant Range
$200K - $4.6M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $17,175,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $200,000 - $4,600,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States), with emphasis on Washington DC, Virginia, and other major cities

Contact Details

Foundation Management: Bank of America, N.A., Trustee c/o Lee Parker 1800 K Street NW Washington, DC 20006 Phone: (202) 442-7460

Application Portal: www.bankofamerica.com/philanthropic/grantmaking.go

Mailing Address: PO Box 653067 Dallas, TX 75265-3067

Overview

The Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation was established in 1993 by Evelyn Y. Davis (1929-2018), a pioneering shareholder activist and corporate governance advocate who survived Nazi concentration camps during World War II before immigrating to the United States. The foundation, which began grantmaking in 1989, has approximately $30,238 in current assets (following significant distributions in 2024 totaling $17.2 million) and is managed by Bank of America as trustee. The foundation focuses primarily on journalism education, women's education, public broadcasting, and historically significant institutions including HBCUs and women's colleges. Davis, who published the influential newsletter "Highlights and Lowlights" covering corporate governance from 1965-2011, established the foundation to continue her commitment to transparency, journalism, and education. The foundation has made transformational gifts to journalism programs and women's educational institutions, reflecting Davis's belief that journalism is "a way of getting the truth out."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides unrestricted general grants to educational institutions, journalism organizations, and public broadcasting entities. Recent major grants (2024) include:

  • Trinity College of Washington DC: $4,600,000 (women's college, journalism program)
  • PBS NewsHour/WETA: $4,050,000 (public broadcasting, journalism)
  • Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Services (WHRO): $2,500,000 (PBS Virginia affiliate)
  • Women's Sports Foundation: $2,000,000 (women's leadership research)
  • Xavier University of Louisiana: $1,750,000 (HBCU, historically Black Catholic institution)

Previous grants have ranged from $200,000 to over $1,000,000, with the foundation showing consistent support for journalism education at universities including UNC Chapel Hill's Hussman School of Journalism and American University.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Journalism Education: Scholarships, newsroom facilities, broadcast studios, and journalism programs
  • Women's Education: Women's colleges, women's leadership development, women's sports research
  • Public Broadcasting: PBS stations, public media journalism, educational telecommunications
  • Higher Education: Nationally prominent universities, particularly those focused on journalism, business journalism, and political journalism
  • HBCUs and Minority Education: Support for historically Black colleges and universities
  • Healthcare: Hospitals (including a notable $100,000 gift to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas)

Specific Areas of Interest:

  • Business journalism and financial reporting
  • Political journalism
  • Corporate governance education
  • Women's leadership through sports
  • Catholic women's education
  • Investigative reporting and "digging" journalism

What They Don't Fund

Based on available information, the foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Individuals (except through institutional scholarship programs)
  • International organizations
  • Organizations outside the United States
  • General operating support for non-educational organizations
  • Organizations unrelated to journalism, education, or women's advancement

Governance and Leadership

Trustee: Bank of America, N.A. serves as the sole trustee, managing the foundation's grantmaking program. The trustee receives annual compensation for foundation management services.

Key Contact: Lee Parker, Bank of America (Washington, DC office)

Founder's Legacy: Evelyn Y. Davis (1929-2018) was a Holocaust survivor who became one of America's most prominent shareholder activists. Over nearly 60 years, she attended hundreds of corporate shareholder meetings, challenging executives on compensation, board diversity, and corporate political activity. An analysis from 1987-1994 found she was responsible for 15% of all shareholder resolutions submitted in the United States. Her advocacy led to significant corporate governance reforms, including the end of staggered board terms at major corporations like Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and J.C. Penney.

Davis believed strongly in journalism as a tool for accountability and transparency. As Bob Meyers of the National Press Foundation stated, "Mrs. Davis loved journalism as a way of getting the truth out." This philosophy guides the foundation's continued support for journalism education and investigative reporting.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are managed through Bank of America's Philanthropic Solutions platform. Organizations must:

  1. Verify Eligibility: Must be a 501(c)(3) public charity
  2. Research Alignment: Review the foundation's mission and recent grantmaking patterns to ensure alignment
  3. Submit Online Application: Nearly all Bank of America trustee foundations require online applications through www.bankofamerica.com/philanthropic/grantmaking.go
  4. Contact for Guidance: Organizations are encouraged to contact Lee Parker at (202) 442-7460 to discuss potential grant requests before submitting formal proposals

Application Requirements:

  • Online application form
  • Documentation of 501(c)(3) status
  • Project description and alignment with foundation priorities
  • Budget and financial information
  • Grant report required within 1 year of grant award (regardless of spending status)

Important Note: Organizations that fail to submit the required grant report within one year of the grant award will be ineligible for future grant funding.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Organizations should check the foundation's detail page on the Bank of America website for any deadline information, as "deadlines and restrictions: see website" is noted in available materials.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. The foundation makes approximately 5-9 grants annually, suggesting a highly selective process focused on transformational gifts to aligned organizations rather than broad distribution of smaller grants.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly specified. Organizations should contact Lee Parker at Bank of America to discuss reapplication possibilities.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented grantmaking patterns and founder's philosophy:

Strong Alignment Indicators:

  • Journalism Focus: Programs that train the next generation of business journalists, political journalists, or investigative reporters are particularly well-aligned. Davis believed in journalism as "a way of getting the truth out" and supported "digging" and investigative reporting.
  • Women's Education: Women's colleges, programs supporting women's leadership development, and research on women's advancement show strong alignment with the foundation's priorities.
  • Transformational Impact: The foundation makes large, transformational grants ($1M+) rather than many small grants. Proposals should demonstrate how significant funding will create substantial, lasting impact.
  • Catholic and HBCU Institutions: The foundation has shown particular interest in Catholic women's colleges (Trinity Washington) and historically Black institutions (Xavier University of Louisiana).
  • Public Broadcasting: PBS affiliates and public media journalism programs focused on news and educational content.

Recent Funding Examples:

  • Trinity Washington University received over $1 million total to create and expand a newsroom and journalism program
  • National Press Foundation received over $1 million in the last decade, including funding for a state-of-the-art broadcast studio named in Davis's honor
  • UNC Hussman School of Journalism offers Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation Scholarships for rising seniors pursuing business or political journalism

Application Strategy:

  • Demonstrate clear connection to journalism education, transparency, accountability, or women's advancement
  • Emphasize how the grant will support investigative capacity or "getting the truth out"
  • Show institutional commitment to journalism excellence and ethical reporting
  • For women's institutions, highlight leadership development and educational opportunity
  • Consider requesting transformational funding for capital projects, endowments, or program creation rather than smaller annual support

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Large-Scale Giving: The foundation makes approximately 5-9 grants annually, typically ranging from $200,000 to over $4 million. Focus on transformational requests, not small grants.
  • Journalism-Centered Mission: Nearly all grants connect to journalism education, public broadcasting journalism, or media transparency. Proposals must demonstrate clear journalism impact.
  • Women's Education Priority: The foundation shows strong preference for women's colleges, women's leadership programs, and institutions serving underrepresented populations including HBCUs.
  • Bank of America Management: All applications go through Bank of America's trustee services. Use their online portal and contact Lee Parker before applying.
  • Founder's Legacy Matters: Understanding Evelyn Y. Davis's commitment to corporate accountability, transparency, and "getting the truth out" will help frame compelling proposals aligned with her vision.
  • Unrestricted Support: The foundation typically provides unrestricted general grants, suggesting trust in institutional leadership and long-term partnership approach.
  • Report Requirements Critical: Failure to submit grant reports within one year results in ineligibility for future funding—take reporting deadlines seriously.

References

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