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Aaron Straus and Lillie Straus Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.9M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.2M

Aaron Straus and Lillie Straus Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,862,166 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $76.2 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $100 - $200,000
  • Average Grant Size: $47,000
  • Number of Grants (2023): 61 awards
  • Geographic Focus: Baltimore metropolitan region, Maryland
  • Application Type: Rolling basis with three annual decision cycles

Contact Details

Address: 1001 N. Charles St - Ste 301, Baltimore, MD 21201

Website: https://strausfoundation.org

Application Portal: straus.givingdata.com/portal/campaign/strausfoundationLOI2026

Key Contacts:

  • Molly Doran, Director of Programs (mdoran@strausfoundation.org) - Contact for returning grantees and application inquiries
  • Jan Rivitz, President and CEO

Overview

Founded in 1926 by Aaron and Lillie Straus, the Aaron Straus and Lillie Straus Foundation Inc has been a transformative force in Baltimore for nearly 100 years. Established by the founder of Reliable Stores Corporation without direct heirs, the Foundation was created with the intent to support Jewish immigrants and connect children in Baltimore to opportunities for building strong futures. With total assets of $76.2 million and annual grant distributions of approximately $2.9 million, the Foundation maintains its founders' clearly focused philanthropic vision "to give the people of Baltimore protection, education, and opportunity" while adapting to contemporary contexts. For the last decade, the Foundation has concentrated on social innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship to catalyze Baltimore's unique assets and talents. The Foundation optimizes impact by taking risks on emerging leaders and community solutions through partnership, capital, and technical assistance, committing to long-term funding when promising solutions emerge.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation awards grants through three annual grantmaking cycles while accepting applications on a rolling basis. Grants typically range from $100 to $200,000, with an average award of approximately $47,000.

Application Method: Letter of Interest system through online portal, followed by invitation for full proposal if selected. Previous grantees should contact mdoran@strausfoundation.org directly.

Priority Areas

1. Jewish Community Services

  • Supporting Jewish families remains a core priority
  • Jewish values, particularly social justice, inform all grantmaking
  • Notable grantee: Camps Airy & Louise (boys and girls camps in Western Maryland for Jewish children, originally started by Aaron and Lillie Straus)

2. Immigration Advocacy and Services

  • For close to 100 years, the Foundation has devoted resources to health and resettlement of immigrants
  • Serves approximately 50,000 foreign-born immigrants in Baltimore City
  • Focuses on culturally competent, community-based access to health services
  • Supports advocacy efforts around immigration rights and reimbursement
  • Recent grantees include: Intercultural Counseling Connection (mental health services for asylum seekers and refugees) and HEAL Refugee Health & Asylum Collaborative (linguistically and culturally responsive services for immigrant survivors of torture and trauma)

3. Access to Quality Health/Mental Health Services

  • Prioritizes early detection and prevention, particularly for children and families
  • Seeks culturally competent, community-based health services
  • Focus on addressing trauma and health disparities
  • Includes reproductive rights advocacy and services

4. Social Innovation, Leadership and Entrepreneurship

  • A decade-long focus on catalyzing Baltimore's entrepreneurial ecosystem
  • Supporting promising entrepreneurs to democratize opportunity
  • Providing capital and technical assistance
  • Creating new vibrancy in the city
  • Notable partnership: Founding partner of Baltimore Corps (provided strategic counsel, infrastructure, and first seed grant in 2013)

5. Alternative Grantmaking Approaches

  • Foundation-Driven Initiatives with specific Requests for Proposal
  • Funding Collaboratives pooling resources with other private and public funders
  • Occasional loans (not for emergency needs)
  • Program-Related Investments
  • Example: Baltimore Community Wealth Collaborative (partnership with Annie E. Casey Foundation, Open Society Institute-Baltimore, Goldseker Foundation, Thalheimer Foundation, Baltimore Community Foundation, University of Baltimore, and Community Wealth Ventures)

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Individual emergency needs

Strategic Preferences

The Foundation gives strongest consideration to projects that attempt to influence public funding streams in more effective ways. They encourage organizations to:

  • Use Baltimore/Maryland vendors when possible
  • Encourage employees and clients to access the Earned Income Tax Credit
  • Pursue intersectional approaches across program areas
  • Address systemic challenges with community resilience and innovation

Governance and Leadership

Staff Leadership:

  • Jan Rivitz, President and CEO - Focused on shining a light on Baltimore's unique assets, talent, and vibrancy while searching for solutions to entrenched inequities. Rivitz has been quoted asking, "Now, what would Lillie have done?" when considering competing causes, demonstrating commitment to honoring the founders' legacy. On partnerships, she notes: "We have this world-class institution sitting in one of the most under-resourced neighborhoods in the country, and any effort we can make to connect those two just makes sense."
  • Molly Doran, Director of Programs - Honored as part of The Baltimore Banner's third class of Emerging Leaders
  • Adrianna Lohnes, Operations Officer

Board Governance: The Board is comprised of descendants of the original Reliable Stores Corporation Board as well as outside Directors with expertise in various aspects of the Foundation's community interests. Since the Strauses had no direct heirs, stewardship was entrusted to Directors of the corporation Aaron Straus founded.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Eligibility Check

  • Review grantmaking policies to ensure alignment with programmatic priorities
  • Confirm organization operates in Baltimore metropolitan region (Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Queen Anne's County)

Step 2: Letter of Interest

  • First-time applicants: Create grant application login at straus.givingdata.com/portal/campaign/strausfoundationLOI2026
  • Previous grantees: Contact mdoran@strausfoundation.org directly
  • Submit short letter of interest through online portal

Step 3: Staff Review

  • Foundation staff review letter of interest
  • May be invited to meet with foundation staff
  • If selected, receive invitation to submit full proposal

Step 4: Full Proposal

  • Submit complete proposal if invited
  • Include alignment with programmatic priorities and potential for systemic impact

Step 5: Decision

  • Final review and grant decision
  • Notification of award amount and terms

Decision Timeline

Grants are awarded three times per year. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Specific decision timelines from submission to award are not publicly disclosed, though the Foundation emphasizes its commitment to reviewing all letters of interest.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation welcomes ongoing relationships with grantees. Previous grant recipients should reach out directly to Molly Doran at mdoran@strausfoundation.org for reapplication. The Foundation's philosophy includes committing funding over a long period of time when leaders and solutions show promising impact, indicating openness to multi-year relationships.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Baltimore Focus

The Foundation remains singularly focused on the Baltimore community to maximize the impact of limited resources. Applications must demonstrate clear benefit to the Baltimore metropolitan region.

Systemic Impact Potential

The Foundation gives strongest consideration to projects that attempt to influence public funding streams in more effective ways. Demonstrate how your project could catalyze systemic change or leverage public resources.

Intersectional Approaches

The Foundation values projects that work across their program areas (Jewish community services, immigration, health/mental health, social innovation/entrepreneurship). Show connections between multiple areas of impact.

Social Justice Values

Jewish values, particularly social justice, inform all grantmaking. Even if your organization isn't serving Jewish communities specifically, demonstrate alignment with social justice principles.

Risk-Taking and Innovation

The Foundation explicitly states it takes "risks on emerging leaders and community solutions." Don't be afraid to present innovative, untested approaches if they show promise.

Long-Term Sustainability

The Foundation provides partnership, capital, and technical assistance, committing to long-term funding for promising solutions. Show how initial funding could lead to sustainable, growing impact.

Partnership and Collaboration

The Foundation actively participates in funding collaboratives and foundation-driven initiatives. Demonstrate your organization's ability to work with other funders and community partners.

Cultural Competence

For immigration and health/mental health projects, demonstrate culturally competent, community-based approaches. Show understanding of the communities you serve.

Connection to Community Assets

Align with the Foundation's goal of "catalyzing the unique assets and talents of Baltimore." Show how your work builds on or amplifies existing community strengths.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Baltimore-only focus: This Foundation funds almost exclusively in the Baltimore metropolitan region - location alignment is essential
  • Multi-stage process: Initial letter of interest is brief - save detailed information for the full proposal stage if invited
  • Relationship-building matters: Previous grantees have a direct contact person (Molly Doran) - the Foundation values ongoing partnerships
  • Think systemically: Emphasize how your project could influence public funding streams or create systemic change, not just direct services
  • Three cycles per year: While applications are rolling, plan for three annual decision points when preparing your timeline
  • Risk-friendly funder: The Foundation explicitly takes risks on emerging leaders - innovative approaches are welcomed
  • Show collaboration potential: The Foundation actively participates in funding collaboratives and partnerships with other Baltimore funders
  • Long-term vision: Demonstrate how initial funding could grow into sustained impact worthy of multi-year support

References

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