Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation Inc.

Note: This is a private foundation that does not accept unsolicited grant applications. It makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The overview below is intended to help grant writers understand the foundation's priorities and history in order to pursue a relationship-building strategy.

---

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $7,504,706 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $1,300,000
• Total Assets: $132,499,498
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Maryland, with secondary activity in New York and the District of Columbia
• Application Method: Invitation only / preselected organizations

---

Contact Details

• Address: 217 International Circle, Hunt Valley, MD 21030
• Managed by: Knollwood Investment Advisory, Hunt Valley, MD
• IRS EIN: 52-2106057
• ProPublica (990 filings): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522106057
• Candid/Foundation Directory: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=BUNT006

No public website has been identified for this foundation.

---

Overview

The Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation Inc. is a private independent foundation established in 1998 and based in Hunt Valley, Maryland. It was founded by Mary Catherine Bunting, the granddaughter of Dr. George Avery Bunting, founder of the Noxzema Chemical Company. Mary Catherine is a former Sister of Mercy and retired nurse practitioner who spent decades serving Baltimore communities through healthcare and education.

The foundation holds total assets of approximately $132.5 million and distributed $7.5 million in grants in 2024 across 91 awards. Its philanthropic focus reflects the founder's personal biography and values: Catholic faith, healthcare, education (particularly for girls and underserved communities), environmental stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay region, and human services in the Baltimore area. The foundation is administered through Knollwood Investment Advisory and has no paid employees. All grantmaking is carried out at the discretion of the trustees and is not open to public application.

---

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

This foundation does not operate named, publicly described grant programs. All grants are made at trustee discretion to preselected organisations. Based on IRS Form 990 filings and documented giving, grant amounts span:

• Major gifts: $500,000 - $1,300,000 (transformational capital and endowment gifts to longstanding partner institutions)
• Significant grants: $100,000 - $500,000 (core operational support and program funding to trusted partners)
• Smaller awards: $2,000 - $99,999 (likely supporting a wider range of community organisations)

In 2024, 91 grants were made totalling $7,504,706, representing an average award of approximately $82,000.

Priority Areas

Based on IRS Form 990 filings and publicly documented philanthropic activity, the foundation's documented areas of support include:

• Catholic and faith-based institutions: Mercy Medical Center, Catholic Charities of Baltimore, Catholic Relief Services, Institute of Notre Dame, Sisters Academy of Baltimore, Cristo Rey Jesuit School, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, St. Mary's Seminary and University, Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem Foundation, Partners in Excellence
• Healthcare and human services: Mercy Health Foundation, Stella Maris, Healthcare for the Homeless, Habitat for Humanity
• Education: Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, College of Notre Dame of Maryland (School of Pharmacy), Sisters Academy of Baltimore
• Environment and conservation: Chesapeake Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Conservation Fund, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake
• Arts and culture: Center Stage Baltimore, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
• NTEE Classification: Philanthropy, Voluntarism and Grantmaking Foundations (T22); Education; Human Services

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited applications: The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations
• National or international organisations with no Maryland or Baltimore connection are unlikely to receive support given the strong geographic focus
• Non-Catholic secular organisations may be less competitive given the founder's documented faith-based philanthropic identity, though exceptions exist (e.g., Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, environmental groups)

---

Governance and Leadership

The foundation has no paid staff. Governance is carried out by a board of trustees. Known current or recent trustees and officers include:

• Mary Catherine Bunting - Founder and Trustee
• Christopher L. Bunting - Trustee/Director
• Marc G. Bunting - Director
• Geraldine Fialkowski - Trustee/Director
• Jack Bovaird - Director
• Kevin D. Irwin Jr. - Director

Mary Catherine Bunting herself has articulated her philanthropic philosophy publicly:

"Being Catholic, I thought, what are you supposed to do with your blessings? Share them." — Mary Catherine Bunting

"I was blessed to come from a family that did not focus on wealth. And I knew that love — not wealth — is what brings joy and happiness." — Mary Catherine Bunting

Regarding her support of the Institute of Notre Dame, she said:

"IND is special. Since 1847, the school has remained true to its identity and has stayed committed to Baltimore and educating girls in the city. It is a place that will continue to grow, and I recognised the importance and that is why I chose to support the school's scholarship efforts." — Mary Catherine Bunting (Catholic Review, 2020)

These statements reflect a consistent prioritisation of mission fidelity, place-based commitment (particularly to Baltimore), and long-term institutional relationships.

Mary Catherine Bunting has also been recognised as Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year during National Philanthropy Day in Maryland, reflecting her standing within the regional philanthropic community.

---

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings explicitly state that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. There is no application portal, published deadline cycle, or open grant programme.

Getting on Their Radar

The following is specific, documented intelligence about how this foundation identifies and develops grantee relationships:

• Personal relationship with the founder: Mary Catherine Bunting's major grants have overwhelmingly gone to organisations with which she has a direct personal connection — places she trained, worked, volunteered, or with which she shares faith community. The Sisters of Mercy network and the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore are particularly relevant connection points.
• Archdiocese of Baltimore network: Multiple documented grantees (Mercy Medical Center, Institute of Notre Dame, Sisters Academy, Catholic Charities, Cristo Rey Jesuit) are embedded in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Organisations within or connected to this network are more likely to come to the foundation's attention.
• University of Maryland School of Nursing / healthcare alumni networks: Bunting received her advanced nursing degree from UMSON and endowed a scholarship there. Organisations connected to clinical nursing leadership or public health in Maryland may find common ground.
• Environmental advocacy networks: Bunting signed the 2023 Maryland the Beautiful Act Petition through Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, indicating active participation in interfaith environmental advocacy circles in the Chesapeake region.
• Knollwood Investment Advisory: The foundation is administered through Knollwood Investment Advisory at the same Hunt Valley address. While cold outreach is unlikely to be productive, Knollwood staff may be a legitimate point of introductory contact for well-aligned organisations.

Decision Timeline

No public information is available on decision timelines. Given the absence of a formal application process, grants are made at the discretion of the board on an ongoing basis rather than through a fixed cycle.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation operates by trustee discretion with no open application process, so success rate data in the conventional sense does not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept applications.

---

Application Success Factors

As this foundation does not accept applications, the following factors reflect what is documented about the types of organisations and causes the foundation has historically supported, and what characteristics appear to attract the founder's philanthropic interest:

• Long institutional history and mission stability: Bunting's documented major gifts have gone to institutions with multi-decade or even multi-century track records (e.g., IND since 1847, Mercy since the 19th century). She has explicitly cited longevity and mission fidelity as reasons for her support.
• Baltimore and Maryland rootedness: The majority of documented grantees are located in or directly serve Baltimore City or the broader Maryland region. Organisations that are deeply embedded in the Baltimore community and can demonstrate local impact are best aligned.
• Catholic mission or values alignment: While not exclusively Catholic in giving, the preponderance of documented grants go to Catholic-affiliated institutions. Organisations with a Catholic identity or strong partnership with the Archdiocese of Baltimore are significantly advantaged.
• Girls' and women's education: Multiple major personal gifts have specifically targeted education for girls and women (IND, Sisters Academy, University of Maryland nursing scholarships). Organisations in this space have a documented resonance with the founder's values.
• Healthcare and nursing: Bunting's own career as a nurse and nurse practitioner makes healthcare organisations — particularly those serving vulnerable populations — a natural fit. Organisations focused on community health, maternal health, or nursing education are well-aligned.
• Chesapeake Bay environmental conservation: Environmental giving, particularly focused on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, is a documented pattern. Faith-environment organisations (Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake) appear to bridge her two major interests.
• Endowment and capital funding: Several of Bunting's largest personal gifts have been endowment contributions or capital campaign gifts. Organisations with strong endowment strategies may find this funder's interests better aligned with capital asks than operating grants.

---

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists: This foundation exclusively funds preselected organisations. Cold applications or letters of inquiry submitted without a pre-existing relationship are very unlikely to succeed.
• Catholic and faith-based organisations in Baltimore are the strongest fit: The vast majority of documented grantees share the founder's Catholic identity and Baltimore roots. This is the single most important alignment factor.
• Relationship is everything: All evidence suggests grants are driven by Mary Catherine Bunting's personal relationships and direct knowledge of organisations. Entry points via the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Sisters of Mercy networks, or University of Maryland Baltimore are most promising.
• Healthcare, girls' education, and Chesapeake Bay conservation are priority themes: These three thematic pillars are consistently evidenced across both personal gifts and foundation 990 data. Organisations at the intersection of two or more of these themes are particularly well-positioned.
• Grant amounts vary widely ($2,000 - $1,300,000): The foundation makes both very small and very large awards, suggesting it funds organisations at different scales. New relationship organisations may receive smaller initial grants.
• The foundation is growing: Annual grant-making has expanded significantly, from 12 awards in 2021 to 91 awards in 2024, suggesting an active period of increased distribution. The range of grantees may be broadening.
• Knollwood Investment Advisory administers the foundation: While not a guaranteed contact route, the administrator at 217 International Circle, Hunt Valley, MD 21030 is the only known institutional contact point for the foundation.

---

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation (EIN: 52-2106057). Financial data from IRS Form 990-PF filings including 2024 revenue ($20,966,606), expenses ($8,534,600), total assets ($132,499,498), and charitable disbursements ($7,554,706). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522106057 — Accessed February 2026.

2. Cause IQ — The Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation profile page. Trustee names, financial data (2023: revenues $17,361,565, assets $124,051,923), and sample grant recipients including Mercy Health Foundation ($1,100,000) and Chesapeake Conservancy ($200,000). https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-mary-catherine-bunting-foundation,522106057/ — Accessed February 2026.

3. Instrumentl 990 Report — Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation. Grant range ($2,000–$1,300,000), total giving in 2024 ($7,504,706), 91 awards in 2024, geographic focus (Maryland, New York, DC), and NTEE classification (T22). https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/mary-catherine-bunting-fundation — Accessed February 2026.

4. Grantmakers.io — Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation Inc. (EIN: 52-2106057). Confirmation that foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/522106057-mary-catherine-bunting-foundation-inc/ — Accessed February 2026.

5. Catholic Review — "Philanthropist Mary Catherine Bunting gives record $2 million gift to IND." Article including direct quote from Mary Catherine Bunting about IND and her philanthropic reasoning. https://catholicreview.org/philanthropist-mary-catherine-bunting-gives-record-2-million-gift-to-ind/ — Accessed February 2026.

6. Archdiocese of Baltimore — Coverage of Mercy Medical Center's Bunting Center opening and Mary Catherine Bunting's $400 million capital campaign gift. https://www.archbalt.org/mercy-medical-prepares-to-open-mary-catherine-bunting-center-dec-19/ — Accessed February 2026.

7. University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMB) — Commencement 2018 speaker/honoree profile of Mary Catherine Bunting, MS '72, CRNP. Background on nursing career, University of Maryland degrees, and UMSON scholarship endowment ($1 million). https://www.umaryland.edu/graduation/archived-events/commencement-2018/speakers-and-honorees/mary-catherine-bunting.php — Accessed February 2026.

8. Catholic Charities of Baltimore 2023 Annual Report — Lists both the Bunting Family Foundation and Mary Catherine Bunting personally as donors. https://cc-md.org/2023-annual-report/ — Accessed February 2026.

9. Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake — Mary Catherine Bunting listed as signatory to the 2023 Maryland the Beautiful Act Petition. https://www.interfaithchesapeake.org/7210 — Accessed February 2026.

10. Candid / Foundation Directory Online — Foundation Directory profile for Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation Inc. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=BUNT006 — Accessed February 2026.