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Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation

Annual Giving
$8.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.1M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $8.2 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable - invitation only
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Washington, DC metro area, with selective national and international (Israel) grants

Contact Details

Address: 5301 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20015-2015
Phone: 202-363-6301
Website: www.dnbfdc.org
Executive Director: Kelly Lynch

Overview

The Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation was established in 1965 by Diane (1933-2021) and Norman Bernstein (1921-2021), who were married for 67 years and came from humble beginnings that shaped their values of humility, justice, and generosity. With assets of approximately $114 million, the foundation has served the Washington, DC community for over 60 years. Guided by the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam (the responsibility to repair what is broken in the world), the foundation's mission is to "support changemakers, initiatives, and bold ideas that foster a community in which everyone thrives." The foundation made 121 grants totaling $8.2 million in 2023. In 2020, the foundation celebrated Norman's 100th birthday with a $12 million pledge to DC organizations championing the arts, justice, and equal opportunity. The foundation operates as a family foundation with board members including the Bernsteins' children and is known for embracing trust-based philanthropy through multi-year, unrestricted support to partners.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs with specific applications. Instead, it makes strategic grants identified by the foundation's board and staff. Recent grant examples include:

  • Major institutional grants: $1.1 million to Jewish Federation of Greater Washington; $650,000 to Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  • Arts and culture: $500,000 to Sitar Arts Center; $200,000 to Arena Stage; $100,000 to Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
  • Community organizations: Various grants ranging from $5,000 to several hundred thousand dollars

Average grant size is approximately $68,000, with 121 grants made annually.

Priority Areas

Primary focus areas include:

  • Social Justice: Community organizing, racial equity, democracy, and human rights
  • Housing: Affordable housing preservation and homelessness prevention (one of four strategic pillars adopted in 2021)
  • Arts and Culture: Supporting major DC cultural institutions and community arts programs
  • Children and Youth: Educational programs, child welfare, and youth development
  • Jewish Welfare and Israel: Supporting Jewish community organizations and Israeli democracy/human rights initiatives (particularly New Israel Fund)
  • Education: Early childhood education and educational equity
  • Health: Children's health, maternal and child care, and community health centers
  • Women and Girls: Programs supporting women and girls, particularly those economically disadvantaged

Key partner organizations highlighted on website:

  • Peace for DC (gun violence prevention and intervention)
  • Washington Housing Conservancy (affordable housing)
  • New Israel Fund (human rights and democracy in Israel)
  • Diverse City Fund (supporting community organizers of color)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's 990 filing states: "Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (all family members, serving without compensation):

  • Josh Bernstein (Director & Board Chair): CEO of Bernstein Management Corporation, serves on boards of Capital Bancorp, Hirshhorn Museum, Jewish Federation of Greater Washington; past chair of Sidwell Friends School and Meyer Foundation

  • Celia Bernstein (Director): 30-year career as fundraising executive, former Director of Development for Westside Family Health Center, involved with social justice organizations including Liberty Hill Foundation

  • Marianne Bernstein (Director): Photographer, filmmaker, and independent curator; previous board roles with Artspace and Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

  • Nancy Bernstein (Director): Donor activist focused on democracy, climate change, and public health; J Street National Board member; involved with Women Donors Network and Social Venture Fund for Jewish Arab Equality and Shared Society

  • Susan Bernstein (Director): Trained as social worker, ceramic artist and faculty member at Mudflat Pottery School in Somerville, MA; serves on CUNY School of Public Health endowment committee

  • Elizabeth Bernstein Norton (Director): Director of Holding Ground Media, founder of Stone Soup Films; board member of Woolly Mammoth Theater and Woods Hole Film Festival

Staff:

  • Kelly Lynch (Executive Director): CPA with 25 years of executive experience; serves on boards of Bread for the City and Partnership to End Homelessness. Lynch emphasizes "proximity" in philanthropy and believes "As funders, we have an obligation to step up, put our money where our mouth is, and stand up for those who can't advocate for themselves."

  • Annika Monkarsh (Grants Manager): Oversees grant portfolio and community partnerships; background in education and Peace Corps service; holds degrees in Neuroscience and Middle Eastern Studies

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's 990 filing explicitly states: "Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

  • Strategic identification by board members and staff
  • Organizations with existing relationships to the Bernstein family
  • Organizations identified through the foundation's network and community engagement
  • Multi-year partnerships with select organizations

The foundation has adopted a trust-based philanthropy approach, providing multi-year, unrestricted general operating support to partner organizations rather than restricted project grants.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies grantees through board member networks and strategic community engagement. Specific approaches include:

  • Executive Director Kelly Lynch's active networking: Lynch participates in the Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council and attends monthly funder calls to understand community needs and identify potential partners

  • Board member affiliations: Each board member brings connections from their professional work and board service on other organizations (e.g., Josh Bernstein serves on Hirshhorn Museum and Jewish Federation boards; Nancy Bernstein serves on J Street National Board)

  • Strategic pillar focus: The foundation developed a strategic plan with four key pillars including housing, making organizations working in these priority areas more likely to be identified

  • Community Foundation partnerships: The foundation works with Greater Washington Community Foundation and participates in collaborative funding initiatives

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Decisions are made by the board of directors, who are all family members.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. However, the foundation has demonstrated a pattern of multi-year support to partner organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, the following insights are relevant for organizations hoping to be identified by the foundation:

Foundation's stated approach:

  • "Transforming respectful, active listening into thoughtful action" - the foundation values deep understanding of community needs
  • Support for "organizations that bring diverse voices together to converse about complex root causes of strife"
  • Belief in "the power of the imagination to create meaningful change"
  • Commitment to community organizing and advocacy, not just service delivery

Kelly Lynch's philosophy:

  • Values "proximity" - close connections with those serving communities
  • Prioritizes diverse stakeholder perspectives including "developers, advocates, government officials, healthcare representatives"
  • Focuses on organizations addressing urgent community needs and those "living on the margins"
  • Looks for opportunities to leverage foundation resources, as demonstrated by challenge donations

Founders' legacy values:

  • Empathy and honest communication
  • Commitment to racial equity and ending discrimination
  • Support for grassroots, community-led initiatives
  • "Speaking truth to power" and advocacy (Diane Bernstein was arrested in 2011 protesting for DC voting rights)

Organizations recently funded demonstrate these characteristics:

  • Strong community roots and diverse leadership (Diverse City Fund, Peace for DC)
  • Addressing structural issues, not just symptoms (Washington Housing Conservancy, New Israel Fund)
  • Arts organizations that serve as community gathering spaces (Sitar Arts Center, Arena Stage)
  • Established institutions that are integral to DC's civic fabric (Hirshhorn, Kennedy Center, Jewish Federation)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process - This foundation only supports preselected organizations identified through board and staff networks
  • Relationship-driven - Getting on their radar requires connection to their network through other funders, board members' professional circles, or collaborative initiatives
  • Trust-based approach - The foundation provides multi-year, unrestricted operating support rather than restricted project grants
  • Strategic focus areas - Housing is explicitly named as one of four strategic pillars; social justice, arts, Jewish community, and children/youth are consistent priorities
  • DC-centric with selective broader reach - Strong preference for DC metro area organizations, with additional support for national Jewish organizations and Israeli human rights groups
  • Values grassroots and advocacy - Not just service providers, but organizations doing community organizing and addressing root causes
  • Family foundation with deep community ties - All board members are family, bringing diverse professional networks from real estate, social work, arts, and activism

References

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