Joan N Bluestone Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1.8-2 million
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: $20,000 - $8,000,000
• Geographic Focus: New York Metro area (primarily Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx)

Contact Details

Address: 9011 160th Street, Suite 100, Jamaica, NY 11432-6173
Website: None
Email: Not publicly available
Phone: Not publicly available

Overview

The Joan N and Norman Bluestone Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation established in 2002 with assets of $33.6 million as of 2024. The foundation distributes approximately $1.8-2 million annually in grants, focusing on education for disadvantaged youth and support for botanical/environmental institutions in the New York metropolitan area. Following the death of founders Norman Bluestone (2011) and Joan Bluestone (2020), the foundation experienced significant asset growth from $1.4 million in 2018 to its current level, likely from estate settlements. The foundation operates entirely through trustee discretion with no paid staff, making strategic grants to pre-selected organizations aligned with the founders' legacy of supporting youth education and botanical gardens, particularly Queens Botanical Garden where Joan served as a longtime volunteer and board member.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-discretionary giving with two primary focus areas:

• Youth Education Scholarships: $20,000 - $50,000 (supporting disadvantaged children and young adults)
• Environmental/Cultural Institution Support: $20,000 - $8,000,000 (capital projects and program support for botanical gardens)

Priority Areas

• Financial aid and scholarships for needy children and young adults in the New York metropolitan area
• Education programs for disadvantaged youth
• Maintenance and beautification of botanical gardens
• Environmental sustainability initiatives
• Cultural institutions, particularly Queens Botanical Garden and Brooklyn Botanical Garden

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, based on their grant history they do not fund:

• Organizations outside the New York metro area (with rare exceptions in Colorado Springs)
• Individual requests
• General operating support for organizations outside their focus areas
• For-profit entities

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by family members and associates of the founders, all serving without compensation:

• Sara Herbstman - President
• Ira Lichtiger - Secretary
• Charles Herbstman - Trustee
• Michelle Potvin - Trustee
• Joyce Lichtiger - Trustee

The foundation appears to be managed by the Herbstman and Lichtiger families, likely children or relatives of founders Joan and Norman Bluestone. Norman was a founding member of The Bluestone Organization, a Queens-based real estate company, while Joan was deeply involved with Queens Botanical Garden as a longtime volunteer and board member.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. According to their IRS filings and foundation directories, the Joan N and Norman Bluestone Foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are awarded entirely at the discretion of the trustees to organizations within their established network.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's connection to Queens Botanical Garden and the trustees' involvement in New York philanthropy, organizations may benefit from:

• Existing relationships with Queens Botanical Garden, where Joan Bluestone was a longtime volunteer and board member
• Connections within the New York real estate and philanthropic community, particularly through The Bluestone Organization networks
• Demonstrated excellence in youth education programming in Queens, Brooklyn, or the Bronx
• Board or volunteer connections to the Herbstman or Lichtiger families

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without a formal application timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept public applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations must be pre-selected by trustees.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates by invitation only, success factors focus on relationship building and alignment:

• Geographic alignment: Organizations must serve the New York metropolitan area, with particular emphasis on Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx
• Mission alignment: Clear focus on either disadvantaged youth education or botanical/environmental programs
• Demonstrated impact: The foundation's largest grants ($8 million to Queens Botanical Garden, $1.625 million for education building construction) go to organizations with proven track records
• Personal connections: All funded organizations appear to have pre-existing relationships with trustees or connections to the founders' philanthropic interests
• Scale flexibility: The foundation makes both small ($20,000) and transformational ($8 million) grants based on relationship and project merit

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a legitimate, well-funded foundation distributing $1.8-2 million annually, but it does not accept unsolicited applications
• All grants are made through trustee discretion to pre-selected organizations within their established network
• The foundation has strong ties to Queens Botanical Garden, making environmental/botanical organizations in NYC potentially well-positioned if they have connections
• Focus areas are highly specific: disadvantaged youth education and botanical gardens in the New York metro area
• The foundation experienced significant asset growth following founder deaths, suggesting potential for continued or increased giving
• Without paid staff, all decisions flow through the five trustees from the Herbstman and Lichtiger families
• Organizations seeking support must cultivate relationships with trustees rather than submitting applications

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990PF filings for 2023-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/550807934 (Accessed February 2026)
• CauseIQ Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/joan-n-and-norman-bluestone-foundation,550807934/ (Accessed February 2026)
• Queens Botanical Garden Press Release: "QBG Announces Largest Private Donation to Date" (August 15, 2023). https://queensbotanical.org/qbg-announces-largest-private-donation-to-date/
• Queens Post: "Local Foundation Donates $8 Million to Queens Botanical Garden" (August 16, 2023). https://queenspost.com/local-foundation-donates-8-million-to-queens-botanical-garden/
• Grantmakers.io Profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/550807934-joan-n-and-norman-bluestone-foundation-inc/ (Accessed February 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory Online. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=LUES002 (Accessed February 2026)
• Charity Navigator. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/550807934 (Accessed February 2026)