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Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Incorporated

Annual Giving
$9.8M
Grant Range
$150K - $0.8M
Decision Time
4mo

Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Incorporated

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $9,802,500 (2023)
  • Assets: $186 million
  • Decision Time: 3-6 months (board meetings in February, June, and October)
  • Grant Range: $150,000 - $850,000
  • Average Grant: $300,000
  • Geographic Focus: 11 Southern states (AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
  • Application Type: Rolling basis with invitation to full proposal

Contact Details

Address: 2920 Reynolda Rd, Winston Salem, NC 27106
Phone: (336) 748-9222
Email: info@mrbf.org
Website: https://mrbf.org
Grants Information: https://mrbf.org/grants-info

Overview

Established in 1953 with a $12 million bequest from Mary Reynolds Babcock, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation has grown to approximately $186 million in assets and distributes nearly $10 million annually in grants. The foundation partners with organizations and networks working to alleviate poverty and increase social and economic justice across 11 Southern states. Under the leadership of CEO Flozell Daniels Jr., the foundation has significantly increased its commitment to power-building work that advances racial equity. From 2018 to 2024, the foundation's annual grantmaking more than doubled to an average of $14.3 million, compared to $6.8 million from 2005 to 2017. The foundation has also demonstrated bold leadership in spending practices, increasing its annual spending rate to 11% for an initial three-year period (extended through 2026), far exceeding the traditional 5% payout requirement.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation offers flexible funding matched to each organization's scale, needs, capabilities, and opportunities:

  • General Operating Support: Core funding for organizational operations
  • Project-Specific Funding: Support for particular initiatives aligned with foundation priorities
  • "Glue" Support for Grassroots Networks: Funding for the critical infrastructure that holds networks together
  • Organizational Development: Investment in capacity building and strengthening

Grant Range: $150,000 - $850,000
Average Grant: $300,000 (2023: median $200,000)
Number of Grants: 51 grants awarded in 2023

Application Method: Rolling basis - organizational summaries accepted year-round via online portal (when open), with full proposals by invitation only

Priority Areas

The foundation supports groups building power to advance racial equity along three primary pathways:

1. Democracy and Civic Engagement

Building power with and for people of color, low-wealth communities, and all groups who have been shut out from decisions affecting their lives. This includes:

  • Movement building
  • Leadership development
  • Voter engagement
  • Inclusive community planning
  • Challenging entrenched structures through collaborative work

2. Supportive Policies and Institutions

Development and adoption of policies that better serve all communities, families, students, workers, and individuals. Funding supports:

  • Research
  • Advocacy
  • Communication efforts
  • Organizing campaigns

3. Economic Opportunity

Building wealth, particularly in Black and brown communities, through systemic change and economic justice initiatives.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does NOT fund:

  • Direct service programs
  • Individual schools (public, charter, or private)
  • Fundraising events (walk-a-thons, galas, sponsorships)
  • Scholarships
  • Sports-related activities or charitable tournaments
  • Endowments and cash reserves
  • Individual grants

Geographic Restriction: Work must serve the 11-state Southern footprint, though the foundation occasionally supports national organizations that serve communities in its giving area.

Governance and Leadership

Leadership

Flozell Daniels Jr., CEO - Brings expertise in public policy, community development, and criminal justice reform. Daniels emphasizes the importance of patience in decision-making while maintaining urgency for social justice work. As he stated in a 2024 interview: "We have some deep commitments to support organizations that are building power, which means having an analysis about power... We're social justice philanthropists with deep commitments to racial equity and supporting groups that are building power to answer one of the most dangerous moments in American history."

Board of Directors

Recent board additions (2023-2025) reflect the foundation's commitment to diverse leadership with deep roots in Southern organizing:

  • Tamieka Atkins - Executive Director of ProGeorgia
  • Dr. Keecha Harris - President and CEO of Keecha Harris and Associates
  • Dr. Micah Gilmer - Cofounder and Senior Partner of Frontline Solutions
  • Austin Thompson - Founder and CEO of Community Dynamix
  • Dr. Karida Brown - Sociologist, professor, oral historian, and public intellectual at Emory University
  • Nayely Perez-Huerta - Expert in developing immigrant leadership and building grassroots power in the Southeast
  • Mary Mountcastle - Family trustee (also serves on Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation uses a two-stage application process:

Stage 1: Organizational Summary

  • Submit via online application portal at any time (when portal is open)
  • Foundation staff review for alignment with mission and funding priorities
  • No deadline - rolling basis

Stage 2: Full Proposal (By Invitation Only)

  • Invited organizations receive detailed application instructions
  • Organizations work with a network officer to determine appropriate grant amount and duration
  • Process includes conversations, meetings, and relationship building

Important: The online application portal is periodically offline for system upgrades. Organizations should check the website for current portal availability.

Decision Timeline

  • Board Meetings: February, June, and October
  • Staff Review Process: Staff review organizational summaries on an ongoing basis
  • Recommendation to Board: Staff make recommendations to the board for approval
  • Typical Timeline: 3-6 months from submission of organizational summary to board decision (varies based on timing of submission relative to board meetings)

Success Rates

  • 2023 Activity: 51 grants awarded totaling $9,802,500
  • Specific acceptance rates not publicly disclosed
  • The invitation-based system means organizations undergo screening before full proposal submission

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publicly disclose a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Organizations should contact foundation staff for guidance on reapplication timing and approach.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Organizational Characteristics:

  • Meaningful connections with low-wealth communities and accountability through governance structures
  • Leadership diversity: People of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences in leadership positions, including boards of directors, steering committees, and executive roles
  • Lived experience: People directly affected by systems of oppression in leadership positions
  • Track record: Demonstrated success in helping people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice

Strategic Approach:

  • Clear power analysis: Understanding of how race and power operate in their specific context
  • Goal-oriented networks: Collaboration with values-aligned partners
  • Long-term vision: Commitment to systems change, not just short-term fixes
  • Strategic flexibility: Ability to respond to emerging opportunities while maintaining core mission

Recent Grant Examples (2023)

Understanding what the foundation has recently funded provides insight into their priorities:

  • CIVIC TN: $750,000 for general operating/regranting/organizational development
  • Democracy North Carolina: $525,000 for general operating/regranting
  • GALEO Latino Community Development Fund: $500,000 for general operating/project/organizational development
  • Neighborhood Funders Group: Funding for regranting/project work

These grants demonstrate the foundation's commitment to:

  • Multi-year, substantial funding
  • State-level organizing and advocacy infrastructure
  • Work with communities of color
  • Network and collaborative approaches
  • Democracy and civic engagement

Advice from Foundation Leadership

CEO Flozell Daniels Jr. emphasizes the foundation's approach to partnerships:

"We want to leverage our expertise and resources with others who have Southern intentions...particularly with regard to racial equity outcomes." The foundation seeks "folks who want to make investments in Southern people in a way that can be copied and expanded across the country."

On the foundation's commitment: "We at Babcock are committed to protecting democracy, the right to vote, and these areas are under attack from the most powerful and wealthy interests in the world."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Power-building is central: The foundation requires applicants to demonstrate "an analysis about power" - be explicit about how your work builds power for marginalized communities to challenge systems of oppression.

  2. Leadership matters: Ensure people directly affected by the issues you address are in leadership positions (board, steering committees, executive roles). This is not optional - it's a core requirement.

  3. Think regional and collaborative: The foundation values work that can be "copied and expanded across the country" and supports "goal-oriented networks with values-aligned partners." Show how your work connects to broader movement building.

  4. Focus on systems change, not services: The foundation explicitly does not fund direct service programs. Your proposal must articulate how you're changing systems, policies, or power structures - not just providing services.

  5. Demonstrate Southern roots and commitment: With work spanning 11 Southern states, show deep understanding of Southern context, meaningful connections to Southern communities, and long-term commitment to the region.

  6. Be patient but persistent: As CEO Daniels notes, "There is a patience in management...and I learned that at FFL in more ways than I could tell you." The application process involves relationship building and may take several months.

  7. Align with one or more pathways: Clearly articulate how your work advances racial equity through democracy & civic engagement, supportive policies & institutions, and/or economic opportunity. Use this language in your application.

References

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