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The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation

Annual Giving
$12.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.5M
00

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12,349,625 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 249 grants annually
  • Grant Range: $500 - $1,500,000
  • Median Grant: $15,000
  • Total Assets: $189 million (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Palm Beach County, Florida and Yellowstone County, Montana
  • Application Method: Invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 201 Chilean Avenue, Palm Beach, Florida 33480-4629

Phone: (561) 835-0103

Website: https://mafortinfoundation.org/

Grant Administrator: Michelle Bruzik

Overview

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation was established to honor the philanthropic legacy of Philip and Mary Alice Fortin. Philip Fortin, a Montana-born oilman, and his wife Mary Alice, who split their time between Palm Beach, Florida, and Billings, Montana, were active philanthropists for over three decades. Following Philip's death in 1982, Mary Alice continued their charitable work until her passing in 2007 at age 97. The foundation has distributed over $170 million across Montana, Florida, and New York over the past decades. With $189 million in assets and annual giving exceeding $12 million, the foundation makes grants to qualified charitable organizations that improve quality of life in their communities. The foundation focuses on four key areas: children's welfare, education, homelessness, and animal welfare, with particular emphasis on Palm Beach County, Florida, and Yellowstone County, Montana.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through an invitation-only model with a wide range of grant sizes:

  • Major Institutional Grants: $400,000 - $1,500,000 (for established institutions like universities and medical centers)
  • Significant Program Grants: $100,000 - $615,000 (for local nonprofit organizations with substantial programs)
  • Standard Grants: $10,000 - $50,000 (typical range for most recipients)
  • Small Grants: $500 - $7,000 (for focused initiatives or family assistance programs)

Recent major grants (2023) included:

  • Billings Clinic Foundation: $1,500,000 for general support
  • Duke University - Bass Connections: $1,000,000 for general support
  • The Lord's Place: $615,000
  • Montana Rescue Mission: $500,000
  • Hanley Foundation: $400,000
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County: $389,000

Priority Areas

Children's Welfare: Programs supporting therapeutic services for children and families, youth enrichment, and family stability initiatives. Recent examples include funding for the Center for Child Counseling's "Christmas in July" initiative, providing $7,000 each to seven local families receiving therapeutic services.

Education: Support for educational institutions and youth development programs, including university programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and educational enrichment initiatives.

Homelessness: Significant funding for housing stability and homeless services, including organizations like The Lord's Place and Montana Rescue Mission that address housing insecurity.

Animal Welfare: Grants to animal care organizations, including PAWS NY ($10,000 in 2023).

Human Services: Broader community support including Catholic Charities programs addressing human trafficking, resettlement, immigration legal needs, and vital social services.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This is an invitation-only foundation.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors with strong connections to the Fortin family's philanthropic legacy:

Board Leadership:

  • Danielle H. Moore - Director & President (step-granddaughter of Philip Fortin; Mayor of Palm Beach, Florida)
  • Lesly S. Smith - Director & 1st Vice President (served multiple terms as Mayor of Palm Beach)
  • Susan S. Channing - Director & 2nd Vice President (daughter of Mary Alice Fortin; known professionally as actress Stockard Channing)
  • Larry B. Alexander - Director & Secretary
  • Six additional directors serve on the board

Administration:

  • Michelle Bruzik - Grant Administrator

The family's continued involvement ensures the foundation maintains Philip and Mary Alice Fortin's original philanthropic vision. The leadership team brings significant civic experience, with multiple board members having served in Palm Beach municipal government.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded to qualified charitable organizations by invitation only. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Organizations are selected based on alignment with the foundation's mission and the philanthropic priorities established by founders Philip and Mary Alice Fortin. Grants are extended through the foundation's board discretion rather than through a competitive application process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates through invitation and board discretion rather than formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation awarded 249 grants in 2023 to preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. However, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to provide repeat funding to organizations, as evidenced by PAWS NY receiving increased grants over time ($5,000 in 2021 increasing to $10,000 in 2023).

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining their grantmaking patterns reveals what the foundation values:

Geographic Connection: The foundation prioritizes organizations serving Palm Beach County, Florida, and Yellowstone County, Montana - the two regions where Philip and Mary Alice Fortin lived and built community connections.

Established Organizations: The largest grants go to well-established institutions with proven track records, including major medical centers (Billings Clinic Foundation), universities (Duke University), and long-standing local nonprofits.

Direct Service Focus: The foundation favors organizations providing direct services to beneficiaries in their priority areas rather than intermediary organizations or research-only initiatives.

Multi-Year Relationships: Evidence suggests the foundation maintains ongoing relationships with organizations, providing repeat funding rather than one-time grants.

Alignment with Founder Values: Organizations that reflect Philip and Mary Alice Fortin's specific philanthropic interests in children, education, homelessness, and animal welfare receive priority.

Local Impact: Strong preference for organizations making measurable differences in the communities of Palm Beach County and Yellowstone County.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Do not submit unsolicited proposals - This foundation operates exclusively by invitation, and unsolicited requests are not accepted or reviewed.

  • Geographic limitation - The foundation focuses specifically on Palm Beach County, Florida, and Yellowstone County, Montana, reflecting the founders' personal connections to these communities.

  • Wide funding range - While the median grant is $15,000, the foundation awards grants ranging from $500 to $1.5 million, with capacity for significant institutional support.

  • Four core priorities - Children's welfare, education, homelessness, and animal welfare are the consistent focus areas across all grantmaking.

  • Family legacy foundation - The foundation is deeply personal, governed by family members including the founders' step-granddaughter and daughter, ensuring continued alignment with Philip and Mary Alice Fortin's original vision.

  • Relationship-based grantmaking - The foundation demonstrates commitment to organizations through repeat funding and increased grant amounts over time to proven partners.

  • Substantial resources - With $189 million in assets and over $12 million in annual giving distributed across 249 grants, the foundation is a significant funder in its geographic areas of focus.

References

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