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The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4.8 million
  • Total Assets: $79.3 million
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $525,000
  • Median Grant: $50,000
  • Number of Grants (2024): 61
  • Geographic Focus: Palm Beach County & Broward County (FL), Erie County (NY), Northern New Jersey, Northern Maine, Santa Fe County (NM), Watauga County (NC)
  • Application Type: Invitation only

Contact Details

Address: Farris Foundation c/o GMA Foundations, 2 Liberty Square, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02109

Phone: 617-391-3094

Email: adoggett@gmafoundations.com

Website: https://farrisfdn.org

Grant Application Portal: www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cvf (for invited organizations only)

Overview

The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation was established in 1986, the year after Victor W. Farris passed away. Victor Farris (1910-1985) was an industrialist-inventor who held over 275 patents, including the invention of the paper milk carton, and became one of the largest shareholders in Teledyne, Inc. His wife, Dame Celia Lipton Farris (1923-2011), was a British actress, singer, and noted philanthropist who was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II. Since receiving significant assets in 2012, the Foundation has awarded more than $31 million in grants. The Foundation's mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities in the geographic regions they serve, with a concentrated focus on mental and behavioral health identified through family board reflection in 2011. The Foundation operates as a family foundation with approximately 65% of its grants budget allocated through collective giving and the remainder through trustee discretionary funds.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation awards grants through four main mechanisms:

Collective Grant Initiative: The majority of grants (approximately 65% of budget) focused on behavioral and mental health programs. Typical grants range from $25,000 to $50,000.

Home Community Funds: Support for projects in trustees' home communities including partnerships with the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Disaster Contingency Funds: Immediate and long-term support for food, shelter, and recovery efforts in response to disasters.

Discretionary Grants: Made annually by individual trustees reflecting their personal philanthropic interests.

Priority Areas

The Foundation seeks programs that:

  • Stimulate innovation in behavioral and mental health services
  • Build cultures of respect, collaboration, and learning
  • Demonstrate sustainable impact on participants
  • Help underserved communities
  • Address racial and economic inequities
  • Promote leadership development in the behavioral health workforce
  • Support nonprofit technology adoption to improve organizational efficiency
  • Integrate behavioral health services into community settings (schools, primary care, etc.)

Specific Focus Areas:

  • Behavioral health workforce wellness and development
  • Mental health services for youth and vulnerable populations
  • Addiction and co-occurring mental health treatment
  • Grief support networks
  • Innovative therapeutic approaches (including animal-assisted therapy, equine therapy, peer coaching)
  • Community mental health first aid training
  • Telehealth and mental health service access
  • Trauma-informed care

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly detailed on their website, the Foundation's invitation-only model and concentrated focus on behavioral and mental health suggests limited support for projects outside their core mission areas and geographic regions of interest.

Governance and Leadership

Board President: Brent Hagey, Farris Foundation trustee

Board Member: Agnes Farris

Administrative Support: GMA Foundations provides trustee headquarters, administrative and program staff, and consultants. GMA Foundations has worked with the Farris family for over a decade and led the trustees through a strategic planning process in 2011 to refine their philanthropic focus.

Leadership Philosophy

Brent Hagey emphasizes the Foundation's commitment to learning: "We want to learn from grantees as much as possible, make site visits, and immerse ourselves in the communities."

Agnes Farris highlights the importance of relationship-building: "Be present and build those relationships."

The board's approach prioritizes deep listening to nonprofit leaders, flexibility in responding to field needs, and using both data and empathy in decision-making. During COVID-19, for example, the Foundation quickly pivoted to support telehealth infrastructure.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis. According to their guidelines: "Only 501(c)(3) organizations invited to apply will be considered for Foundation funding."

The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations that receive invitations apply through the Grant Interface platform at www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cvf.

Grant Cycles

The Foundation operates with Fall and Spring grant cycles. Organizations are invited to apply to specific cycles based on the Foundation's strategic priorities and trustee interests.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, though the Foundation emphasizes relationship-building and site visits as part of their evaluation process.

Reapplication Policy

Important restriction: If a request is denied in the Fall cycle, applicants cannot reapply in the Spring cycle. They must wait until the following year to be considered again.

Organizations that receive grants may be invited to apply for continued or expanded support in subsequent cycles.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of this Foundation, success depends heavily on:

Alignment with Strategic Focus

The Foundation has a clear commitment to behavioral and mental health. Recent grants demonstrate funding for:

  • Integration of behavioral health services into existing programs (Achievement Centers for Children and Families received $50,000 for integrating education and mental health services for preschoolers)
  • Leadership development in behavioral health (Community Caring Collaborative received $50,000 to train leaders of regional behavioral health partnerships)
  • Innovative therapeutic approaches (grants for equine therapy, peer coaching, animal-assisted therapy)
  • Addressing specific population needs (Covenant House New Jersey received $25,000 to support behavioral health for homeless young adults)

Geographic Connection

Organizations must operate in one of the Foundation's geographic regions of interest: Palm Beach County, Broward County, Erie County (NY), Northern New Jersey, Northern Maine, Santa Fe County (NM), or Watauga County (NC).

Community Leadership

The Foundation explicitly values proposals where "an organization in the target community leads or initiates the proposal and project." They prioritize local community organizations over external entities implementing programs in their regions.

Long-Term Vision

Projects must have "a set of long-term objectives." The Foundation seeks sustainable impact rather than short-term interventions.

Collaboration and Innovation

The Foundation values programs that build cultures of collaboration and stimulate innovation. They are open to partnerships as long as community-based organizations lead the effort.

Relationship-Building Approach

The trustees emphasize learning from grantees through site visits and community immersion. Organizations that can demonstrate clear, measurable outcomes and articulate lessons learned are likely to resonate with this funder's values.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only process: You cannot submit an unsolicited application. Focus on building relationships and visibility in the Foundation's geographic regions of interest.
  • Behavioral health is the core: The Foundation has a clear, concentrated focus on mental and behavioral health. Proposals outside this area are unlikely to be considered unless through trustee discretionary funds.
  • Community leadership matters: Ensure your organization is locally based and leading (not just implementing) the proposed project.
  • Think long-term: Articulate sustainable impacts and long-term objectives beyond the grant period.
  • Emphasize collaboration: Show how your program builds cultures of respect, collaboration, and learning within your community.
  • Address equity: Explicitly demonstrate how your program serves underserved communities and addresses racial or economic inequities.
  • Annual reapplication cycle: If declined, you must wait a full year before being reconsidered—prepare thoroughly for each opportunity.
  • Grants typically range $25,000-$50,000: While the Foundation can make larger grants (up to $525,000 for community foundation partnerships), most direct program grants fall in the $25,000-$50,000 range.

References

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