The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated geographic focus is Fort Worth, Texas, so a group elsewhere should check closely that its work fits before writing.
- Typical grants fall between $10,000 and $200,000, and half of its grants to organisations are $50,000 or less, so a modest request is realistic; the largest grant was about $500,000.
- Its MCS research calls use peer review, and applicants submit a letter of inquiry first, with full proposals invited only from those accepted, so allow time for two stages.
- It does not fund research on indoor air quality or general public health research, and MCS applicants should check each call's exclusions.
- In the latest filing, 61% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded in earlier filings, so it may be relationship-led.
Overview
The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation is a US private foundation based in Fort Worth, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation supports research into Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), including work to understand its causes and effects, and seeks to improve access to reliable information about air quality and health. Its charitable priorities also include environmental preservation, especially indoor and outdoor air quality; feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless in Fort Worth; medical care and medical sociology; civil liberties; and public broadcasting. It supports education and public understanding alongside research. Its approach to research emphasises scientific integrity, careful evaluation and long-term thinking, and its competitive MCS research calls use peer review.
Themes
- MCS Research
- Air Quality
- Environmental Preservation
- Hunger and Homelessness
- Medical Care and Sociology
- Civil Liberties
- Public Broadcasting
Geographic Focus
Priority: Fort Worth, Texas.
What They Don't Fund
- Research on indoor air quality
- General public health research
- RFA 1. Pathophysiology and biomechanisms underlying the development of MCS only: applications that focus on psychiatric explanations
- RFA 2. Cohort-based survey research on MCS only: Cohorts focused specifically on populations with other chronic symptom-based disorders or illnesses (e.g., long COVID, fibromylgia, chronic fatigue syndrome)
How to apply
For the MCS research programme, applicants submit an LOI; those accepted are invited to submit a full proposal.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 61% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 52 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For the pathophysiology RFA, it seeks innovative, hypothesis-driven research into MCS mechanisms, including biomarkers.
- Proposals responsive to the pathophysiology RFA should use the Cullen criteria as the case definition for MCS.
- For the cohort-survey RFA, it seeks prospective population-based studies with ongoing follow-up and data collection.
- Research proposals are selected through peer review.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
3 other states: <1%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to organisations The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 3% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Denmark).
- 14% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 19 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Massuchusetts Institute of Technology · Scientific Research$400,0002024 tax year
- North Texas Community Foundation · General Funding$335,0002024 tax year
- Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas · General Funding$250,0002024 tax year
- Presbyterian Night Shelter · General Funding$200,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California · General Funding$187,5252024 tax year
- North Texas Community Foundation · provide 12 months of support to Restoration Center for its emergency rent and utility assistance program$120,5002024 tax year
- Friends of Fort Worth Nature Center · General Funding$110,0002024 tax year
- American Lung Association · General Funding$108,9002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Tatjana Walker — Executive Director
- Nancy Jones — Director / Vice President
- Mary Jalonick — Director / Vice President / Secretary
- Dennis R Opitz — Director / Vice President / Treasurer
- Thomas Cantrill — Director / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,454,710 | $1,388,717 | $63,331,105 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,681,617 | $1,504,743 | $72,671,042 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,627,568 | $2,121,518 | $79,204,638 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Fort Worth, TX
- mbhoffman.org
Applying to The Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Fort Worth, TX
- mbhoffman.org