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Black Family Philanthropies Inc

Annual Giving
$3.3M
Grant Range
$50K - $5.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,300,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: New York State, particularly New York City and the Bronx

Contact Details

No public website, email, or phone number is available. The foundation is based in New York, NY.

Executive Director: Kelvin Chan, PhD, MTS, MPH

Overview

Black Family Philanthropies Inc is a private foundation formed in 2024 and based in New York, NY (EIN: 92-2376636). The foundation made $3,300,000 in grants across 3 awards in 2023, with total assets of approximately $1.5 million and annual revenue of $10.2 million. Led by President Victoria Black Cochran and Executive Director Kelvin Chan, PhD, the foundation focuses primarily on behavioral health and cancer research within New York State. The foundation's most notable recent contribution was a $5 million donation to NYC Health + Hospitals in July 2024 to support behavioral health workforce retention, representing one of the largest donations ever received by the public health system. The foundation operates as a private family foundation with grants awarded through trustee discretion rather than a public application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with public application processes. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants and leadership statements, the foundation's priority areas include:

  • Behavioral Health: Major focus on supporting behavioral health professionals and addressing the mental health crisis in New York City. This includes workforce retention initiatives and student debt relief for healthcare workers.

  • Cancer Research: Cancer research is identified as a central focus alongside behavioral health.

  • Criminal Justice Reform: Support for organizations providing services to individuals and families affected by incarceration, including reentry services.

  • Poverty Alleviation: Grants to organizations addressing poverty in New York City.

Geographic Focus

New York State, with particular emphasis on New York City and the Bronx.

What They Don't Fund

No public information is available regarding explicit exclusions, though the foundation appears focused exclusively on New York-based initiatives.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

The foundation is governed by a five-member board, all of whom serve without compensation:

  • Victoria Black Cochran (President): Harvard College graduate and Yale Law School J.D. Previously managed the Partnerships and Impact team at Robin Hood Foundation and currently serves on Robin Hood's board of directors. Co-founder of Prometheus, a nonprofit connecting volunteers with organizations needing tech and data solutions. Former attorney at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

  • Alexander Black (Director)

  • Benjamin Black (Director)

  • Joshua Black (Director)

  • Michael Ressler (Director)

Executive Leadership

Kelvin Chan, PhD, MTS, MPH (Executive Director): Native New Yorker and alumnus of Head Start and NYC public schools. Educated at Brown, Harvard, Columbia, and Cambridge universities. Previously served as Managing Director of Early Childhood at Robin Hood Foundation, where he led efforts to optimize birth outcomes, maternal health, and early childhood development. At Robin Hood, he managed the $50 million Fund for Early Learning (FUEL), the largest philanthropic fund in the U.S. dedicated to advancing infant and toddler social-emotional development, with a focus on low-income and minority populations.

Leadership Perspective on Priorities

Victoria Black Cochran has identified cancer research and behavioral health as "central" to the foundation's portfolio.

Kelvin Chan has stated: "Black Family Philanthropies is proud to work with NYC Health + Hospitals to support the professionals whose compassion and care is critical to addressing the behavioral health crisis in our city," and "This donation demonstrates the Black Family's belief that financial support for those providing behavioral health treatment and care is essential. They hope freeing these individuals from the burden of student loans will empower them to continue their commitment to caring for our community members and serving our city."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Black Family Philanthropies does not have a public application process. The foundation operates as a private family foundation with grants awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees. There is no website, application portal, or published guidelines for submitting grant proposals.

Grants appear to be awarded through:

  • Board discretion based on trustees' knowledge and relationships
  • Identification of strategic opportunities aligned with the foundation's priorities
  • Invited proposals from organizations identified by foundation leadership

Getting on Their Radar

Given Executive Director Kelvin Chan's background at Robin Hood Foundation and the foundation's focus on New York City behavioral health and social service organizations, potential pathways include:

  • Robin Hood Foundation connections: Victoria Black Cochran serves on Robin Hood's board, and Kelvin Chan previously led early childhood initiatives there. Organizations in Robin Hood's network or addressing poverty in NYC may have increased visibility.

  • NYC Health and Human Services sector: The foundation's major grant to NYC Health + Hospitals suggests engagement with New York's public health infrastructure and organizations addressing behavioral health workforce challenges.

  • Melanoma Research Alliance connections: Victoria Black Cochran's board service suggests potential visibility for cancer research organizations, particularly those focused on melanoma.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a private foundation with trustee-discretionary grantmaking, decision timelines likely vary by opportunity.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications. The foundation made 3 grants in 2023.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors appear relevant to their grantmaking approach:

Large-Scale Impact: The foundation's documented grants suggest a preference for significant investments that create measurable impact. Their $5 million gift to NYC Health + Hospitals aimed to support over 120 behavioral health providers, and their grants average $1.1 million.

Workforce Support: The NYC Health + Hospitals grant specifically targeted workforce retention through student debt relief, demonstrating interest in addressing systemic barriers that prevent professionals from serving communities in need.

Strategic Alignment with Leadership Expertise: With Executive Director Kelvin Chan's extensive background in early childhood development and behavioral health, and Victoria Black Cochran's focus on cancer research and behavioral health, grants align closely with leadership's areas of professional expertise.

New York City Focus: All documented grants support New York-based organizations, with particular emphasis on services in underserved communities in NYC and the Bronx.

Evidence-Based Solutions: Chan's background suggests appreciation for data-driven approaches and initiatives with measurable outcomes, given his work managing large-scale philanthropic funds at Robin Hood Foundation.

Recent Grant Awards (2023)

Based on available tax filings:

  1. NYC Health + Hospitals: $5,000,000 (2024) for behavioral health workforce retention, including $4 million for student debt relief for over 120 behavioral health providers and $1 million for staff retention initiatives.

  2. The Osborne Association: $250,000 (2023) - Osborne provides services to individuals and families affected by incarceration and advocates for criminal justice reform in New York.

  3. Robin Hood Foundation/Tudor Charitable Trust: $50,000 (2023) - Robin Hood fights poverty in New York City.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - This is a private family foundation that awards grants through trustee discretion and identified opportunities rather than open solicitation.

  • Focus on behavioral health and cancer research - These are the two central priority areas explicitly identified by foundation leadership.

  • Significant grant sizes - With an average grant of $1.1 million and recent awards ranging from $50,000 to $5 million, the foundation makes substantial investments rather than many small grants.

  • New York City geographic focus - All documented grants support New York-based organizations, particularly those serving NYC and the Bronx.

  • Workforce and systems-level change - The major NYC Health + Hospitals grant addressed systemic workforce challenges in behavioral health, suggesting interest in solutions that strengthen infrastructure and capacity.

  • Leadership connections matter - With strong ties to Robin Hood Foundation and the NYC health and human services sector, organizations in these networks may have greater visibility.

  • Formed recently but well-resourced - Though formed in 2024, the foundation had $10.2 million in revenue and made $3.3 million in grants in 2023, indicating significant philanthropic capacity.

References

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