Butler Family Fund

The Butler Family Fund operates as a lean, strategically focused foundation that punches well above its weight relative to its approximately $10.9 million asset base. Founded in 1992 by the nieces and nephews of New York philanthropists Jack and Zella Butler, the fund pursues systemic change at the intersection of housing justice and criminal legal reform, both through a racial equity lens.

The fund's approach centers on six core principles: racial equity as essential for justice, long-term investments in historically underrepresented leaders and organizations, local organizing for sustainable change, systems-level advocacy, national policy investments, and collaborative funding partnerships. Rather than funding direct services, the Butler Family Fund targets policy change and community organizing that can redirect public dollars toward housing and away from punitive criminal legal systems.

A distinctive feature of the fund's strategy is its emphasis on BIPOC-led community-based organizations. The fund invests in leaders with imagination, vision, and relationship-building capacity, sometimes backing emerging organizations early in their development. An early Butler grant has become recognized in the philanthropy sector as a "seal of approval" that helps organizations attract additional funding from larger foundations. The fund maintains direct relationships with organizational staff at all levels, not just executives, and conducts phone and email reference checks rather than requiring burdensome written documentation.

The Butler Family Fund distributes approximately $800,000 to $1 million annually across 32 to 51 grants. Recent grant totals show $809,000 across 32 grants in 2024, $954,250 across 51 grants in 2023, and $913,228 across 47 grants in 2022. Individual grants range from $500 to $100,000, with the most common grant size for core grantees being $50,000.

The fund operates on an invitation-only model and does not accept unsolicited proposals. However, approximately 12% of new applicants who come to the fund's attention do receive funding, suggesting the fund is receptive to organizations that align with its mission. Grants can be awarded for a maximum of three consecutive years, and the fund provides strategic assistance beyond financial support.

Geographically, the fund operates across 25 states and 45+ cities, with concentrations in California, New York, and Texas. Top recurring $50,000 grantees include the Austin Justice Coalition, Faith in Indiana, Community Resource Hub, NOAH (Nashville), We are Down Home, Women on the Rise, and African American Roundtable. Grant purposes consistently reference "divesting from criminal legal systems" and "investing in community-identified priorities," reflecting the fund's systemic change orientation.

The Butler Family Fund occupies a distinctive niche among housing justice and criminal justice reform funders. Here is how it compares to peer foundations working in overlapping issue areas:

Despite being dramatically smaller than most peer funders, the Butler Family Fund has leveraged collaborative relationships — particularly a decade-long partnership with Oak Foundation — to extend its reach. The Oak Foundation has provided re-granting funds that expanded both foundations' reach in homelessness, housing for people with criminal records, and youth homelessness innovations. The fund also co-sponsored a federal summit with the U.S. Departments of Labor and HUD and the Interagency Council on Homelessness, demonstrating its ability to convene at the national policy level despite modest resources.

In 2024, the Butler Family Fund awarded 32 grants totaling $809,000, a decrease from the 51 grants totaling $954,250 awarded in 2023. The reduction in grant count may reflect a strategic consolidation toward fewer, larger investments in core grantees, as many of the fund's top recipients received the maximum $50,000 grant.

The fund continues to operate under the leadership of Executive Director Molly Schultz Hafid, who succeeded founding director Martha Toll. Schultz Hafid brings experience from TCC Group's Philanthropy team, where she worked with foundations on participatory grantmaking, equity strategies, and organizational development. The board is led by President Eve Wildrick and Treasurer Joanne Snider.

The fund remains an active participant in funder coalitions including the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, which advocates for federal housing policy. It continues to support organizations at the intersection of housing and criminal justice, with grant purposes emphasizing divestment from punitive criminal legal systems and investment in community-identified housing and safety priorities. The fund operates from 4200 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 106-342, Washington, DC 20016, and maintains a presence on LinkedIn for organizational communications.

Because the Butler Family Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals, organizations seeking funding should focus on building visibility within the fund's ecosystem rather than submitting cold applications. Here are strategic approaches:

1. Align with the fund's dual focus areas. The strongest candidates operate at the intersection of housing justice and criminal legal reform through a racial equity lens. Organizations working on eviction prevention, affordable housing advocacy, reentry support, youth incarceration alternatives, or extreme sentencing reform are most aligned.

2. Build relationships within funder networks. The Butler Family Fund values collaborative funding and actively networks with peer funders through affinity groups. Organizations should engage with coalitions like Opportunity Starts at Home, Funders Together to End Homelessness, and Funders for Justice, where Butler staff participate.

3. Demonstrate BIPOC leadership and community rootedness. The fund specifically invests in BIPOC-led community-based organizations. Organizations should highlight community governance structures, local leadership development, and authentic grassroots connections.

4. Pursue systems-level change, not just direct services. The fund favors organizations advocating for policy change and redirecting public resources rather than providing direct services alone. Frame your work in terms of systemic impact and public dollar redirection.

5. Get on the radar of current grantees. Since the fund maintains a tight network, referrals from existing grantees like the Austin Justice Coalition, Faith in Indiana, or Nashville Organized for Action and Hope can be valuable pathways to the fund's attention.

6. Maintain organizational strength and transparency. The fund conducts thorough due diligence through phone and email reference checks with organizational staff at multiple levels. Ensure your organization has strong internal culture, clear leadership, and demonstrable impact.