Mertz Gilmore Foundation

The Mertz Gilmore Foundation operates as a deeply relational funder with a 60-year history of long-term partnerships rather than transactional grantmaking. Based in New York City (218 E 18th St), the foundation holds $86.2 million in assets as of 2024 and channels roughly $7 million annually to organizations working at the intersection of democracy, community power, and the New York dance ecosystem.

The foundation's giving philosophy is explicit: it does not fund individuals, endowments, or religious organizations, and it does not accept unsolicited proposals. Every grant relationship begins with an invitation or a direct inquiry through a specific channel. For the Democracy & Power program, organizations should not expect to apply cold — the foundation proactively reaches out to potential partners based on field knowledge, attendance at convenings, and co-funding relationships with peer funders. For New York Dance, the stated entry point is a single-paragraph email inquiry to Leah Krauss describing your proposed project; Krauss responds to all inquiries and, if appropriate, extends a full proposal invitation.

The typical relationship arc at Mertz Gilmore is long. Among the top 50 grantees by historical giving, the average recipient received 7–8 individual grants. New York Foundation has received 14 grants totaling $1.125 million. Tides Foundation, acting as fiscal sponsor for multiple initiatives, has received 18 grants totaling $688,000. This pattern signals a funder that values continuity and deepening impact over experimenting with new partners annually.

First-time applicants should focus on three things before any outreach: (1) confirm your work falls squarely within Democracy & Power or New York Dance — the climate program has been discontinued; (2) demonstrate alignment with the foundation's equity framework, specifically around multiracial democracy and marginalized communities; and (3) identify any existing connections to MGF staff or board through shared networks, since cold outreach rarely leads to grants. Organizations with existing relationships at peer funders (New York Foundation, Tides, Neo Philanthropy) may find warm introductions valuable.

The Mertz Gilmore Foundation's grantmaking data across 1,116 historical grants reveals a funder with a consistent preference for general operating support at modest but sustained levels, punctuated by larger strategic investments in anchor organizations.

Grant size: Median grant is $25,000, average is $33,520, and the range spans from $1,000 to $500,000. This spread reflects two distinct tiers: the majority of grants cluster in the $15,000–$50,000 range for smaller or newer grantee relationships, while anchor organizations and intermediaries receive $100,000–$500,000 per grant. Across 356 grants analyzed for the size profile, the foundation is predominantly a mid-five-figure funder.

Trajectory: Annual grants paid peaked at $12.8 million in fiscal year 2022, up from $8.9 million in 2019. Following the loss of Publishers Clearing House trust income in 2023 and PCH's subsequent bankruptcy in 2025, giving contracted to approximately $7 million for 2024 and 2025. Total assets fell from $111.7 million in 2019 to $86.2 million in 2024, a 23% decline.

Geographic concentration: Of 1,116 grants tracked by state, 680 (61%) went to New York-based organizations. Washington, D.C. organizations received 74 grants (7%), California received 64 (6%), and Virginia received 44 (4%). This reflects the foundation's dual mandate: NYC-rooted programs and national democracy/advocacy organizations headquartered in D.C.

By focus area: Democracy and power-building organizations dominate the top-50 grantee list by volume. Project South received $1.5M over 3 grants ($500K average), Center for Responsive Politics received $625K over 4 grants, and Proteus Fund/Piper Fund received $705K over 6 grants. Dance ecosystem grants tend to be smaller and more numerous: Dance/NYC received $350K over 6 grants (~$58K per grant), and borough arts councils (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Upper Manhattan) each received $250K over 4–5 grants.

General operating vs. project: The overwhelming majority of grants are general operating support, with project grants reserved for specific initiatives like the Democracy Fellows program, seed funds for dance, or named fellowships.

The table below compares Mertz Gilmore to four peer foundations with overlapping focus areas in democracy, civic engagement, and/or New York arts. Asset and giving figures reflect most recently available data.

Mertz Gilmore is the smallest of this peer group by assets and annual giving, which shapes the competitive dynamics for applicants. Its $86 million endowment and ~$7 million annual payout are modest relative to Wellspring or JPB, meaning the foundation can maintain fewer, deeper relationships rather than a broad portfolio. This reinforces why relationship-building — not application quality alone — determines funding outcomes.

Compared to Wellspring and JPB, both of which also operate by invitation only, Mertz Gilmore is distinguished by its explicit New York City geographic anchor and its unique arts program supporting the dance ecosystem specifically. Organizations that overlap in both democracy work and NYC presence have the strongest dual-program case. Unlike the New York Community Trust, which runs open grant cycles in some program areas, Mertz Gilmore has no open call for new applicants across any current program.

The period from late 2024 through early 2026 has been one of the most active transitions in Mertz Gilmore's recent history, defined by leadership change, financial constraint, and strategic recalibration.

Leadership: Aditi Vaidya, who became president in November 2022, released a January 2023 statement signaling a commitment to the foundation's long-term relationships while beginning a strategic review. By November 2025, the board approved a new mission, vision, and values. On December 17, 2025, longtime board chair Andrea Sholler announced her departure; Surina Khan, who joined the board in October 2023 alongside Aaron Tanaka and George Suttles, became incoming board chair. In September 2025, two additional board members joined: Maurine Knighton and Shanta Thake, both with performing arts and philanthropy backgrounds.

Financial: The single largest shift is the PCH bankruptcy (2025), which eliminated trust income that had supported $12+ million in annual grantmaking. The foundation explicitly committed to not spending down its endowment — prioritizing long-term stability over short-term grant volume — leaving approximately $7 million available annually, with further reductions anticipated.

Program: February 5, 2026 marked the official announcement of the foundation's two 2026 program pillars: Democracy & Power and New York Dance. The prior four-program structure (Climate, Democracy, NYC Communities, Dance) has been consolidated. Climate Change Solutions no longer appears as a standalone program.

Process: February 25, 2025 brought the most applicant-facing change in years — a streamlined application eliminating narrative proposals and post-grant reporting requirements for general operating support grants, described by the foundation as rooted in its relational philosophy.

Mertz Gilmore's application process is intentionally minimal for current grantees but intentionally closed to most outsiders. Here is what sophisticated grant seekers need to know:

Timing: The foundation runs at least two grant cycles annually (spring and fall); the spring 2025 cycle was the first under the streamlined requirements. A new grants management portal was anticipated in early 2026 — check mertzgilmore.org before applying as the portal URL and submission format may have changed. Democracy & Power grantmaking is currently under review with no publicly announced open cycle; monitor the Updates page closely.

For New York Dance applicants: The single legitimate entry point is one paragraph via email to Leah Krauss describing your proposed project. Do not send a full proposal without being invited. Leah Krauss responds to all inquiries. Applicants who skip this step will have their proposals rejected regardless of organizational strength. Dance grantees span presenters of marginalized and emerging artists, smaller NYC dance companies, service organizations, and borough arts councils. The Mertz Gilmore Seed Fund for Dance, administered through UMEZ, is a separate, more accessible pathway for Upper Manhattan dance organizations.

For Democracy & Power applicants: Invitation only with no public application window. The foundation conducted over 120 meetings with grantee and funding partners in 2024–2025 to inform its 2026 priorities. Position your organization through participation in shared funding tables — the foundation co-invests through New Venture Fund, Tides Foundation, Neo Philanthropy, and the New York Civic Engagement Table. Being visible in those networks is more effective than direct outreach.

What they look for: The foundation's new mission explicitly centers "justice and creativity in communities." Grant applications should lead with community power-building, not just programmatic outcomes. For democracy grantees, language around multiracial democracy, people of color-led organizations, and campaign finance / voting rights reform aligns with historic giving patterns. Avoid framing centered purely on policy research without organizing components.

Common mistakes: Applying without an invitation; submitting climate-only proposals (the program is discontinued); sending long narrative proposals when the foundation now requires only a short questionnaire; assuming the prior application requirements still apply (they were replaced in spring 2025).

Relationship-building: Attend the Funders' Committee for Civic Participation convenings and other democracy philanthropy tables where MGF staff participate. The foundation's staff learned about potential grantees through 120+ partner meetings in 2024–2025 — field presence matters far more than polished proposals.