Brian A. McCarthy Foundation

Brian A. McCarthy Foundation

OVERVIEW:  The Brian A. McCarthy Foundation invests in LGBTQ health, education, culture and well-being with an emphasis on HIV research and prevention, as well as housing and anti-violence programs for LGBTQ youth.

IP TAKE: The Brian A. McCarthy Foundation supports a broad range of LGBTQ organizations and programs, with a geographic focus on New York, where the foundation is based, and California. This is a transparent funder that gives grantseekers detailed information on past grantmaking including linking to 990s on its website, and its grants database is searchable by year.

While all grants serve the LGBTQ community, specific areas of interest include AIDS/HIV, LGBTQ health, mental health and education.

The foundation does not run a formal application program, but organizations working in its areas of interest may email the foundation with introductions and inquiries.

PROFILE: Founded in 2007, the Brian A. McCarthy Foundation is an outgrowth of the former Michael W. McCarthy Foundation, which was established in 1958 in by Michael W. McCarthy, a former chairman of the board of Merrill Lynch. Brian A. McCarthy serves as the sole trustee of the Brian A. McCarthy Foundation, which prefers a relatively low profile despite overseeing a website. The foundation seeks to “support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender health, education, culture, and well-being with a special emphasis on HIV prevention and research, and programs for LGBT youth.”

Grants for LGBTQ

While the foundation does not conduct its grantmaking through targeted programs, it broadly invests in a variety of LGBTQ issues. Specific areas of interest include HIV research and prevention, housing and anti-violence programs for LGBTQ youth. Past grantees include Global Action Project and its SupaFriends LGBTQ youth media program; the Black, Gifted & Whole Foundation's HBCU Ambassador Scholarship Program; and amfAR. Additional information about past grantees is available at the foundation’s grants page.

Important Grant Details

The Brian A. McCarthy Foundation gave away about $400,000 in a recent year, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $500,000. The foundation’s average grant size is about $50,000. Grantmaking appears to prioritize organizations in New York and California.

While the Brian A McCarthy Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications, it welcomes introductions from relevant organizations via email.

PEOPLE:

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