Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc

MARSHFIELD, VT EIN: 31-1784246 Website

The Harris and Frances Block Foundation is a small, family-operated private foundation established in 2001 to honor the memories of Harris & Frances Block and their daughter Carol Block Maurer. Based in Marshfield, Vermont, the foundation supports grassroots, not-for-profit organizations working toward just and sustainable communities.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.2M

-1.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$687K

-6.8% YoY

Grant Count

-14.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$19K

+8.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $537K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission

The Harris and Frances Block Foundation seeks equitable solutions to social and environmental problems, working with small and emerging organizations to improve communities and impact the world.

Core Values

The foundation operates according to five core values:

Community: Where change begins and grows to scale
Justice: Both social and environmental
Equality: Aspiring towards a society that honors the potential of all humans
Access: Equitable access to systems, resources, and opportunities
Sustainability: Both social and environmental

Funding Focus Areas

The foundation supports initiatives in:

Environmental issues
Food and farm initiatives
Economic justice
Environmental protection
Community development
Historic preservation

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants that do not exceed $35,000. Grants are awarded to non-profit, tax-exempt organizations or groups that work through a tax-exempt organizations.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation focuses its grantmaking in the geographical locations of its Board of Trustees:

Vermont
North Carolina
Virginia
New York City

Grant Distribution by State

Vermont $1.5M (45%)

North Carolina $789K (23%)

Colorado $496K (14%)

New York $268K (8%)

Virginia $132K (4%)

California $85K (2%)

New Hampshire $73K (2%)

Massachusetts $33K (1%)

+2 more states

States

California Colorado Georgia Massachusetts Maryland North Carolina New Hampshire New York Virginia Vermont

Cities

AshevilleAshvilleAstoriaAuroraAvonBarreBenningtonBerlinBethelBooneBostonBoulderBrandonBrattleboroBrentwoodBronxBrooklynBurlingtonCarrboroCharlotte

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets and Giving

Total assets: $11,368,953 (as of 2023)
Total expenses: $1,017,824 (2023)
Total revenues: $439,464 (2023)
Investment income and dividends: $358,795 (2023)

Staffing

The foundation operates with 2 employees.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$11,241,629	$11,368,953	$12,019,748
Revenue	$617,067	$439,464	$405,102
Expenses	$1,035,325	$1,017,824	$1,094,441
Qualifying Distributions	$870,054	$860,350	$961,732
Net Investment Income	$461,390	$288,520	$276,500
Distributable Amount	$536,633	$557,818	$618,178

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

208 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc

Foundation

Harris & Frances Block Foundation Grant

HARRIS & FRANCES BLOCK FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Up to US $35,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Institute for Social Ecology ($35,000), Movement for Justice in El Barrio ($35,000), Migrant Justice ($30,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ADDISON COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP MIDDLEBURY, VT	FOR HEAT PUMP FOR HOPE FOOD SHELF	$2,500
ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENO RIVER DURHAM, NC	ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND PROTECTION OF THE ENO RIVER	$15,000
CAMP THORPE BRANDON, VT	FARM TO TABLE GARDENING PROGRAMMING	$2,000
CENTER FOR AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY HARDWICK, VT	FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY	$20,000
CENTER FOR CREATIVE AGING NC GREENSBORO, NC	BRINGING GENERATIONS TOGETHER THROUGH ART, FOOD, AND FARMING	$25,000
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE ORGANIZATIONS BARRE, VT	ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NETWORK	$20,000
CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION BOSTON, MA	SLINGSHOT GRANT AWARD; BUILDING COMMUNITY POWER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN VT.	$25,000
FAIRBANKS MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM ST JOHNSBURY, VT	ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMING AT THE METSINGER FOREST	$26,520
FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR HOLISTIC LIVING EAST BARRE, VT	CHILDREN'S NATURE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM	$10,000
GOOD WORK INSTITUTE KINGSTON, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ROCK STEADY FARM	$15,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
NANCY M SLUYS	PRESIDENT	1	$8,000
ELIZABETH M CHODORKOFF	EX. DIRECTOR & TREASURER	30	$68,877
REBECCA ROBINSON	PROGRAM DIRECTOR & TRUSTEE	30	$79,584
LISA CHODORKOFF	SECRETARY	1	$8,000

Contact Information

Address

491 Ennis Hill Road Marshfield, VT 05658-8250

Phone

802-426-3806

Website

www.blockfound.org

EIN

31-1784246

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc fund?

**Mission** The Harris and Frances Block Foundation seeks equitable solutions to social and environmental problems, working with small and emerging organizations to improve communities and impact the world. **Core Values** The foundation operates according to five core values: • **Community:** Where change begins and grows to scale • **Justice:** Both social and environmental • **Equality:** Aspiring towards a society that honors the potential of all humans • **Access:** Equitable access to sys…

How do I apply for a grant from Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc?

**Grant Parameters** The foundation makes grants that do not exceed $35,000. Grants are awarded to non-profit, tax-exempt organizations or groups that work through a tax-exempt organizations. **What the Foundation Does Not Fund** The foundation explicitly does not fund: • Lobbying or efforts to influence public elections • Land acquisition • Capital construction • Endowments • Deficit financing • Scholarships **Application Process** Applicants can create an account on the foundation's portal to…

Where does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation focuses its grantmaking in the geographical locations of its Board of Trustees: • Vermont • North Carolina • Virginia • New York City

What size grants does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc awarded 37 grants totaling $687K — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $537K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's EIN?

Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1784246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.