Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc
HARRIS & FRANCES BLOCK FOUNDATION INC is a private foundation based in Marshfield, Vermont. Established in 2001 as a small family foundation, it supports grassroots organizations working on social and environmental issues and just, sustainable communities.
Key facts about Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc
In short: Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc gave $687K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in Vermont. 51% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 31-1784246
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $686,520
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- Average grant
- $18,555
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 51% first-time grantees (19 of 37, 2024)
- Total assets
- $11,241,629
- Primary geography
- Vermont (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Proposal deadlines are June 1 and December 1.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
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
37
-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.
Is Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
51%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 37 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 162% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to seek equitable solutions to social and environmental problems by working with small and emerging organizations to improve communities and impact the world. Its stated priorities include community development, social and economic justice, environmental activism, sustainable agriculture, and food systems. Its website also identifies environmental education and environmental justice, farm and garden programs, farmworkers’ rights, and food justice as areas it funds.
The foundation supports small grassroots nonprofit organizations. Examples of grantees’ work include Migrant Justice’s organizing for farmworker economic justice and human rights, and SNACC’s hands-on food education for youth and families. Partnership for Appalachian Girls Education describes its work as providing girls with place-based learning and mentoring, while Movement for Justice in El Barrio describes organizing against displacement and supporting immigrant families and individuals.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave **$686,520 across 37 grants**. Grants ranged from **$2,000 to $35,000**, with a median grant of **$20,000**. Notable awards included $35,000 to the Institute for Social Ecology for popular education for racial and environmental justice, $35,000 to Movement for Justice in El Barrio for environmental justice and immigration, and $30,000 to Migrant Justice for its human rights for immigrant farmworkers project. Other grants included $27,000 to Jaquith Public Library for a Marshfield resilience hub and food security project and $25,000 to Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education for environmental STEM labs.
Review Cycle
** Proposal deadlines are June 1 and December 1. The foundation says it makes funding decisions twice a year, in spring and fall.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Vermont, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York City as its grantmaking locations. In 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to Vermont recipients, 25% to North Carolina, 14% to New York, 4% to Massachusetts, and 4% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 37 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
210 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ECOLOGY Plainfield, VT | POPULAR EDUCATION FOR RACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | $35,000 |
| MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE IN EL BARRIO New York, NY | ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND IMMIGRATION | $35,000 |
| MIGRANT JUSTICE Burlington, VT | HUMAN RIGHTS FOR IMMIGRANT FARMWORKERS PROJECT | $30,000 |
| MONTPELIER PARKS AND TREES DEPARTMENT Montpelier, VT | MONTPLIER COMMUNITY FEAST FARM PROJECT | $30,000 |
| JAQUITH PUBLIC LIBRARY Marshfield, VT | MARSHFIELD RESILIENCE HUB-FOOD SECURITY PROJECT | $27,000 |
| FAIRBANKS MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM St Johnsbury, VT | ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMING AT THE METSINGER FOREST | $26,520 |
| CENTER FOR CREATIVE AGING NC Greensboro, NC | BRINGING GENERATIONS TOGETHER THROUGH ART, FOOD, AND FARMING | $25,000 |
| CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION Boston, MA | SLINGSHOT GRANT AWARD; BUILDING COMMUNITY POWER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN VT. | $25,000 |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR APPALACHIAN GIRLS' EDUCATION Marshall, NC | EXPLORING APPALACHIAN ENVIRONMENTS - STEM LABS | $25,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NNE Colchester, VT | DELIVERING LIFE CHANGING CARE | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,241,629 | $617,067 | $1,035,325 | $686,520 |
| 2023 | $11,368,953 | $439,464 | $1,017,824 | $736,635 |
| 2022 | $12,019,748 | $405,102 | $1,094,441 | $797,539 |
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nancy M Sluys as president; Elizabeth M Chodorkoff as executive director and treasurer; Rebecca Robinson as program director and trustee; and Lisa Chodorkoff as secretary.
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc is led by Elizabeth M. Chodorkoff, Executive Director & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth M. Chodorkoff
Executive Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$87K (2020) → $69K (2024)
Nancy M. Sluys
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$6K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Rebecca Robinson
Program Director & Trustee
Secretary & Consultant → Secretary & Program Director, 2022
Secretary & Program Director → Program Director & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $80K (2024)
Lisa Chodorkoff
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$6K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Diana Maurer Schatz (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 491 Ennis Hill Road, Marshfield, VT 05658
Phone: (802) 426-3806
Website: https://blockfound.org
Frequently asked questions about Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc
How much does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc give each year?
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc gave $687K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $737K across 43 grants.
What is Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $18,555, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc that year got $15K on average.
Where does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc give grants?
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc gives mostly in Vermont: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were North Carolina (25%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Montpelier, VT (4 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Durham, NC (2 grants) and Greensboro, NC (2 grants).
Does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Institute for Social Ecology ($35,000), Movement for Justice in El Barrio ($35,000) and Migrant Justice ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc?
Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $870K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $537K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to seek equitable solutions to social and environmental problems by working with small and emerging organizations to improve communities and impact the world. Its stated priorities include community development, social and economic justice, environmental activism, sustainable agriculture, and food systems. Its website also identifies environmental education and environmental justice, farm and garden programs, farmworkers’ rights, and food justice as areas it funds. T…
How do I apply for a grant from Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Harris & Frances Block Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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