Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation
The Mechner Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation based in New York, New York. Its website says it was established and funded by Dr. Francis Mechner as a charitable trust and that its work has centered on applying behavioral sciences to preserve and enhance human quality of life.
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation at a glance
In short: Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation gave $196K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $195,630
- +628.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- +111.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,296
- +245.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,111,030
- -2.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Central Park South Ste 18E, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (917) 292-4871
Website: https://mechnerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pure Earth ($40K). Together the top 10 received $170K.
Grant Size Distribution
29 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 29 grants of 29 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in New York, New York. Its 2024 grants went to recipients identified in New York, Washington, D.C., Texas, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, as well as recipients whose locations were not provided in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
How Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation gives
- 16% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1K (2022) to $196K (2024). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $196K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Earth New York, NY | The Addresses Pollution to Save Lives and Protect | $40,000 |
| Project Hope Washington, DC | Provides Global Health and Humanitarian Assistance | $20,000 |
| Voices of Children Houston, TX | Provides Psychological Support to Children Affecte | $20,000 |
| Documenting Ukraine | The Captures and Archives the Human Experience of | $15,000 |
| Save the Children Fairfield, CT | Supports Childrens Rights Education and Emergen | $15,000 |
| Nova Ukraine San Jose, CA | Provides Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine | $15,000 |
| IFJ Safety Fund for Journalists IN | Offers Support to Journalists Facing Threats and V | $15,000 |
| Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund Global Washington, DC | Supports Ukrainians in Need Focusing on the Most | $10,000 |
| Parole Prep New York, NY | Supports Incarcerated Individuals in Preparing for | $10,000 |
| Insight Meditation Society Barre, MA | Offers Meditation Retreats and Teachings in the Bu | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,111,030 | — | $422,244 | $195,630 | 19 | $345,451 | $403,153 | $293,494 |
| 2023 | $6,266,206 | $6,249,364 | $204,215 | $26,850 | 9 | $126,360 | $5,160,627 | — |
| 2022 | $214,679 | $133,019 | $149,999 | $1,033 | 1 | $101,511 | — | — |
| 2021 | $328,331 | $39,246 | $405,208 | — | — | $361,399 | — | — |
| 2020 | $602,721 | $722,898 | $636,558 | — | — | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation reported a distributable amount of $293K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes the application of behavioral sciences to preserve and enhance human quality of life as a unifying theme. Its stated research interests include behavioral science, governance theory, cyberconferencing technology, specialized languages, and digital platform systems related to cyberconferencing and societal self-governance. It also describes work in education, the arts, and the environment.
The foundation’s 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. Nova Ukraine received $15,000; in its own mission statement, Nova Ukraine says it supports Ukraine and its people by providing essential aid to vulnerable populations, including children, refugees, internally displaced people, and wounded defenders. The New York Botanical Garden received $58; it describes itself as a museum of plants and scientific research center focused on plant study, public understanding of the natural world, and knowledge of plants and their uses.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $195,630. Grant amounts ranged from $58 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest listed awards included $40,000 to Pure Earth; $20,000 each to Project HOPE and Voices of Children; and $15,000 each to Documenting Ukraine, Save the Children, Nova Ukraine, and the IFJ Safety Fund for Journalists.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Francis Mechner as chairman, and David Mechner and Emily Mechner as directors. The foundation’s website identifies Francis Mechner as president.
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation is led by Francis Mechner, Chairman on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Francis Mechner
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Mechner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Mechner
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Laurilyn Jones (2020–2021) — Managing Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation
How much does Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation give each year?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation gave $196K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $27K across 9 grants.
What is Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's typical grant size?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,296, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation give grants?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's top state is New York, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Littleton, MA (2 grants).
Does Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's largest grantees?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pure Earth ($40,000), Project Hope ($20,000) and Voices of Children ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation reported $6.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $345K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $293K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes the application of behavioral sciences to preserve and enhance human quality of life as a unifying theme. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's EIN?
Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7104759. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mechner-foundation-fka-humanitas-foundation-morg_da939326720743629d9549682f2f974e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137104759_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mechner-foundation-fka-humanitas-foundation-morg_da939326720743629d9549682f2f974e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Mechner Foundation FKA Humanitas Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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