The Blueflash Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Brooklyn, NY EIN: 26-3086784

The Blueflash Foundation is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, New York. Its 2024 filing lists grants to organizations including a college, arts organizations, health and wellness providers, a food pantry, a public library, and humanitarian and civic organizations.

The Blueflash Foundation at a glance

In short: The Blueflash Foundation gave $100K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), top state New York. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$99,615
+104.2% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
34
+78.9% vs 2023
Average grant
$2,930
+14.1% vs 2023
Median grant
$2,041
Total assets
$2,610,003
+0.9% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
56% first-time grantees (19 of 34, 2024)
Primary geography
New York (47% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to The Blueflash Foundation

How to Apply

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists Paul Grassfield as the contact, says there is no application form, and states there are no restrictions on awards.

Contact

Application contact: Paul Grassfield
Mailing address: 429 S 5Th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone: (917) 567-6701

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Blueflash Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Bard College: $10KBard College$10KKMC The Hamptons: $10KKMC The Hamptons$10KRangeley Public Library: $6KRangeley Public Library$6KBay Street Theater: $5KBay Street Theater$5KRangeley Friends of the Arts: $5KRangeley Friends of the Arts$5KRangeley Health and Wellness: $5KRangeley Health and Wellness$5KAcord Food Pantry: $5KAcord Food Pantry$5KUSA for UNHCR: $5KUSA for UNHCR$5KQuebec Labrador Foundation: $5KQuebec Labrador Foundation$5KRangeley Museum: $5KRangeley Museum$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was Bard College ($10K). Together the top 10 received $61K.

Grant Size Distribution

86 grants across all recorded years

86<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 86 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (47%), Maine (26%), and Massachusetts (12%), with additional shares going to recipients in Washington, DC (6%) and Maryland (2%). The listed grants include recipients in New York, Maine, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkRangeleySag HarborAnnandaleonhudsonGreenwichWater MillSan FranciscoWashingtonChicagoPittsburghRangelySilver SpringSomervilleBaltimoreBelfastBerkeleyBostonBrooklynDecorahFairfield

Is The Blueflash Foundation open to new grantees?

56%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 19 of 34 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 63% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K16 grants2020 17 grants2022 19 grants2023 34 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $49K (2023) to $100K (2024). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $100K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Bard College AnnandaleonHudson, NYGeneral Fund$10,000
KMC The Hamptons Water Mill, NYGeneral Fund$10,000
Rangeley Public Library Rangeley, MEGeneral Fund$6,000
Bay Street Theater Sag Harbor, NYGeneral Fund$5,000
Rangeley Friends of the Arts Rangeley, MEGeneral Fund$5,000
Rangeley Health and Wellness Rangeley, MEGeneral Fund$5,000
Acord Food Pantry South Hamilton, MAGeneral Fund$5,000
USA for UNHCR Washington, DCGeneral Fund$5,000
Quebec Labrador Foundation Ipswich, MAGeneral Fund$5,000
Rangeley Museum Rangeley, MEGeneral Fund$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$2,610,003$90,733$121,723$99,61534$99,615$70,388$157,227
2023$2,586,103$1,784,947$63,210$48,77319$55,821$54,924$102,032
2022$892,554$19,985$62,815$53,97517$58,395$20,488$59,051
2020$993,253$73,213$62,476$51,00016—$67,459$54,252

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Blueflash Foundation reported a distributable amount of $157K 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

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Bard College describes its mission as providing a challenging academic program and supportive environment; New York Public Radio says it seeks to foster curiosity, openness, and joy through audio programming rooted in New York; and Theatre of the Oppressed NYC says it creates theatre troupes with community members facing social, economic, health, and human-rights injustices.

Other 2024 recipients describe work in areas including election reform (FairVote), counseling (NBCC Foundation), youth development (Police Athletic League), human rights related to Palestine (A Jewish Voice for Peace), and seed preservation (Seed Savers Exchange). These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $99,615. Grant amounts ranged from $375 to $10,000, with a median of $2,041. Among the largest listed grants were $10,000 each to Bard College and KMC The Hamptons; $6,000 to Rangeley Public Library; and $5,000 each to Bay Street Theater, Rangeley Friends of the Arts, Rangeley Health and Wellness, Acord Food Pantry, USA for UNHCR, Quebec Labrador Foundation, Rangeley Museum, and Rangeley ME Family Health. These listed grants were designated for general fund purposes.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Paul Grassfield and A Heaton Robertson as trustees.

The Blueflash Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • A Heaton Robertson

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paul Grassfield

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

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 The Blueflash Foundation

How much does The Blueflash Foundation give each year?

The Blueflash Foundation gave $100K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $49K across 19 grants.

What is The Blueflash Foundation's typical grant size?

The Blueflash Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,041, and its average grant was $2,930, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Blueflash Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does The Blueflash Foundation give grants?

The Blueflash Foundation's top state is New York, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maine (26%) and Massachusetts (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Rangeley, ME (5 grants), Water Mill, NY (2 grants) and Sag Harbor, NY (2 grants).

Does The Blueflash Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Blueflash Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Blueflash Foundation's largest grantees?

The Blueflash Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Bard College ($10,000), KMC The Hamptons ($10,000) and Rangeley Public Library ($6,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Blueflash Foundation?

The Blueflash Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $100K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $157K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does The Blueflash Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Blueflash Foundation?

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Blueflash Foundation's EIN?

The Blueflash Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3086784. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Blueflash Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-blueflash-foundation-morg_629c667fb4324f52817fbe4257d1c9d7

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263086784_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Blueflash Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-blueflash-foundation-morg_629c667fb4324f52817fbe4257d1c9d7},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Blueflash 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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