The Scherman Foundation is a private philanthropic organization committed to supporting transformative work driven by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Rooted in principles of racial justice, the Foundation’s strategic framework centers on three intersecting domains: cultural, economic, and political transformation. These interconnected areas inform their funding priorities and guide their grantmaking strategies to support systemic change and power-building within historically marginalized communities.
The Foundation’s grantmaking emphasizes support for organizations that are either led by or meaningfully accountable to BIPOC communities, particularly those that exhibit intersectional practices and contribute to broader movement-building efforts. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) status or work with a fiscal sponsor that does. The Foundation does not fund direct service work unless it is part of a larger organizing strategy, nor does it fund specific events, productions, or organizations operating primarily outside the United States.
Funding is concentrated in five core program areas: Arts, Democracy, Environmental and Climate Justice, Reproductive Justice, and Strengthening New York Communities. The Arts program supports BIPOC artists and projects that use storytelling and artivism to foster collective action and narrative change. The Democracy program backs multi-racial coalitions and efforts to reform political systems to better include and represent BIPOC voices. Environmental and Climate Justice grants support community-led sustainability and environmental advocacy initiatives. The Reproductive Justice program is currently closed to new applicants, focusing instead on supporting existing grantees. Finally, the Strengthening New York Communities initiative invests in local efforts promoting racial and economic equity.
For the 2025 funding cycle, the Scherman Foundation is accepting Letters of Intent (LOIs) from December 2, 2024, through February 28, 2025. This is the only open submission period for new grant requests in 2025. Applicants are strongly advised to review program guidelines and preview the LOI form before creating an account and applying via the online grant portal. Only current grantees are exempt from submitting a new LOI and have been contacted directly regarding upcoming changes to application and reporting deadlines.
LOI decisions will be announced in June 2025. For application support, applicants can reach out to Grants Manager Sami Stern. The Foundation’s office is located at 16 East 52nd Street, Suite 601, New York, NY 10022, and can be contacted by phone at 212-832-3086.
Applicants are advised to carefully review program guidelines and ensure alignment with funding focus areas; preview LOI form before submission.
