Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation Grant Program

The Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation was established during the lifetimes of Leonard and Helen R. Stulman. The couple were known for their generous contributions to the Jewish community, the arts, and medical organizations. They created the foundation with the intention that, after the year 2000 following Mr. Stulman’s passing, it would provide funding in the areas of mental health, health, and aging. The foundation operates under the leadership of a board of trustees and is supported by an executive director. The foundation's purpose is to support projects and programs that advance research, treatment, and services related to mental illness, aging, and health care. It prioritizes initiatives that promote recovery and community integration for individuals with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. It also seeks to improve access to mental health treatment for underserved populations, particularly through integration of mental health services into community and primary care settings and the provision of culturally competent services. Furthermore, it encourages the adoption of evidence-based practices in mental health treatment. In the area of aging, the foundation supports services and initiatives that help older adults remain in their communities as they age. It aims to address unmet health and mental health needs of this population. Additionally, the foundation funds programs engaged in health care treatment and prevention, as well as medical research, with a focus on improving chronic disease management and increasing access to care for disadvantaged groups. Approximately ninety-five percent of the foundation’s funding is allocated to programs within greater Baltimore and the state of Maryland. Eligibility for funding is limited to organizations or their fiscal agents that qualify as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. These organizations must adhere to non-discriminatory practices based on race, creed, national origin, color, physical handicap, gender, or sexual orientation. The foundation typically awards grants ranging from twenty-five thousand to one hundred fifty thousand dollars. It does not fund brick and mortar capital projects, K-12 public education, individual scholarships, or conferences and symposia. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the foundation’s guidelines and submit a two-page letter of inquiry. The letter should be signed by both the executive director and board chair of the applying organization and include the requested amount, the purpose of the request, an overview of the proposed project, and background information on the organization. Letters of inquiry are accepted on a rolling basis and should be emailed to the foundation’s executive director. If invited to submit a full proposal, applicants may use the Maryland Philanthropy Network Grant Proposal Format or another preferred format. For more information or questions, prospective applicants can contact Cathy Brill, the foundation’s executive director, via email at cbrill@bcf.org. The foundation does not specify a formal application close date, as it operates on a rolling submission basis for letters of inquiry. Application guidelines and reporting templates are available on the foundation’s website.

Review the guidelines carefully and ensure the letter of inquiry clearly outlines the requested information.