Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
The Babcock Foundation partners with organizations and networks working to alleviate poverty and increase social and economic justice in 11 Southern states. We believe in democracy, opportunity and the power of partnerships, and we follow the lead of local experts who know what their communities need to thrive.
We support collaborative, multi-strategy, place-based work focused on democracy and civic engagement, economic opportunity, and supportive policies and institutions. We believe sustained, general-support grants are critical to helping organizations remain nimble and effective. In addition to grantmaking, we make strategic investments aligned with our mission and values.
Established in 1953 with a $12 million bequest from Mary Reynolds Babcock, in its early days the Foundation supported historically black colleges and universities, grassroots advocacy groups, voter education and government accountability efforts – a unique legacy for Southern family philanthropy.
The values that guided the Foundation in those days – fairness, democracy, equity and opportunity – continue to be our North Star today.
Grants
Stories
Introducing our Next CEO
The board and staff of the Babcock Foundation are thrilled to announce that Flozell Daniels, Jr. will serve as our next CEO and lead the organization into its next chapter. Daniels currently serves as CEO and...
Revoking Reproductive Justice is Only the Beginning
As the nation begins a long weekend commemorating Independence Day, Americans who champion democracy, social justice, a clean environment, and racial and gender equity are not in a particularly celebratory mindset. A series of regressive rulings from the Supreme Court has halted and reversed...
Welcome our New Staff Members!
The board and staff of the Babcock Foundation are thrilled to introduce you to five new staff members who joined our team this year. With a broad range of expertise and skills, these folks will help MRBF deepen our mission across the South. Their strong alignment with the Foundation’s vision,...
Issues
Introducing our Next CEO
The board and staff of the Babcock Foundation are thrilled to announce that Flozell Daniels, Jr. will serve as our next CEO and lead the organization into its next chapter. Daniels currently serves as CEO and President of the Foundation for Louisiana , which launched in 2005 to foster an equitable recovery from...
Revoking Reproductive Justice is Only the Beginning
As the nation begins a long weekend commemorating Independence Day, Americans who champion democracy, social justice, a clean environment, and racial and gender equity are not in a particularly celebratory mindset. A series of regressive rulings from the Supreme Court has halted and reversed progress, and more harmful decisions await on the polluted horizon. The court has agreed to take up a...
Welcome our New Staff Members!
The board and staff of the Babcock Foundation are thrilled to introduce you to five new staff members who joined our team this year. With a broad range of expertise and skills, these folks will help MRBF deepen our mission across the South. Their strong alignment with the Foundation’s vision, values and commitments will help our team build a culture that is warm, convivial and focused, even as...
Imprints Cares Celebrates MRBF Property Donation with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Note: This is Imprints Cares' news release about the ribbon cutting ceremony on May 19, 2022.
Imprints Cares Dedicates Ready for School Center
Winston-Salem, NC, May 19, 2022 – Thanks to a generous gift from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Imprints Cares is pleased to announce a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Ready for School Center on...
Announcing our New Strategic Directions
The South is evolving, and our work is evolving with it.
After two years of careful reflection and conversations with grantee partners and other experts across the region, the Babcock Foundation is pleased to share our deepened commitments to center power building and racial equity in everything we do, from grantmaking to investments, organizational culture to communications. This...