JM Foundation

The JM Foundation was created by Jeremiah Milbank, co-founder of the Borden Milk Company, in 1924. Originally its mission was to help integrate people with disabilities from WWI into American life at a time where they were quite stigmatizing. He proponent of limited government and the "independent liberty" of Social Darwinist thought popular around universities like Yale during his age. "To realize his vision, The JM Foundation Directors support activities that foster self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, and private initiative."

Milbank helped Herbert Hoover found the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and served as their treasurer for 25 years.

According to its website, the Foundation’s current philanthropic goals "are to encourage market-oriented public policy solutions and to enhance America’s unique system of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, private property ownership, and voluntarism."

JM Foundation is a major right-wing funder. It's current executive director Carl Helstrom works as Vice President for programs at another major right-wing funder: the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Contents

Grants Distributed

JM Foundation provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to non-profits each year, many of which have ties to the right-wing. JM Foundation lists its grant priorities on its website as "supporting education and research that fosters market-based policy solutions, especially at state think tanks; developing state and national organizations that promote free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and private initiative; and identifying and educating young leaders."

2018

Grantees:

• America’s Future Foundation: $25,000 "To support educational activities"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: $250,000 "Toward leadership development at local clubs"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $8,000 "For youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $25,000 "To support the Jasper County Boys & Girls Club"
• Capitol Learning Academy: $10,000 "Toward educational programs"
• Commonwealth Foundation: $25,000 "To advance freedom and free enterprise in Pennsylvania"
• Empire Center: $25,000 "To advance freedom and free enterprise in New York"
• Encounter Books $10,000 "For publications"
• Foundation for Cultural Review: $7,500 "Toward educational activities"
• Fund for American Studies: $25,000 "To establish an Alumni Leadership Academy"
• Garden State Initiative: $25,000 "To advance freedom and free enterprise in New Jersey"
• Hoover Institution: $290,000 "To support Senior Research Fellows"
• Manhattan Institute: $25,000 "For the Adam Smith Society"
• South Carolina Coastal Conservation League: $60,000 "Toward educational activities"
• Yankee Institute: $25,000 "To advance freedom and free enterprise in Connecticut"

2017

Grantees:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $8,000 "For youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $25,000 "To support the Jasper County Boys & Girls Club"
• Children’s Scholarship Fund: $10,000 "Toward educational scholarships"
• Classroom, Inc.: $25,000 "For educational programs"
• Commonwealth Foundation: $35,000 "To promote economic growth and public accountability"
• Encounter Books: $25,000 "To support publications"
• Foundation for Cultural Review: $35,000 "For publications and outreach programs"
• Fund for American Studies: $25,000 "To establish an Alumni Leadership Academy"
• Garden State Initiative: $35,000 "To increase freedom and free enterprise in New Jersey"
• Goldwater Institute: $35,000 "To promote freedom and free enterprise in Arizona"
• Hoover Institution: $290,000 "To support Senior Research Fellows"
• Intercollegiate Studies Institute: $5,000 "Toward educational activities"
• Manhattan Institute: $35,000 "For the Adam Smith Society"
• National Review Institute: $40,000 "To support On Campus Programs and help launch the Center for Unalienable Rights"
• Platte Institute: $35,000 "To evaluate the costs of government regulations"
• South Carolina Coastal Conservation League: $10,000 "For educational programs"
• St. Elizabeth Shelter: $10,000 "To assist homeless people with disabilities"
• State Policy Network: $100,000 "To foster freedom and free enterprise in the states"
• Turning Point USA: $10,000 "For educational activities on college campuses"
• William F. Buckley, Jr., Program at Yale University: $40,000 "Toward market research"
• Yankee Institute:$35,000 "To reduce public expenditures and promote private enterprise"

2016

Grantees:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $8,000 "for youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $25,000 "to support the Jasper County Boys & Girls Club"
• Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation: $25,000 "to support the Coolidge Cup National Debate Championship"
• Commonwealth Foundation: $35,000 "to promote freedom and free enterprise in Pennsylvania"
• Foundation for Cultural Review: $35,000 "toward educational activities"
• Foundation for Economic Education: $35,000 "for Economics in One Day"
• Foundation for Individual Rights in Education: $25,000 "for ongoing efforts to promote free speech on college campuses"
• Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity: $35,000 "to support investigative journalism"
• Hoover Institution: $40,000 "to support programs in Washington, DC, and for the research efforts of Victor Davis Hanson"
• Independent Women’s Forum: $5,000 "for a conference on character in political leadership"
• Mackinac Center: $35,000 "for educational activities"
• Manhattan Institute: $50,000 "toward the Adam Smith Society"
• Network of Enlightened Women: $40,000 "for campus chapter development"
• State Policy Network: $125,000 "to promote leadership development at state think tanks"
• Student Free Press Association: $35,000 "to enhance college journalism"
• Tax Foundation: $35,000 "toward the State Open Data Project"
• The Anglosphere Society: $2,000 "toward educational activities"
• Think Freely Media: $40,000 "for outreach to the Hispanic community"
• Turning Point USA: $10,000 "to support the Professor Watchlist"

2015

Grantees:

• American Enterprise Institute: $50,000 "To support educational programs"
• Anglosphere Society: $5,000 "Toward educational activities"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $7,500 "For youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $30,000 "To support the Jasper County Boys & Girls Club"
• Center for Equal Opportunity: $15,000 "Toward educational activities"
• Civitas Institute: $40,000 "To support 'Mapping the Left'"
• Classroom, Inc.: $25,000 "For educational programs"
• DonorsTrust: $25,000 "Toward Talent Market"
• Encounter Books: $25,000 "To support publications"
• Federalist Society: $30,000 "Toward educational activities with state think tanks"
• Freedom Trust: $20,000 "To support graduate fellowships"
• Fund for American Studies: $50,000 "For the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship Program"
• Georgia Center for Opportunity : $40,000 "To support a 'Breakthrough Research Fellow'"
• Hoover Institution: $40,000 "Toward educational programs in Washington DC"
• Illinois Policy Institute: $40,000 For “Budget Solutions 2016”
• Institute for Humane Studies $40,000 "Toward the 'Find Scholars' Program"
• James Madison Institute: $40,000 "To support the Center for Educational Entrepreneurs"
• Just Facts: $20,000 "For educational programs"
• Leadership Project for America Foundation: $200,000 "To support education and research"
• Manhattan Institute: $50,000 "Toward the Adam Smith Society"
• National Review Institute: $35,000 "For collaborative partnerships"
• Network of Enlightened Women: $35,000 "To support educational programs"
• Nevada Policy Research Institute: $35,000 "To encourage educational savings accounts"
• St. Elizabeth Shelter: $5,000 "To assist homeless people with disabilities"
• State Policy Network: $125,000 "To strengthen state think tanks"
• Tax Foundation: $35,000 "To upgrade technical and information infrastructure"
• Thomas Jefferson Institute: $35,000 "To expand educational opportunity and school choice"
• Yankee Institute: $40,000 "Toward online activities"

2014

Grantees:

• America’s Future Foundation: $25,000 "Toward leadership development programs"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: $100,000 "To support leadership training"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $7,500 "To support youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $25,000 "For the Jasper County Boys & Girls Club"
• Classroom, Inc.: $25,000 "Toward educational services for students"
• Commonwealth Foundation: $35,000 "For strategic communications"
• Empire Center: $35,000 "Toward policy research and SeeThroughNY.net"
• Encounter Books: $25,000 "For publications"
• Essentials in Education: $10,000 "For educational programs"
• Foundation For Cultural Review: $35,000 "Toward educational activities"
• Franklin Center For Government and Public Integrity: $25,000 "Toward cooperative programs with radio stations"
• FreedomWorks Foundation: $40,000 "To support youth outreach"
• Heritage Foundation: $25,000 "For coalition building"
• Hoover Institution: $40,000 'Toward educational programs in Washington, DC"
• Independent Women’s Forum: $35,000 "To improve America’s health care policies"
• Institute For Family Studies: $10,000 "To support Home Economics: Marriage and Free Enterprise"
• James Madison Institute: $40,000 "Toward the Center For Educational Entrepreneurs"
• Lord’s Place: $5,000 "To assist homeless individuals and their families"
• Lucy Burns Institute: $75,000 "To feature the work of State Policy Network members"
• National Review Institute: $35,000 "Toward regional partnership programs"
• Nevada Policy Research Institute: $35,000 "To support Solutions 2015"
• New York Eye and Ear Infirmary: $5,000 "To support the research of Dr. Richard Rosen"
• Platte Institute: $35,000O "For the Roadmap To Pension Reform Initiative"
• Reason Foundation: $35,000 "For the public pension reform project"
• Rio Grande Foundation: $35,000 "To expand the web-based 'Liberty Index'"
• South Carolina Policy Council: $35,000 "To enhance video and web-based communications"
• State Budget Solutions: $35,000 "To support public pension reform"
• State Policy Network: $125,000 "To strengthen state think tanks"
• Washington Policy Center: $35,000 "Toward the Center For Government Reform"

2010

Grantees:

• American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research: $40,000
• American Spectator Foundation: $25,000
• America's Future Foundation: $20,000 "To expand state chapters"
• Atlas Economic Research Foundation: $30,000
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: $150,000 "Toward The Executive Leadership Development Initiative"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia: $5,000 "For youth services"
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry: $25,000 "To support the Jasper County Boys & Girls Clubs"
• Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions: $25,000 "To increase economic freedom and entrepreneurship"
• Common Sense Institute of New Jersey: $30,000 "For research on educational choice and government transparency"
• DonorsTrust: $60,000 "To promote patient-centered health care and assist emerging young journalists"
• Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: $30,000 "To support high school programs"
• The Heritage Foundation: $25,000 "For coalition building"
• Herbert Hoover Presidential Library: $2,500 "To support the Uncommon Awards Program"
• Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace: $40,000 "For the Task Force On Property Rights, Freedom, and Prosperity"
• Illinois Policy Institute: $30,000 "Toward economic reform"
• Institute for Humane Studies: $30,000 "For internships at state think tanks"
• Institute for Responsible Citizenship: $25,000 "To support summer programs for college students"
• Intercollegiate Studies Institute: $25,000 "For the Lehrman American Studies Center"
• LCU Foundation: $5,000 "Toward an educational video"
• Manhattan Institute: $50,000 "To launch the Center for State and Local Leadership"
• Mississippi Center for Public Policy: $30,000 "To reduce the size and scope of state government"
• National Taxpayers Union Foundation: $25,000 "For entitlement reform"
• Philanthropy Roundtable: $25,000 "To support the Alliance for Charitable Reform"
• South Carolina Policy Council: $25,000 "Toward a statewide marketing campaign"
• State Policy Network: $75,000 "To strengthen state think tanks"
• Vincent Memorial Hospital: $10,000 "For research fellowships"
• Young America's Foundation: $25,000 "For the Reagan 100 Initiative"

Personnel

As of June 2019:

Staff

• Carl Helstrom, Executive Director and Assistant Treasurer
• Chris Olander, Executive Director Emeritus and Assistant Secretary

Former Staff

• Carmel Mazzola, Administrative Assistant
• Vicki Puluso, Administrative Assistant
• Jack Brauntuch, Special Counselor

Directors

• Jeremiah Milbank III, President
• Jeremiah M. Bogert, Vice President
• Peter C. Morse, Secretary and Treasurer

Former Directors

• Jeremiah Milbank, Jr., President Emeritus
• Wm. Lee Hanley, Jr., Treasurer
• Mary Caslin Ross

Contact Details

JM Foundation
The JM Foundation
116 Village Boulevard – Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540
Website: http://fdnweb.org/jm/
Phone: 609-951-2283