History

"It is my firm belief that any surplus of material wealth which may come to a man is properly to be regarded as a trust to be employed for the welfare of mankind." --Maurice Falk

On December 14, 1929, Maurice Falk created The Maurice and Laura Falk Foundation as a memorial to his late wife, Laura Falk. During the Great Depression the Foundation’s mission was “To extend the frontiers of economic knowledge through research -- competent, honest, and unbiased – and to make it available in clear and nontechnical language to the public.” The Foundation branched out to political science and healthcare, and was established with a 35-year term. In 1960, the Foundation awarded one of its termination grants establishing the endowment of the Maurice Falk Medical Fund in honor of Maurice Falk and his life-long interest in health as a component of the “welfare of mankind.”

The purpose of the Maurice Falk Medical Fund was to “promote personal and public health, both physical and mental, and the relief, care, and prevention of ailments of men, women, and children regardless of race, color, or creed." Since 1960, the Fund’s focus has been on social policy related to mental health, minority affairs, civil rights, and health. For more than 40 years the Fund has awarded grants totaling $18 million, and pioneered the creation of programs which combined research in the mental health field with issues of racism, prejudice, violence, and bigotry. In 2004, the Board of Trustees voted to refine the mission statement and simplify the name to the Maurice Falk Fund. On December 31, 2006, the Maurice Falk Fund and the Leon Falk Family Trust combined to form the Falk Foundation. The new Falk Foundation serves as a lasting legacy to the Falk brothers, Maurice and Leon. The Foundation’s 990PF can be viewed at www.guidestar.org.