Mental Insight Foundation was established by hotel founder Bill Klimpton to fund research projects into mental illness and into using therapy as an alternative to prescription drugs. The organization has expanded to fund left-of-center environmentalist causes and art programs. The Mental Insight Foundation was previously guided by two consultant groups that have worked with left-of-center philanthropy groups in the past. As of April 2024, the Foundation was liquidating funds and assets to cease operations in 2025. ^{1 2 3}

History

The Mental Insight Foundation was founded in 1996 by Klimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group founder Bill Klimpton. The Foundation was originally established to fund research projects into forms of mental illness with an emphasis of treating depression using therapy as an alternative to prescription drugs. ¹

The Mental Insight Foundation later broadened its scope to fund left-of-center environmental groups and arts programs. ² As of April 2024, the Mental Insight Foundation is scheduled to cease operations in 2025. ³

Advisors

The Mental Insight Foundation is a client of Diamond Philanthropy Advisors. In 2022, Diamond Philanthropy Advisors received $474,500 in management fees from the Mental Insight Foundation. ⁴

Virginia Hubbell Associates lists Mental Insight Foundation among its “representative clients,” though the foundation reported no expenditures to the consultancy in 2022. Other “representative clients” of Virginia Hubbell Associates include the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, California Community Foundation, East Bay Community Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Sonoma County Community Foundation, Levi Strauss Foundation, City of San Francisco Fund for the Arts, California Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. ⁵

Grants to Organizations

In 2022, the Mental Insight Foundation provided almost $3.9 million in grants. Recipients included Amazon Watch, Earth Island Institute, Protect Our Winters, Forever Free Horse Rescue, Riverkeeper, Homeless Children’s Network, Clean Ocean Action, California Association of Resource Conservation, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Regeneration Project, Feast Food Pantry, Upstream Policy Institute, Ketamine Research Foundation, Feeding Pets of the Homeless, Green Forests Work, DC Green Spaces Alliance, Prison Yoga Project, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Friends of Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Centers for Climate Energy, Plastics Oceans Foundation, and Ocean Conservation Research. ⁴

The Mental Insight Foundation also provided grants to artist groups including Immediate Medium, Soho Think Tank, Performance Zone, Flux Foundation, Mint Theater Company, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Art of Yoga Project, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Brick Theater, Dance To Be Free, and American Opera Projects. ⁴

In 2022, the Mental Insight Foundation approved future payments of $50,000 each to left-of-center environmental groups Carbon Cycle Institute, Clean Ocean Action, Regeneration Project, Upstream Policy Institute, and Kiss the Ground. ⁴

Finances

In 2022, the Mental Insight Foundation reported net assets of $9,311,204. ⁴ According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2022 Mental Insight Foundation reported $505,786 in revenue and $3,499,304 in expenses. ⁴ In 2021, Mental Insight Foundation reported $2,232,562 in revenue and $3,500,872 in expenses. ⁶

Leadership

Julie Diamond has been the executive director of the Mental Insight Foundation since 2020. ⁷ Diamond formed and is the CEO of Diamond Philanthropy Advisors. ⁷ Prior to forming Diamond Philanthropy Advisors and working as executive director of the Mental Health Foundation, Diamond worked for Virginia Hubbell Associates. ⁵

1. “Bill Klimpton, Founder and Chairman of Klimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group, Dies.” Klimpton Group. April 1, 2001. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2001_2nd/Apr01_BKimpton.html.
2. Mental Insight Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Mental Insight Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
3. “Mental Insight Foundation.” Candid. February 17, 2024. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=MENT012.
4. Mental Insight Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2022.
5. “List of Representative Clients.” Virginia Hubbell Associates. Accessed March 28, 2024. http://www.virginiahubbell.com/clients.html.
6.  Mental Insight Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
7. “Julie Diamond.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-diamond-66513510/.