Baker Foundation
Baker Foundation is a private foundation based in Decatur, Alabama. In 2024, it reported 15 charitable grants totaling $151,150 to organizations in five states.
Baker Foundation at a glance
In short: Baker Foundation gave $151K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state Alabama. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $151,150
- +83.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +66.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,077
- +9.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $3,651,405
- +0.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (8 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Baker Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1469, Decatur, AL 35602-1469
Phone: (256) 353-7826
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Baker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Collier County Community Fdn ($50K). Together the top 10 received $136K.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 65 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 36% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama and 36% to recipients in Florida; 18% went to North Carolina, 7% to Illinois, and 3% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Baker Foundation open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 15 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 27% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $71K (2022) to $186K (2021). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $151K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Collier County Community Fdn Naplies, FL | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Highlands Cashiers Health Fdn Highlands, NC | Charitable | $16,000 |
| Community Fdn of Greater Decatur Decatur, AL | Charitable | $15,000 |
| The Rotary Foundation Evanston, IL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Parkinson Association of Alabama Birmingham, AL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Country Club of Bham Employee Assistance Foundation Birmingham, AL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| City of Decatur Cemetery Project Decatur, AL | Charitable | $9,300 |
| Highlands Biological Foundation Highlands, NC | Charitable | $6,000 |
| United Way of Central Alabama Birmingham, AL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundatio St Petersburg, FL | Charitable | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Baker Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,651,405 | $226,475 | $210,678 | $151,150 | 15 | $173,250 | $191,171 | $191,776 |
| 2023 | $3,635,608 | $5,904 | $162,026 | $82,500 | 9 | $117,109 | $62,055 | $176,718 |
| 2022 | $3,791,730 | $-42,860 | $114,794 | $71,250 | 8 | $80,013 | $47,551 | $182,787 |
| 2021 | $3,949,384 | $823,085 | $244,813 | $186,005 | 16 | $197,064 | $787,776 | $194,186 |
| 2020 | $3,371,114 | $57,953 | $224,651 | $173,346 | 17 | — | $25,177 | $178,417 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Baker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $192K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, Parkinson Association of Alabama says its mission is to improve quality of life for people with Parkinson’s, their caregivers, and families throughout Alabama. Highlands Biological Foundation says it promotes and supports biological research and education in the Southern Appalachians. United Way of Central Alabama says it works to increase people’s organized capacity to care for one another and improve their community. Phillips Brooks House Association says it strives for social justice through student-led volunteer work and community partnerships. Carnegie Visual Arts Center says it provides visual art exhibitions and educational opportunities to the community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 15 grants totaling $151,150. Grant amounts ranged from $850 to $50,000, with a median grant of $6,000. Its largest reported grants included $50,000 to Collier County Community Foundation, $16,000 to Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation, and $15,000 to Community Foundation of Greater Decatur. Other notable grants were $10,000 each to The Rotary Foundation, Parkinson Association of Alabama, and Country Club of Birmingham Employee Assistance Foundation; $9,300 to the City of Decatur Cemetery Project; and $6,000 to Highlands Biological Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Cindy B Strickland as President Director, Becky B Wachholz as Director Chairman of the Board, and Charles R Paler as Director Secretary.
Baker Foundation is led by Cindy B Strickland, President Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cindy B Strickland
President Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$18K (2023) → $0 (2024)
Becky B Wachholz
Director Chairman of the Board
Director → Director Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2023) → $0 (2024)
Charles R Paler
Director Secretary
Director → Director Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Becky B Baker (2021) — Director Chairman of the Board
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $18K, to Cindy B Strickland (President Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Baker Foundation
How much does Baker Foundation give each year?
Baker Foundation gave $151K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $83K across 9 grants.
What is Baker Foundation's typical grant size?
Baker Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,000, and its average grant was $10,077, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Baker Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does Baker Foundation give grants?
Baker Foundation's top state is Alabama, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (36%) and North Carolina (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Decatur, AL (5 grants), Highlands, NC (3 grants) and Birmingham, AL (3 grants).
Does Baker Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Baker Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (15 grants).
Who are Baker Foundation's largest grantees?
Baker Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Collier County Community Fdn ($50,000), Highlands Cashiers Health Fdn ($16,000) and Community Fdn of Greater Decatur ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Baker Foundation?
Baker Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $173K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $192K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Baker Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, Parkinson Association of Alabama says its mission is to improve quality of life for people with Parkinson’s, their caregivers, and families throughout Alabama. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Baker Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Baker Foundation's EIN?
Baker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-0843636. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Baker Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Baker Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Baker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/baker-foundation-morg_8dc87752db7d4aeabf124d8f54030b67
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_630843636_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Baker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/baker-foundation-morg_8dc87752db7d4aeabf124d8f54030b67},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Baker Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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