Baker Root Family Foundation Inc
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Needham, Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants went to charitable organizations including Massachusetts arts, social-service, education, and community organizations, as well as organizations in other states.
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Baker Root Family Foundation Inc gave $37K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $746.837), mostly in Massachusetts. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $36,595
- +17.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $747
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $651,891
- +21.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (7 of 49, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (73% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Baker Root Family Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 865 Central Ave Apt C406, Needham, MA 02492
Phone: (617) 834-5975
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Baker Root Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was MAB Community Services ($6K). Together the top 10 received $20K.
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 217 grants of 217 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Massachusetts recipients received 73% of grant dollars. New York received 15%, the District of Columbia 5%, Colorado 2%, and California 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Baker Root Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 49 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $788. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $27K (2023) to $37K (2025). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $37K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MAB Community Services Brookline, MA | Contribution provided | $5,500 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston Boston, MA | Contribution provided | $4,500 |
| Chamber Orchestra of Boston Boston, MA | Contribution provided | $2,500 |
| Pine Street Inn Boston, MA | Contribution provided | $1,500 |
| Tricon Church Concord, MA | Contribution provided | $1,200 |
| First Literacy Boston, MA | Contribution provided | $1,000 |
| Nesea Greenfield, MA | Contribution provided | $1,000 |
| New England Center and Home for Veterans Boston, MA | Contribution provided | $1,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NY | Contribution provided | $1,000 |
| Horizons For Homeless Children Roxbury, MA | Contribution provided | $800 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $651,891 | $151,309 | $37,551 | $36,595 | 49 | $36,595 | $150,353 | $32,508 |
| 2024 | $538,131 | $33,046 | $31,860 | $31,200 | 42 | $31,200 | $34,815 | $32,583 |
| 2023 | $536,946 | $21,241 | $28,071 | $27,350 | 42 | $27,350 | $25,966 | $28,798 |
| 2022 | $543,775 | $15,742 | $36,387 | $35,600 | 46 | $35,600 | $26,505 | $32,480 |
| 2021 | $564,418 | $32,600 | $30,716 | $30,100 | 38 | $30,100 | $31,979 | $35,520 |
| 2020 | $562,534 | $31,908 | $32,479 | $32,300 | 43 | — | $31,729 | $28,893 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Baker Root Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $33K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as homelessness services, adult literacy, youth development, and reproductive health. For example, Pine Street Inn says its mission is to help end homelessness, and First Literacy describes its work as funding innovation in adult literacy. These are the grantees’ missions, not statements of the foundation’s own mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $36,595 through 49 grants. Grants ranged from $150 to $5,500, with a median of $500. It gave $31,200 through 42 grants in 2024 and $27,350 through 42 grants in 2023.
The largest 2025 grants included $5,500 to MAB Community Services, $4,500 to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, $2,500 to the Chamber Orchestra of Boston, and $1,500 to Pine Street Inn. Other grants included $1,000 each to First Literacy, NESEA, New England Center and Home for Veterans, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The foundation also gave $800 each to Horizons for Homeless Children and Project Hope.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christine B Root as President, David J Root as Treasurer, Matthew A Root as Vice President, and Ian A Root as Clerk.
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc is led by Christine B Root, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christine B Root
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David J Root
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian A Root
Clerk
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew A Root
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Baker Root Family Foundation Inc
How much does Baker Root Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc gave $37K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $31K across 42 grants.
What is Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $747, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Baker Root Family Foundation Inc that year got $500 on average.
Where does Baker Root Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (12 grants), Concord, MA (9 grants), Boston, MA (8 grants) and Washington, DC (4 grants).
Does Baker Root Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 49 grants with a stated purpose on Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution provided" (49 grants).
Who are Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include MAB Community Services ($5,500), Museum of Fine Arts Boston ($4,500) and Chamber Orchestra of Boston ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Baker Root Family Foundation Inc?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc reported $652K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $37K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Baker Root Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as homelessness services, adult literacy, youth development, and reproductive health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Baker Root Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 Root Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Baker Root Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3466194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Baker Root Family Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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