The BAME Foundation is a private, non-operating corporate foundation established in Minnesota in 2013 and based in Golden Valley, Minnesota. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking and community support initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
+9.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+102.4% YoY
Grant Count
125
+9.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+84.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bame Foundation reported a distributable amount of $92K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The BAME Foundation exists to inspire Servant Leadership beyond generations through partnerships and investments in multiple focus areas:
- Health — Including support for pediatric cancer research and patient/family support
- Education
- Conservation and biodiversity
- Everyday heroes — Including military veterans and soldiers serving overseas
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Primary Programs
The foundation operates two significant programs:
Military Care Packages — Coordinates, packs, and sends over 1,300 care packages annually for soldiers serving overseas. Packages contain toiletries, snacks, games, and letters of encouragement from children.
Pediatric Cancer Support — Funds bright scientists to find a cure for childhood cancer and supports pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Grantmaking
The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.
Grant Range
** Ranges from $27 to $6,600 depending on year
Average Grant
** Ranges from $27 to $6,600 depending on year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports a broad geographic footprint across the United States, including:
States: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, California, Texas, and numerous others including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, and additional states.
Major cities funded: Chicago, Dallas, New York, and numerous smaller communities nationwide.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue
- Total assets (2023): $1,653,717
- Total assets (2024): $1,805,481
- Total revenue (2023): $975,132
- Total expenses (2023): $765,589
Tax Status
- EIN: 27-4159707
- Tax-exempt status: Unconditional exemption since March 2013
- Contributions: Tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,805,481 | $1,653,717 | $1,444,525 |
| Revenue | $1,665,121 | $975,132 | $1,178,191 |
| Expenses | $1,513,357 | $765,589 | $1,030,023 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,499,197 | $755,506 | $1,020,366 |
| Net Investment Income | $175,515 | $19,017 | $35,920 |
| Distributable Amount | $92,281 | $77,038 | $70,771 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Children's Cancer Research Fund ($367,073), Crescent Cove ($70,000), Boys & Girls Club of Maui - Lahaina Clubhouse ($61,694).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION MINNEAPOLIS, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $720 |
| AMERICAN LEGION POST 14 ROCHESTER, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $260 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS MINNEAPOLIS, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $1,300 |
| ANGEL FOUNDATION MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $29,260 |
| ANNANDALE FOOD SHELF ANNADALE, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $29,050 |
| ARMSTRONG YOUTH BASEBALL MINNEAPOLIS, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $600 |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION ATLANTA, GA | CHARITABLE GIFT | $2,600 |
| AUTISM SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA ST PAUL, MN | CHARITABLE GIFT | $28,735 |
| AUTISM SPEAKS PRINCETON, NJ | CHARITABLE GIFT | $1,500 |
| AWAKEN INC RENO, NV | CHARITABLE GIFT | $9,440 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Christian N. Bame — President
- Marna Bame — Treasurer
- Marissa Bame Schermer — Secretary
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTIAN N BAME | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| MARNA BAME | TREASURER | — | — |
| MARISSA BAME SCHERMER | SECRETARY | — | — |
| LUCAS C BAME | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ALICIA C BAME-ANDERSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| NATASHA C BAME | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JASON BAME-ANDERSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER SCHERMER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DANIELLE N BAME | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 900 Mendelssohn Avenue North, Golden Valley, MN 55427-4309
Phone: 612-730-7015
Website: https://donate.onecause.com/ba
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bame Foundation fund?
The BAME Foundation exists to inspire Servant Leadership beyond generations through partnerships and investments in multiple focus areas: • **Health** — Including support for pediatric cancer research and patient/family support • **Education** • **Conservation and biodiversity** • **Everyday heroes** — Including military veterans and soldiers serving overseas • **Human services** • **Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking** The foundation operates two significant programs: 1. **Military Car…
How do I apply for a grant from Bame Foundation?
The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding. • **Total giving (2023):** $694,508 • **Total giving (2024):** $1,409,427 • **Number of grants (2023):** 107 grants • **Number of grants (recent year):** 137 grants • **Average grant size:** Ranges from $27 to $6,600 depending on year • **Median grant size:** $1,900 • **Typical award range:** $100–$367,073 Notable recipients include: • Collier Community Foundation ($60,500) • Angel Foundation (…
Where does Bame Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports a broad geographic footprint across the United States, including: **States:** Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, California, Texas, and numerous others including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, and additional states. **Major cities funded:** Chicago, Dallas, New York, and numerous smaller communities nationwide.
What size grants does Bame Foundation award?
In 2024, Bame Foundation awarded 125 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Bame Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bame Foundation reported a distributable amount of $92K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Bame Foundation's EIN?
Bame Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4159707. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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