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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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—
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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