Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation
The Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. In 2024, it reported 42 grants totaling $4,772,868, supporting organizations that include schools, universities, health-related foundations, and community organizations.
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation at a glance
In short: Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation gave $4.8M across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $114K), mostly in California. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,772,868
- +1.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- -4.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $113,640
- +6.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $133,249,664
- +4.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (6 of 33, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (82% 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 Barbara and Gerson Bakar 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: 201 Filbert Street 400, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 576-8100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Uc Berkeley Foundation ($600K). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 10 individual scholarships ($908,503), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
205 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 205 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 13% to Florida, 2% to Massachusetts, 2% to New York, and a rounded less than 1% to Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 33 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $174K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 30% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% 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 $4.7M (2023) to $6.9M (2021). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | General Support | $600,000 |
| Baptist Health Foundation Coral Gables, FL | General Support | $597,000 |
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $525,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | General Support | $500,000 |
| 10 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $908,503 |
| Archbishop Riordan High School San Francisco, CA | General Support | $300,000 |
| Mercy High School San Francisco, CA | Tuition Expense Reimbursement | $166,058 |
| Boston Plastic & Oral Surgery Foundation Boston, MA | General Support | $110,307 |
| Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation New York, NY | General Support | $100,000 |
| Hebrew Free Loan Association San Francisco, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $133,249,664 | $9,930,967 | $6,945,988 | $4,772,868 | 42 | $5,925,366 | $7,080,601 | $6,259,441 |
| 2023 | $127,951,668 | $3,748,547 | $6,215,856 | $4,695,946 | 44 | $5,647,521 | $2,272,818 | $6,326,301 |
| 2022 | $115,908,800 | $5,415,518 | $8,534,800 | $6,539,650 | 43 | $7,308,217 | $3,165,600 | $5,811,249 |
| 2021 | $150,075,547 | $19,097,345 | $9,067,006 | $6,864,850 | 41 | $8,583,634 | $11,853,500 | $7,351,791 |
| 2020 | $147,335,491 | $9,670,430 | $6,634,714 | $5,206,034 | 35 | — | $6,084,234 | $7,556,506 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in education, health, arts and culture, food assistance, media, and community services. For example, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art describes its work as sharing art through collections, exhibitions, and public programs; KQED describes serving Northern California through community-supported media, arts, and education; and Alameda County Community Food Bank says it pursues a hunger-free community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 42 grants totaling $4,772,868. Grants ranged from $904 to $600,000, with a median grant of $40,000. Its largest grants included $600,000 to UC Berkeley Foundation for general support, $597,000 to Baptist Health Foundation for general support, $525,000 to UCSF Foundation for general support, and $500,000 to Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco for general support. It also awarded $313,091 to an individual recipient High School for tuition expense reimbursement and $300,000 to an individual recipient High School for general support.
Other 2024 grants included $110,307 to Boston Plastic and Oral Surgery Foundation for general support, $100,000 to Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation for general support, and $100,000 to Hebrew Free Loan Association for general support. The Hebrew Free Loan Association describes its mission as helping Jewish people remain self-supporting through interest-free loans, grants, and services. Jewish Family and Children’s Services, which received $100,000, describes its work as providing professional and volunteer services to individuals and families.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barbara Bass Bakar as chairman, president, and executive director; Sharon Hasegawa as secretary and treasurer; and Kathleen McCormick, Nanci Bakar Fredkin, Rebecca Renzas, and Phyllis Cook as directors.
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation is led by Barbara Bass Bakar, Chairman, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Barbara Bass Bakar
Chairman, President & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$53K (2021) → $69K (2024)
Kathleen McCormick
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nanci Bakar Fredkin
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Cook
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Renzas
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Hasegawa
Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Nalraj Goundar (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Richard L. Greene (2020–2021) — Secretary
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 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $69K, to Barbara Bass Bakar (Chairman/Pres/Exec Director).
Frequently asked questions about Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation
How much does Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation give each year?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation gave $4.8M across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.7M across 44 grants.
What is Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's typical grant size?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $113,640, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation give grants?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation gives mostly in California: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (16 grants), Berkeley, CA (4 grants) and Oakland, CA (3 grants).
Does Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 74% of Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (31 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Student Scholarship" (7 grants) and "Tuition Expense Reimbursement" (4 grants).
Who are Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's largest grantees?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Uc Berkeley Foundation ($600,000), Baptist Health Foundation ($597,000) and UCSF Foundation ($525,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 10 individual scholarships ($908,503), which are not listed by name. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation reported $133.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.3M (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 Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in education, health, arts and culture, food assistance, media, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Barbara and Gerson Bakar 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 Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's EIN?
Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5691977. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Barbara and Gerson Bakar 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/barbara-and-gerson-bakar-foundation-morg_c50d86b36232454d94460662a291239b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205691977_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/barbara-and-gerson-bakar-foundation-morg_c50d86b36232454d94460662a291239b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Barbara and Gerson Bakar 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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