Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation
The Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2006 by real estate developer and philanthropist Gerson Bakar and his wife Barbara. Based in San Francisco, California, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and also operates under the name The Achieve Foundation.
Key facts about Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation
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.
- EIN
- 20-5691977
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,772,868
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- Average grant
- $113,640
- Median grant
- $40,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (6 of 33, 2024)
- Total assets
- $133,249,664
- Primary geography
- California (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$133.2M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.8M
+1.6% YoY
Grant Count
42
-4.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
+6.5% YoY
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.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports health care, Jewish community organizations, and education, with a particular emphasis on arts and culture, performing arts, theater, and elementary and secondary education. The foundation is committed to enhancing cultural and educational opportunities in the communities it serves.
Grantmaking
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, primarily in California, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Typical grant awards range from $101 to $3,250,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across various U.S. cities and states, with particular emphasis on the Bay Area. Geographic focus areas include California, Florida, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 42 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
205 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
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 |
| HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL Oakland, CA | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT | $313,091 |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, CA | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT | $279,423 |
| NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Belmont, CA | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT | $275,668 |
| MERCY HIGH SCHOOL San Francisco, CA | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT | $166,058 |
| BOSTON PLASTIC & ORAL SURGERY FOUNDATION Boston, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $110,307 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of the most recent filings:
- Total Assets: $128.0 million to $133.2 million
- Annual Revenue: $3.75 million (2023)
- Annual Expenses: $6.22 million (2023)
- Total Giving: $4.77 million (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $133,249,664 | $127,951,668 | $115,908,800 |
| Revenue | $9,930,967 | $3,748,547 | $5,415,518 |
| Expenses | $6,945,988 | $6,215,856 | $8,534,800 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,925,366 | $5,647,521 | $7,308,217 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,080,601 | $2,272,818 | $3,165,600 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,259,441 | $6,326,301 | $5,811,249 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Barbara Bass Bakar - Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, President, and Executive Director
- Sharon Hasegawa - Secretary and Chief Financial Officer
- Michelle Kong - Registered Agent
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
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation supports the Bakar Fellows Program, which announced 2024 Spark Award recipients and 2024 Bakar Prize Winners. The foundation has also been involved in supporting the Bakar Research and Academic Building at UCSF.
Meet the Bakar Fellows Program\u2019s 2024 Bakar Prize Winners - Bakar Fellows\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 (20 grants), Oakland, CA (5 grants) and Berkeley, CA (4 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 Archbishop Riordan High School ($579,423 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% 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).
What does Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation fund?
The foundation supports health care, Jewish community organizations, and education, with a particular emphasis on arts and culture, performing arts, theater, and elementary and secondary education. The foundation is committed to enhancing cultural and educational opportunities in the communities it serves.
How do I apply for a grant from Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation?
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services, primarily in California, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Typical grant awards range from $101 to $3,250,000.
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.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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