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.
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
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
States
Cities
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 |
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
No grants recorded for .
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
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BARBARA BASS BAKAR | CHAIRMAN/PRES/EXEC DIRECTOR | 1 | $68,880 |
| SHARON HASEGAWA | SECRETARY / TREASURER | 1 | — |
| KATHLEEN MCCORMICK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NANCI BAKAR FREDKIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| REBECCA RENZAS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PHYLLIS COOK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
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\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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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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