Barnes Foundation
The Barnes Foundation is a private foundation based in Oak Brook, Illinois. It supports preselected charitable organizations through contributions, with 24 grants totaling $149,365 reported for 2024.
Barnes Foundation at a glance
In short: Barnes Foundation gave $149K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $149,365
- +46.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +50.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,224
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $1,955,204
- +84.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (10 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (89% 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 Barnes Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. No application materials or other application process are specified.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2150 Mcdonald Drive Unit 1701, Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone: (815) 530-7250
Website: https://www.barnes-foundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Barnes Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Shirland School District 134 ($35K). Together the top 10 received $119K.
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 79 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois. Other recipient states were Tennessee (4%), Mississippi (3%), Florida (2%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Barnes Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 24 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 130% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 162% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $65K (2022) to $149K (2024). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $149K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shirland School District 134 Shirland, IL | Donation | $35,000 |
| Easter Seals Joliet, IL | Donation | $20,000 |
| Childrens Enrichment Foundation Harvey, IL | Donation | $12,000 |
| Franciscan Sisters Lemont, IL | Donation | $10,000 |
| Marklund Foundation Geneva, IL | Donation | $10,000 |
| Franciscan Community Benefit Lemont, IL | Donation | $8,125 |
| Ray Graham Association Lisle, IL | Donation | $7,500 |
| Notre Dame Parish Claredon Hills, IL | Donation | $6,000 |
| Endo Collective Oxford, MS | Donation | $5,000 |
| Navarro Farm Frankfort, IL | Donation | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Barnes Foundation?
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 | $1,955,204 | $1,070,383 | $178,659 | $149,365 | 24 | $149,365 | $55,687 | $92,394 |
| 2023 | $1,060,448 | $31,108 | $105,769 | $102,250 | 16 | $102,250 | $27,680 | $110,693 |
| 2022 | $1,135,109 | $1,010,614 | $71,888 | $64,750 | 13 | $64,750 | — | $13,218 |
| 2021 | $196,393 | $258,744 | $69,853 | $65,000 | 11 | $65,000 | — | $3,290 |
| 2020 | $7,502 | $82,598 | $95,316 | $94,909 | 15 | — | — | $1,371 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Barnes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $92K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states its mission as “Improving the lives of those around us as well as the world in which we live.” Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools, charities, a parish, and service organizations.
Among the grantees’ own descriptions, Easterseals says it provides services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and their families. Navarro Farm describes its work as agricultural experiences for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Trinity Services says it assists people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. These are grantees’ stated missions, not descriptions of the foundation’s own programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 24 grants totaling $149,365. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $35,000, with a median of $4,500. The largest reported grants included $35,000 to Shirland School District 134, $20,000 to Easter Seals, $12,000 to Childrens Enrichment Foundation, and $10,000 each to Franciscan Sisters and Marklund Foundation. Other grants included $8,125 to Franciscan Community Benefit, $7,500 to Ray Graham Association, and $6,000 to Notre Dame Parish.
The foundation states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Amy Gollan as president, Scott Nemanich as secretary, and Janet Barnes as treasurer. The foundation’s website lists Amy Barnes Gollan, Greg Severson, and Janet Barnes as its board of directors.
Barnes Foundation is led by Amy Gollan, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy Gollan
President
On filings since 2020
$15K (2024)
Janet Barnes
Treasurer
Secretary → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Scott Nemanich
Secretary
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Gregory D. Severson (2020–2022) — Treasurer
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 $15K, to Amy Gollan (President).
Frequently asked questions about Barnes Foundation
How much does Barnes Foundation give each year?
Barnes Foundation gave $149K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $102K across 16 grants.
What is Barnes Foundation's typical grant size?
Barnes Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,500, and its average grant was $6,224, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Barnes Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Barnes Foundation give grants?
Barnes Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lemont, IL (2 grants).
Does Barnes Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Barnes Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (24 grants).
Who are Barnes Foundation's largest grantees?
Barnes Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Shirland School District 134 ($35,000), Easter Seals ($20,000) and Childrens Enrichment Foundation ($12,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Barnes Foundation?
Barnes Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $149K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $92K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Barnes Foundation fund?
The foundation states its mission as “Improving the lives of those around us as well as the world in which we live.” Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools, charities, a parish, and service organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Barnes Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Barnes Foundation's EIN?
Barnes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4633582. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Barnes 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Barnes Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Barnes Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Barnes Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/barnes-foundation-morg_d94af12cf4564dd4a50845f1dc7c025c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364633582_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Barnes Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/barnes-foundation-morg_d94af12cf4564dd4a50845f1dc7c025c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Barnes 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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