Barney Family Foundation
The Barney Family Foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois, and was established in 1998 by Stephen and Lynne Barney. Its stated mission is to help educate youth and support medical research advancements for the good of all.
Key facts about Barney Family Foundation
In short: Barney Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $50K), top state Virginia. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 36-7195126
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,695,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- Average grant
- $49,853
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 34, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation accepts grant applications from January 1 through June 30 and encourages early submission to allow time for review. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- June 30.
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.7M
-5.6% YoY
Grant Count
34
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
-5.6% YoY
Is Barney Family Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 34 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $28K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 94% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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’s mission is “to help educate the youth and support medical research advancements for the good of all.” It particularly emphasizes early education and healthcare research, primarily cancer and Alzheimer’s. For education proposals, it looks for a practical plan connecting a project to tangible improvements in children’s experiences. It also considers research, policy analysis, advocacy, and other work that does not directly reach children, and asks those organizations to demonstrate strategic impact.
The grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Mayo Clinic describes its work as providing patient care, education, and research to promote health and well-being. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says it advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Special Olympics describes its mission as fostering acceptance and inclusion through sports, health, and education programs. These are descriptions of the grantees, not stated grant purposes.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 34 grants totaling $1,695,000. Those grants ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a median of $20,000. The Foundation says its grants and recommendations generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 for a one-year period, though officers may authorize smaller or larger grants.
Review Cycle
June 30.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Barney Family Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Barney Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Virginia (31%), Michigan (24%), Illinois (12%), and Florida (12%). Texas accounted for 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 34 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2022) to $1.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Donors Trust ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
158 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 158 (68%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Alexandria, VA | General Purposes | $500,000 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | General Purposes | $400,000 |
| Alzheimer's Association Chicago, IL | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland, OH | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Misericordia - Heart of Mercy Chicago, IL | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Nu Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, IL | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children Tampa, FL | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Special Olympics Washington, DC | General Purposes | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is 990T.
| Filing year | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,695,000 | 34 |
| 2023 | $1,796,000 | 34 |
| 2022 | $1,604,000 | 30 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
The 2024 filing lists Stephen M. Barney Sr. and Lynne C. Barney as trustees, and Stephen M. Barney Jr. and Kristen Barney Adams as foundation managers.
Barney Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lynne C. Barney
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen M. Barney Sr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Barney Adams
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Stephen M. Barney Jr.
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $125K (2024)
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 $125K, to Stephen M Barney Jr (Foundation MGR.). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 333 W Wacker Drive 1700, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 332-1111
Website: https://barneyfamilyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Barney Family Foundation
How much does Barney Family Foundation give each year?
Barney Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 34 grants.
What is Barney Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Barney Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $49,853, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Barney Family Foundation that year got $28K on average.
Where does Barney Family Foundation give grants?
Barney Family Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. The next largest states were Michigan (24%) and Illinois (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants) and Jupiter, FL (2 grants).
Does Barney Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Barney Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
Who are Barney Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Barney Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Donors Trust ($500,000), Hillsdale College ($400,000) and Alzheimer's Association ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Barney Family Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is “to help educate the youth and support medical research advancements for the good of all.” It particularly emphasizes early education and healthcare research, primarily cancer and Alzheimer’s. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Barney Family Foundation?
The Foundation accepts grant applications from January 1 through June 30 and encourages early submission to allow time for review. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Barney Family Foundation's EIN?
Barney Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7195126. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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