The Blakemore Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable trust organized under the laws of the State of Washington and located in Bellevue, Washington. Founded in 1990 by Thomas and Frances Blakemore, who spent more than 50 years living and working in Japan, the foundation operates as a private foundation with a mission centered on Asian languages and art.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.0M
+45.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$691K
+11.4% YoY
Grant Count
25
-10.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
+24.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Blakemore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $425K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Blakemore Foundation was established to encourage Americans to develop greater fluency in Asian languages and to increase the understanding of Asian art in the United States.
The foundation's primary activities include:
- Advanced Asian Language Fellowships: Awards fellowships for the advanced study of Asian languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer, and Burmese
- Language Study Support: Funding for language study programs, including the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, Japan and the International Chinese Language Program
- Asian Art Initiatives: Grants to institutions in support of exhibitions and internships to broaden and deepen understanding of Asian art in the United States
Grantmaking
Since 1990, the foundation has awarded over $18 million in grants to college graduates, graduate students, and working professionals.
Grant Range
$27,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports a wide geographic range across the United States and internationally, including major cities such as Chicago, Seattle, and Philadelphia, as well as international locations including Montreal and Japan.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $8.99 million
- Total Revenue: $1.08 million
- Total Expenses: $931,000
- Total Liabilities: $1,240
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $6.18 million
- Total Revenue: $518,568
- Total Expenses: $839,365
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,992,594 | $6,178,778 | $6,498,617 |
| Revenue | $1,080,793 | $518,568 | $444,574 |
| Expenses | $930,509 | $839,365 | $988,188 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $849,311 | $772,983 | $906,077 |
| Net Investment Income | $567,845 | $119,880 | $114,198 |
| Distributable Amount | $424,809 | $389,280 | $404,938 |
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
137 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Kharis Ralph ($61,630), Jessica Pena ($39,360), Amanda Cassano ($36,595).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KHARIS RALPH MADISON, WI | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTER-UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR KOREAN LANGUAGE STUDIES AT SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA | $61,630 |
| TATIANA OSWALT BURLINGTON, NY | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE SOGANG UNIVERSITY KLEC IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA | $27,282 |
| EMILY NGUYEN WASHINGTON, DC | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM | $28,599 |
| NAN NOURN EAST LANSING, MI | LANGUAGE STUDY WITH THE GATEWAY TO KHMER PROGRAM AND PRIVATE TUTORS IN CAMBODIA | $9,500 |
| QINYI FAN BERKELEY, CA | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $16,799 |
| DANY MATAR ST LOUIS, MO | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $20,799 |
| SAMUEL PATWELL SEATTLE, PA | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $16,799 |
| SINA SALESSI STANFORD, CA | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $17,599 |
| JAMES SOJOURNER CHAPEL HILL, NC | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $21,763 |
| CAMILLE VALENTINE SWARTHMORE, PA | LANGUAGE STUDY AT THE INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN | $21,763 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Managers and Trustee:
- Mimi Gardner Gates, Board Chair
- David K.Y. Tang, Trustee (from June 2024)
- Eugene H. Lee, Trustee (to June 2024)
- Nazry Bahrawi, Board Member
- Miriam Chusid, Board Member
- J. Norwell Coquillard, Board Member
- Zev Handel, Board Member
- Robert A. Kapp, Board Member
- Michael W. Michalak, Board Member
- BT Slingsby, Board Member
- Christopher R. Helm, Board Member
- Haicheng Wang, Board Member
- Therese Caouette, Board Member
- Tabitha Mallory, Board Member
- Harriet Phinney, Board Member
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAZRY BAHRAWI | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| MIRIAM CHUSID | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| MIMI GATES | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | — |
| ZEV HANDEL | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER R HELM | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| ROBERT A KAPP | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| EUGENE H LEE | TRUSTEE (TO 6/24) & BOARD MEMBER | 10 | — |
| MICHAEL W MICHALAK | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| DAVID KY TANG | TRUSTEE (FROM 6/24) & BOARD MEMBER | 10 | — |
| HAICHENG WANG | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| THERESE CAOUETTE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| TABITHA MALLORY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| HARRIET PHINNEY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 50347, Bellevue, WA 98015
- Phone: (206) 427-4838
- Email: ContactUs@blakemorefoundation.org
- Website: www.blakemorefoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Blakemore Foundation fund?
The Blakemore Foundation was established to encourage Americans to develop greater fluency in Asian languages and to increase the understanding of Asian art in the United States. The foundation's primary activities include: • **Advanced Asian Language Fellowships**: Awards fellowships for the advanced study of Asian languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Khmer, and Burmese • **Language Study Support**: Funding for language study programs, including the Int…
How do I apply for a grant from Blakemore Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 30 grants in 2023 • Median grant size: $27,000 • Grant range: $9,500 to $62,000 • 25 grants documented in recent filings **Recent Grants (2023):** • Seattle Art Museum: $34,999 (Museum Internship for University of Washington Student During 2023/2024 Academic Year) • Cleveland Museum of Art: $20,000 (Support for Exhibition "Treasures From the Lower Yangzi Delta") • Seattle Art Museum: $20,000 (Funds To Support "Renegade Edo & Paris" Exhibition) **Fellows…
Where does Blakemore Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports a wide geographic range across the United States and internationally, including major cities such as Chicago, Seattle, and Philadelphia, as well as international locations including Montreal and Japan.
What size grants does Blakemore Foundation award?
In 2024, Blakemore Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $691K — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Blakemore Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Blakemore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $425K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Blakemore Foundation's EIN?
Blakemore Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1505735. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Blakemore Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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