Blakemore Foundation
The Blakemore Foundation is a private foundation based in Bellevue, Washington. Founded in 1990 by Tom and Frances Blakemore, it supports advanced study of Asian languages and grants that help introduce Asian art to communities in the United States.
Blakemore Foundation at a glance
In short: Blakemore Foundation gave $691K across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $28K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $691,036
- +11.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- -10.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,641
- +24.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $26,954
- Total assets
- $8,992,594
- +45.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (16% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Blakemore Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Fellowship applications are submitted online, with a paper version available. Applicants must also apply separately to their chosen language program. The foundation funds study only at specified programs, and its website describes the Asian art grants as invitation-only.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025 Blakemore Freeman Fellowship deadline stated in the 2024 filing was December 30 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time; this is a past cycle. The website lists July 1 to December 30, 2026, for applications for study beginning in the 2027/2028 academic year.
- Deadline
- The 2025 Blakemore Freeman Fellowship deadline stated in the 2024 filing was December 30 at 5:00 p.m.
- Contact
Application contact: Blakemore Foundation David Ky Tang
Mailing address: PO Box 50347, Bellevue, WA 98015
Phone: (206) 427-4838
Website: https://blakemorefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Blakemore Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Seattle Art Museum ($65K across 2 grants). Together the top 2 received $85K.
Organizations only. It also paid 22 grants to individuals ($606,008), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 132 grants of 137 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Bellevue, Washington. Its language fellowships fund study at approved programs in East and Southeast Asia. In 2024, listed grants went to recipients in several states; the filing reports the largest state shares as 19% for an unspecified state, 16% for California, 14% for Washington, 9% for the District of Columbia, and 9% for Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Blakemore Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 200% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $620K (2023) to $770K (2022). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $691K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 22 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $606,008 |
| Seattle Art Museum Seattle, WA | Musuem internships for university of washington students during 2024/2025 academic year | $35,028 |
| Seattle Art Museum Seattle, WA | Support for "ai. Rebel, the art and activism of ai weiwei" exhibition | $30,000 |
| Asian Art Museum of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Support for exhibition "phoenix kingdoms: the last splendor of china's bronze age | $20,000 |
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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 | $8,992,594 | $1,080,793 | $930,509 | $691,036 | 25 | $849,311 | $567,845 | $424,809 |
| 2023 | $6,178,778 | $518,568 | $839,365 | $620,356 | 28 | $772,983 | $119,880 | $389,280 |
| 2022 | $6,498,617 | $444,574 | $988,188 | $770,195 | 28 | $906,077 | $114,198 | $404,938 |
| 2021 | $7,042,231 | $805,895 | $969,403 | $749,668 | 26 | $881,040 | $416,533 | $458,534 |
| 2020 | $7,205,739 | $549,782 | $878,564 | $665,921 | 30 | — | $149,077 | $397,472 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to encourage Americans to develop greater fluency in Asian languages and increase understanding of Asian art in the United States.
Its fellowships support advanced language study in approved programs in East and Southeast Asia. Eligible languages for the Blakemore Freeman Fellowships include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, and Vietnamese; Blakemore Fellowships support study at the IUP Chinese Center at Tsinghua University. The Blakemore Kingfisher Fellowships support intensive Chinese or Korean study for people intending to pursue academic, curatorial, or art-conservation careers in pre-20th-century Chinese or Korean art history. The foundation also awards Frances Blakemore and Griffith Way Asian Art Grants annually by invitation.
In 2024, the foundation supported the Seattle Art Museum with a grant for University of Washington student internships and another for an exhibition. The museum describes its mission as connecting art to life and serving as a cultural and educational resource for the Seattle region, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $691,036. Grants ranged from $9,500 to $61,630, with a median of $26,954. The largest listed awards included $61,630 for an individual’s Korean language study in Seoul and $39,360 for an individual’s Japanese language study in Yokohama. The Seattle Art Museum received $35,028 for museum internships for University of Washington students during the 2024/2025 academic year and $30,000 for its “AI. Rebel, the Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei” exhibition.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mimi Gates as board chair and Nazry Bahrawi, Miriam Chusid, Zev Handel, Christopher R. Helm, Robert A. Kapp, Michael W. Michalak, David K.Y. Tang, and Haicheng Wang as board members. Eugene H. Lee is listed as trustee through June 2024 and board member; David K.Y. Tang is listed as trustee from June 2024 and board member.
Blakemore Foundation is led by Mimi Gardner Gates, Board Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mimi Gardner Gates
Board Chair
Board Chair & Board Member → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eugene H. Lee
Trustee & Board Member
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Ky Tang
Trustee & Board Member
Board Member → Trustee & Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher R. Helm
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Haicheng Wang
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert A. Kapp
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harriet Phinney
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tabitha Mallory
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Therese Caouette
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zev Handel
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael W. Michalak
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Chusid
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nazry Bahrawi
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Lolan Song (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Paul Atkins (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Joseph Massey (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Kenneth B. Pyle (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Dongsheng Zang (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Heekyoung Cho (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Michael E. McGowen (2020) — Board Member
- Former: R. Kent Guy (2020) — Board Member
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.
Frequently asked questions about Blakemore Foundation
How much does Blakemore Foundation give each year?
Blakemore Foundation gave $691K across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $620K across 28 grants.
What is Blakemore Foundation's typical grant size?
Blakemore Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $26,954, and its average grant was $27,641, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Blakemore Foundation give grants?
Blakemore Foundation's top state is California, with 16% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (14%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does Blakemore Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on Blakemore Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is Blakemore Foundation?
Blakemore Foundation reported $9.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $849K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $425K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Blakemore Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to encourage Americans to develop greater fluency in Asian languages and increase understanding of Asian art in the United States. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Blakemore Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Blakemore Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/blakemore-foundation-morg_baec879775824eb5990c5b90ffe44357
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911505735_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Blakemore Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/blakemore-foundation-morg_baec879775824eb5990c5b90ffe44357},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Blakemore 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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