Bur Oak Foundation
Bur Oak Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In its 2025 filing, it reported 21 grants totaling $739,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations working with students and youth, conservation, and community services.
Bur Oak Foundation at a glance
In short: Bur Oak Foundation gave $739K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), top state Utah. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $739,000
- -1.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -16.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,190
- +17.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $1,417,052
- -25.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Utah (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bur Oak Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bur Oak Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was President & Fellows of Middlebury College ($175K). Together the top 10 received $648K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 86 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants were distributed among organizations in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Utah (43%), Vermont (24%), California (20%), New York (7%), and Nevada (3%). The filing also lists a grant to Great Plains Conservation Foundation in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Bur Oak Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $54K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $34K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 792% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $617K (2021) to $945K (2023). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $739K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| President & Fellows of Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | Seizing Opportunity Fund | $175,000 |
| Friends of Tracy Aviary 09-20-93 Salt Lake Cty, UT | The Nature Center | $120,000 |
| University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | College of Law Great Salt Lake Project | $100,000 |
| Student Diplomacy Corps Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| SYA Foundation Los Alamitos, CA | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Horse Nation Inc Huntingtn BCH, CA | General & Unrestricted | $37,500 |
| Huntington Beach Tree Society Inc Huntingtn BCH, CA | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Wasatch Mountain Institute Salt Lake City, UT | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Great Basin Water Network Inc Baker, NV | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Bur Oak Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In its 2025 filing, the foundation reported that distributions from sources other than current income totaled $739,000. It stated that this amount represented 25% or more of its net assets of $2,221,319 at the beginning of the taxable year, measured at fair market value.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,417,052 | $281,776 | $755,714 | $739,000 | 21 | $754,614 | $281,776 | $95,277 |
| 2024 | $1,890,990 | $-5,890 | $778,108 | $749,483 | 25 | $766,482 | $27,328 | $125,733 |
| 2023 | $2,674,988 | $-223,828 | $993,087 | $945,000 | 16 | $963,185 | $17,157 | $147,465 |
| 2022 | $3,891,903 | $-439,821 | $820,587 | $697,500 | 13 | $717,594 | $81,549 | $180,237 |
| 2021 | $5,152,311 | $5,791,413 | $639,102 | $617,338 | 11 | $629,802 | $5,790,513 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bur Oak Foundation reported a distributable amount of $95K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span a range of activities. For example, Student Diplomacy Corps says it helps high school students from undervalued communities build global citizenship, emotional maturity, academic skills, and leadership skills. Great Basin Water Network says it promotes sustainable water use and protects water resources. WisePlace says it provides services including shelter, meals, counseling, and employment assistance to homeless women, primarily in Orange County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 21 grants totaling $739,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $175,000, with a median grant of $15,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $175,000 to President & Fellows of Middlebury College for the Seizing Opportunity Fund; $120,000 to Friends of Tracy Aviary for The Nature Center; and $100,000 to the University of Utah for the College of Law Great Salt Lake Project. Other grants included $50,000 to Student Diplomacy Corps and $50,000 to SYA Foundation, both for general and unrestricted purposes; $37,500 to Horse Nation for general and unrestricted purposes; and $30,000 to Wasatch Mountain Institute for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James C Dreyfous as director, president, and treasurer, and Brooke D Peel as secretary.
Bur Oak Foundation is led by James C Dreyfous, Director, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James C Dreyfous
Director, President & Treasurer
Director, President, Treasurer & Secretary → Director, President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brooke D Peel
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Bur Oak Foundation
How much does Bur Oak Foundation give each year?
Bur Oak Foundation gave $739K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $749K across 25 grants.
What is Bur Oak Foundation's typical grant size?
Bur Oak Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $35,190, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bur Oak Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Bur Oak Foundation give grants?
Bur Oak Foundation's top state is Utah, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Vermont (24%) and California (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were South Jordan, UT (3 grants), Salt Lake Cty, UT (2 grants), Salt Lake City, UT (2 grants) and Huntingtn BCH, CA (2 grants).
Does Bur Oak Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 52% of Bur Oak Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bur Oak Foundation's largest grantees?
Bur Oak Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include President & Fellows of Middlebury College ($175,000), Friends of Tracy Aviary 09-20-93 ($120,000) and University of Utah ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Bur Oak Foundation?
Bur Oak Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $755K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $95K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Bur Oak Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span a range of activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bur Oak Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bur Oak Foundation's EIN?
Bur Oak Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-1247291. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Bur Oak 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 2021 (received by the IRS September 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bur Oak Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Bur Oak Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bur-oak-foundation-morg_5337258529464be5b7af9892369b1deb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_861247291_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Bur Oak Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bur-oak-foundation-morg_5337258529464be5b7af9892369b1deb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Bur Oak 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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