The Burnham Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is tax-exempt since December 2013 and operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$75.1M
+44.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
-23.8% YoY
Grant Count
45
+181.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$52K
-72.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burnham Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants across multiple focus areas including Education, Philanthropy and Voluntarism, and Human Services.
Grant Range
$21,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, California, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Based on the most recent available tax filings:
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $65M–$75M |
| Annual Distributions | $3.3M |
| Total Giving | $2.3M–$3.3M |
| Grant Median | $21,000 |
| Grant Range | $4,500–$2.4M |
The foundation reported revenue of $8.33M and expenses of $3.48M in 2023, with total assets of $51.8M and no liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $75,077,835 | $51,803,484 | $44,801,735 |
| Revenue | $25,147,421 | $8,328,263 | $4,515,048 |
| Expenses | $2,864,198 | $3,484,420 | $3,589,438 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,623,331 | $3,288,926 | $2,875,789 |
| Net Investment Income | $15,546,367 | $3,121,771 | $4,107,979 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,262,155 | $2,670,063 | $2,546,327 |
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
68 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include New City Parks Inc ($200,000), Billion Oyster Project ($155,499), Lighthouse Works Inc ($155,499).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted (see general explanation) | $49,533 |
| ARCHITECTURAL LEAGUE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted (see general explanation) | $100,907 |
| BILLION OYSTER PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | Mitigation Bank Development Fund (see general explanation) | $155,499 |
| BILLION OYSTER PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | Scholarship Fund; General & Unrestricted (see general explanation) | $40,505 |
| CAMBIAR EDUCATION SAN DIEGO, CA | FBO Magpie Literacy for ROAR Integration Work | $50,000 |
| CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES INC MILLBROOK, NY | Catalyst Fund and Data Visualization Fund (see general explanation) | $24,842 |
| CHINATI FOUNDATION MARFA, TX | Artist in Residence Program | $10,000 |
| DYSLEXIA ALLIANCE FOR BLACK CHILDREN NEW ROCHELLE, NY | General & Unrestricted (see general explanation) | $10,304 |
| EARTHJUSTICE SAN FRANCISCO, CA | General & Unrestricted (see general explanation) | $74,154 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mary Buttrick Burnham — Trustee
- R Bradford Burnham III — Trustee
- Sofia Garcelon — Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Buttrick Burnham | Trustee | 1 | — |
| R Bradford Burnham III | Trustee | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Telephone: 800-839-1754
- Primary Location: Wilmington, DE 19809
- Additional Address: 40 Fifth Avenue 12E, New York, NY 10011
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Burnham Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants across multiple focus areas including Education, Philanthropy and Voluntarism, and Human Services. **Grant Activity:** • Median grant size: $21,000 • Maximum grant awarded: $2.4M • Typical grant range: $4,500–$2.4M • Recent grant count: 16 grants
Where does Burnham Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, California, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does Burnham Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Burnham Family Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $52K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Burnham Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Burnham Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Burnham Family Foundation's EIN?
Burnham Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6951044. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Burnham Family 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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