Gerson Bakar Foundation
The Gerson Bakar Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. In 2024, it reported 33 grants totaling $169,365,674 to charitable organizations, including universities, hospitals, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
Gerson Bakar Foundation at a glance
In short: Gerson Bakar Foundation gave $169.4M across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $5.1M), mostly in California. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $169,365,674
- -33.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- -17.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,132,293
- -19.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $2,547,826,871
- +3.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (9 of 33, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gerson Bakar 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: 201 Filbert Street 400, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 576-8100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gerson Bakar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UCSF Foundation ($96.5M). Together the top 10 received $168.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
208 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 140 grants of 208 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 6% to Massachusetts, 5% to New York, 1% to Florida, and less than 1% to Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gerson Bakar Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 33 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $231K; repeat grants $7M. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $113K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 135% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $169.4M (2024) to $327.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $169.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $96,520,000 |
| UCB Foundation Berkeley, CA | General Support | $37,043,334 |
| Smith College Northhampton, MA | General Support | $10,000,000 |
| Addison Labs Foundation San Francisco, NY | General Support | $7,841,000 |
| Jewish Family & Children Services San Francisco, CA | General Support | $5,554,000 |
| San Francisco General Hospital Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $5,000,000 |
| California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, CA | General Support | $2,500,000 |
| Baptist Health Foundation Coral Gables, FL | General Support | $2,000,000 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Inc New York, NY | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| San Francisco Food Bank San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gerson Bakar Foundation?
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 | $2,547,826,871 | $198,287,464 | $184,093,119 | $169,365,674 | 33 | $165,590,310 | $224,090,057 | $122,334,605 |
| 2023 | $2,455,727,032 | $86,151,243 | $282,264,283 | $255,406,561 | 40 | $259,968,107 | $275,925,126 | $116,813,562 |
| 2022 | $2,457,600,914 | $445,447,374 | $351,599,316 | $327,022,258 | 38 | $318,183,320 | $374,953,171 | $116,705,431 |
| 2021 | $2,671,857,395 | $1,929,752,035 | $259,433,306 | $246,737,901 | 46 | $204,309,366 | $70,596,267 | $51,426,010 |
| 2020 | $1,007,861,483 | $284,713,297 | $187,905,824 | $174,577,851 | 51 | — | $48,048,258 | $50,531,901 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gerson Bakar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $122.3M 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation says it supports patient care and innovation at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, with an emphasis on health equity, access, and quality care. The California Academy of Sciences describes its work as regenerating the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The San Francisco Food Bank says its mission is to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin counties.
Other 2024 recipients include the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, which describes its work as bringing people together to explore, connect, and flourish through Jewish culture and traditions; the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which says it serves North American Jewish communities and others; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which says it shares art through collections, exhibitions, and public programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $169,365,674. Grant amounts ranged from $90 to $96,520,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest reported awards included $96,520,000 to UCSF Foundation and $37,043,334 to UCB Foundation, both for general support. Other large grants included $10,000,000 to Smith College and $7,841,000 to Addison Labs Foundation, also for general support.
Additional 2024 grants included $5,554,000 to Jewish Family & Children Services, $5,000,000 to San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, and $2,500,000 to California Academy of Sciences. The San Francisco Food Bank and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee each received $1,000,000; the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco received $250,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barbara Bass Bakar as chair, president, and director. Richard L Greene, Anne Bakar, Phyllis Cook, Nanci Fredkin, and Kathleen McCormick are listed as directors. Sharon Hasegawa is listed as secretary and treasurer.
Gerson Bakar Foundation is led by Barbara Bass Bakar, Chair, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Barbara Bass Bakar
Chair, President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$52K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Anne Bakar
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen McCormick
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nanci Fredkin
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Cook
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard L. Greene
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Hasegawa
Secretary & Treasurer
Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$162K (2021) → $0 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ted Dienstfrey (2020–2021) — Secretary
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 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $162K, to Sharon Haswgawa (Treasurer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Gerson Bakar Foundation
How much does Gerson Bakar Foundation give each year?
Gerson Bakar Foundation gave $169.4M across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $255.4M across 40 grants.
What is Gerson Bakar Foundation's typical grant size?
Gerson Bakar Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $5,132,293, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gerson Bakar Foundation that year got $231K on average.
Where does Gerson Bakar Foundation give grants?
Gerson Bakar Foundation gives mostly in California: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (6%) and New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (11 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Oakland, CA (3 grants).
Does Gerson Bakar Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Gerson Bakar Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gerson Bakar Foundation's largest grantees?
Gerson Bakar Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UCSF Foundation ($96,520,000), UCB Foundation ($37,043,334) and Smith College ($10,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gerson Bakar Foundation?
Gerson Bakar Foundation reported $2.5B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $165.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $122.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gerson Bakar Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gerson Bakar 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 Gerson Bakar Foundation's EIN?
Gerson Bakar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2949602. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gerson Bakar 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 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). Gerson Bakar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gerson-bakar-foundation-morg_7c0cb6972ac844ed8422200bff940dd4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942949602_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gerson Bakar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gerson-bakar-foundation-morg_7c0cb6972ac844ed8422200bff940dd4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Gerson Bakar 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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