JMR Barker Foundation
JMR Barker Foundation is a private foundation based in Waltham, Massachusetts. In 2024, it made 16 grants totaling $3,785,392 to charitable organizations, including recipients in Massachusetts, South Carolina, Connecticut, Texas, and New York.
JMR Barker Foundation at a glance
In short: JMR Barker Foundation gave $3.8M across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $237K), top state Massachusetts. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,785,392
- +14.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $236,587
- +14.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $197,500
- Total assets
- $84,521,329
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (35% 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 JMR Barker Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 230 3Rd Avenue 6Th Floor, Waltham, MA 02451
Phone: (781) 314-1300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who JMR Barker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Medical University of South Carolina Foundation ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $3.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
104 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 104 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar shares by recipient state were Massachusetts (35%), South Carolina (26%), Connecticut (21%), Texas (8%), and New York (7%). Listed recipients also included organizations in Alaska and New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is JMR Barker Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $272K; repeat grants $216K. How we count
Medians: $155K first-time, $198K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $3.1M (2020) to $4.2M (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $3.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Medical University of South Carolina Foundation Charleston, SC | Special Project | $1,000,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Special Project | $800,000 |
| Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation Newton, MA | General Support and Special Project | $310,000 |
| Spoonfuls Inc Boston, MA | General Support and Special Project | $290,000 |
| Austin Achieve Public Schools Austin, TX | General Support and Special Project | $270,000 |
| Heal Ukraine Group Co Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Special Project | $250,392 |
| Bridge Fund of New York Inc New York, NY | Endowment | $250,000 |
| Gloucester Education Foundation Gloucester, MA | General Support and Special Project | $205,000 |
| Tremont School Concord, MA | General Support and Special Project | $190,000 |
| Tidelines Institute Gustavus, AK | Special Project | $70,000 |
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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 | $84,521,329 | $2,645,434 | $3,632,758 | $3,785,392 | 16 | $3,937,680 | $1,879,790 | $4,089,894 |
| 2023 | $79,306,649 | $1,792,534 | $4,999,475 | $3,317,150 | 16 | $3,956,608 | $1,082,229 | $3,868,118 |
| 2022 | $74,423,357 | $2,582,466 | $5,604,199 | $4,095,000 | 21 | $4,226,390 | $1,960,119 | $4,102,889 |
| 2021 | $95,476,730 | $6,805,300 | $3,188,453 | $4,165,262 | 23 | $4,287,682 | $6,066,247 | $4,389,663 |
| 2020 | $89,290,049 | $2,518,977 | $3,807,755 | $3,094,221 | 28 | — | $1,266,191 | $3,718,257 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, JMR Barker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.1M for 2024 — 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 is provided. The foundation’s 2024 grantees included organizations working in several fields. Spoonfuls, which received $290,000, says it recovers and distributes healthy, perishable food and addresses the health, environmental, and economic impacts of food waste. Austin Achieve Public Schools, which received $270,000, describes its work as providing tuition-free public education and preparing Austin youth for university. Gloucester Education Foundation, a $205,000 recipient, says it supports new and innovative programs for Gloucester public schools.
Other 2024 recipients included Tidelines Institute ($70,000), which says it educates and inspires rising environmental leaders, and Kimball Union Academy ($60,000), which describes its mission as building a sense of belonging and developing students’ knowledge, voice, and character.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $3,785,392. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $197,500. The largest awards included $1,000,000 to Medical University of South Carolina Foundation for a special project; $800,000 to Yale University for a special project; $310,000 to Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation for general support and a special project; and $290,000 to Spoonfuls for general support and a special project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kathryn E. Barker as president and director; William S. Barker as vice president and director; Margaret S. B. Moore as treasurer and director; J. Barry Tubman as secretary; and James R. Barker, Anne Christine Barker, Margaret G. Blakelock, Adam P. Kahn, and Margaret B. Clark as directors. Robert P. Connor is listed as a director until June 2024.
JMR Barker Foundation is led by Kathryn E. Barker, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kathryn E. Barker
President & Director
First Vice President & Director → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam P. Kahn
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James R. Barker
Director
Vice President & Director → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret B. Clark
Director
President & Director → Vice President & Director, 2022
Vice President & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret G. Blakelock
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret S. B. Moore
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert P. Connor
Director
Tr, Assistant Secretary & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William S. Barker
Vice President & Director
Director → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Christine Barker
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristina P. Koutrakos
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Barry Tubman
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: W. Benjamin Barker (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: John W. Holman Jr. (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Troy Y. Murray (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Gregory D. Barker (2020) — Director
- Former: William L. Braman (2020) — Secretary-Inv.committee
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 JMR Barker Foundation
How much does JMR Barker Foundation give each year?
JMR Barker Foundation gave $3.8M across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.3M across 16 grants.
What is JMR Barker Foundation's typical grant size?
JMR Barker Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $197,500, and its average grant was $236,587, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from JMR Barker Foundation that year got $272K on average.
Where does JMR Barker Foundation give grants?
JMR Barker Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were South Carolina (26%) and Connecticut (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants) and Gloucester, MA (2 grants).
Does JMR Barker Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 69% of JMR Barker Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Special Project" (4 grants).
Who are JMR Barker Foundation's largest grantees?
JMR Barker Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Medical University of South Carolina Foundation ($1,000,000), Yale University ($800,000) and Newton-Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation ($310,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is JMR Barker Foundation?
JMR Barker Foundation reported $84.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does JMR Barker Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 grantees included organizations working in several fields. Spoonfuls, which received $290,000, says it recovers and distributes healthy, perishable food and addresses the health, environmental, and economic impacts of food waste. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from JMR Barker Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is JMR Barker Foundation's EIN?
JMR Barker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6268289. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does JMR Barker 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
(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). JMR Barker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jmr-barker-foundation-morg_5baa364805b34147995a6506b11a5f13
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136268289_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{JMR Barker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jmr-barker-foundation-morg_5baa364805b34147995a6506b11a5f13},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 JMR Barker 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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