John and Wauna Harman Foundation
The John and Wauna Harman Foundation is a small, private family foundation established in 1999 in Washington and currently based in Sacramento, California. The foundation was created in honor of John "Jack" and Wauna Harman, who built their estate through apple orchards, KFC franchises, and other business enterprises in Yakima, Washington. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on improving end-of-life care in the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.7M
-19.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+97.8% YoY
Grant Count
16
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$104K
+85.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John and Wauna Harman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $361K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's current mission is to encourage Americans of all backgrounds to have meaningful conversations about what matters most to them so that they can have a say in their care when the end of life approaches. The foundation supports organizations and projects that help people engage in talking about death, shifting from silence to sharing what is most important to them at the end of life.
The foundation addresses a significant gap in American healthcare: while 70% of Americans would prefer to die at home, 70% actually die in hospitals and institutions, often in intensive care units—exactly where they did not want to die. The foundation recognizes that misalignment between people's values and their end-of-life treatment contributes to ineffective medical care, family strain, and spiraling healthcare costs.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- End-of-life planning and conversations
- Healthcare programs and access
- Organizations serving older adults
- Serious illness and end-of-life care initiatives
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $837,700. Recent grantees include:
Grant Range
approximately $55,800
Average Grant
approximately $55,800
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations primarily in the District of Columbia, Washington, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $7,124,492
- Total Revenues: $278,082
- Total Expenses: $1,100,634
- Total Giving: $837,700
- Number of Employees: 1
Prior Year Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $5,746,889
- Total Giving: $1,657,100
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,746,889 | $7,124,492 | $7,947,044 |
| Revenue | $548,892 | $278,082 | $785,321 |
| Expenses | $1,926,495 | $1,100,634 | $1,151,315 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,905,019 | $1,054,848 | $1,079,844 |
| Net Investment Income | $527,416 | $248,625 | $758,963 |
| Distributable Amount | $361,316 | $405,938 | $441,015 |
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
78 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Reimagine Inc ($1,000,000), Center for Practical Bioethics ($250,000), Pause ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CENTER FOR PRACTICAL BIOETHICS OVERLAND PARK, KS | ADVANCE CARE PLANNING IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAITH COMMUNITIES | $250,000 |
| CENTER FOR PRACTICAL BIOETHICS OVERLAND PARK, KS | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| COALITION TO TRANSFORM ADVANCED CARE (C-TAC) WASHINGTON, DC | FOR FAITH LEADER NETWORK, 2024 ANNUAL SUMMIT, & GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $77,500 |
| COALITION TO TRANSFORM ADVANCED CARE (C-TAC) WASHINGTON, DC | MEMBERSHIP | $5,000 |
| DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL DURHAM, NC | ADVANCE CARE PLANNING NETWORK | $25,000 |
| END WELL FOUNDATION HEALDSBURG, CA | END WELL 2024 SYMPOSIUM | $40,000 |
| EXPONENT PHILANTHROPY WASHINGTON, DC | MEMBERSHIP | $1,940 |
| HARMAN CENTER YAKIMA, WA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC | ONLINE ADVANCE CARE PLANNING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | $25,000 |
| NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILY PHILANTHROPY WASHINGTON, DC | MEMBERSHIP | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Julie Berrey - President and Chief Executive Officer
- John Carney - Vice President (as of January 2023)
- Julie Boudreau - Executive Director
- Marisette Hasan - Secretary
- Mark Harman - Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE BOUDREAU | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $133,678 |
| JULIE BERREY | BOARD MEMBER & PRESIDENT | 9 | — |
| JOHN CARNEY | BOARD MEMBER & VICE-PRESIDENT | 5 | $6,500 |
| MARK HARMAN | BOARD MEMBER & TREASURER | 3 | — |
| MARISETTE HASAN | BOARD MEMBER & SECRETARY | 4 | $6,500 |
| BARRY HARMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Website: www.jwhfoundation.org
Address: 3053 Freeport Blvd. #257, Sacramento, CA 95818
EIN: 91-1999241
Phone: 212-286-2600 (or 831-345-7685)
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John and Wauna Harman Foundation fund?
The foundation's current mission is to encourage Americans of all backgrounds to have meaningful conversations about what matters most to them so that they can have a say in their care when the end of life approaches. The foundation supports organizations and projects that help people engage in talking about death, shifting from silence to sharing what is most important to them at the end of life. The foundation addresses a significant gap in American healthcare: while 70% of Americans would pr…
How do I apply for a grant from John and Wauna Harman Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $750 to $1,000,000 • Average grant size: approximately $55,800 • Median grant size: $30,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2023, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $837,700. Recent grantees include: • Reel Medicine Media ($150,000) - to support production of the Chaplain of Oakland Documentary Film • Players Philanthropy Fund ($50,000) - for the Pause Starlight Labs Business Development Program • Coalition To Transform Advanced Care ($30,000) - …
Where does John and Wauna Harman Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations primarily in the District of Columbia, Washington, and California.
What size grants does John and Wauna Harman Foundation award?
In 2024, John and Wauna Harman Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $104K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John and Wauna Harman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John and Wauna Harman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $361K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John and Wauna Harman Foundation's EIN?
John and Wauna Harman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1999241. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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