Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation
Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Paradise Valley, AZ. IRS filing data is available from 2022 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $534K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 16 grants totaling $39K. Net investment income was $40K.
Key facts about Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation
- EIN
- 88-4417929
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $39,210
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- Average grant
- $2,451
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $533,912
- Primary geography
- Illinois (68% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation's 16 itemized 2024 grants were Illinois (68%), District of Columbia (14%) and Minnesota (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants). None of its 16 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program support" (16 grants).
How Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation gives
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 176% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$534K
+14.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$39K
+35.2% YoY
Grant Count
16
-15.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
+60.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Paradise Valley, AZ. IRS filing data is available from 2022 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $534K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 16 grants totaling $39K. Net investment income was $40K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 16 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $533,912 | $466,291 | $500,000 |
| Revenue | $43,381 | — | — |
| Expenses | $43,585 | $33,709 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | $43,585 | $33,709 | — |
| Net Investment Income | $39,529 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $24,726 | $24,241 | $2,052 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
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
35 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley ($10,000), Gabriels Light ($5,000), World Central Kitchen ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley Villa Park, IL | Program support | $10,000 |
| Gabriels Light Chicago, IL | Program support | $5,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Program support | $5,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | Program Support | $5,000 |
| Unicef Chicago, IL | Program Support | $2,500 |
| Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Chicago, IL | Program Support | $2,500 |
| The Obama Foundation Chicago, IL | Program Support | $2,500 |
| Food Bank of New York City New York, NY | Program support | $1,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Program support | $1,000 |
| Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter Deerfield, IL | Program support | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lydia Backer | President | — | — |
| Gus Backer | Vice President | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation?
Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Paradise Valley, AZ. It holds $534K in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation?
As of 2024, Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation holds $534K in total assets with $43K in annual revenue. It awarded 16 grants totaling $39K in 2024.
Where does Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation operate?
Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation has awarded grants in Arizona, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin.
What size grants does Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $39K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation's EIN?
Lydia and Gus Backer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-4417929. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.