Michael H Baker Family Foundation
The Michael H Baker Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In filing year 2025, it reported giving $227,000 through 14 grants to charitable organizations, including recipients working in education, Jewish culture, immigrant services, and humanitarian response.
Michael H Baker Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Michael H Baker Family Foundation gave $227K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Minnesota. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,000
- +25.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,214
- +25.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,500
- Total assets
- $3,391,226
- +5.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Michael H Baker Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 Washington Ave S 1700, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (650) 838-9508
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Michael H Baker Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Minnesota Foundation ($106K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $222K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 70 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, reported grant dollars by recipient state were Minnesota 53%, Massachusetts 25%, New York 12%, California 6%, and Maryland 1%. The listed grants also include recipients in Maine, Texas, and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Michael H Baker Family Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $83K (2019) to $227K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $227K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Gift Pledge - Umja | $91,000 |
| Yiddish Book Center Amherst, MA | Great Jewish Books Program | $25,000 |
| Workers Circle New York, NY | General Operating | $25,000 |
| In Geveb Cambridge, MA | Pledge Donation | $22,000 |
| Minnesota Academy of Science St. Paul, MN | Forse Program | $15,000 |
| University of Minnesota Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Donation - Proposals | $15,000 |
| New Lehrhaus Berkeley, CA | General Operating | $11,000 |
| National Center for Jewish Film Waltham, MA | Film Restoration | $10,000 |
| Al Otro Lado Los Angeles, CA | Year End Donation | $2,500 |
| Doctors Without Borders USA Hagerstown, MD | Ukraine Crisis & Year End Grant | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,391,226 | $422,871 | $238,162 | $227,000 | 14 | $229,075 | $419,542 | $240,028 |
| 2024 | $3,206,517 | $365,949 | $191,967 | $180,600 | 14 | $182,425 | $356,185 | $213,245 |
| 2023 | $3,032,535 | $305,176 | $158,776 | $151,000 | 13 | $152,675 | $299,075 | $164,869 |
| 2022 | $2,886,135 | $75,555 | $181,790 | $169,700 | 15 | $173,225 | $108,392 | $163,217 |
| 2021 | $2,992,370 | $290,601 | $143,687 | $139,823 | 14 | $141,198 | $269,294 | $173,686 |
| 2020 | $2,845,456 | $14,514 | $161,060 | $151,000 | 11 | — | $95,794 | $138,065 |
| 2019 | $2,988,632 | $106,920 | $96,559 | $82,500 | 10 | — | $101,522 | $141,494 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michael H Baker Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $240K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for a university foundation, science education, Jewish cultural and educational organizations, immigrant legal services, and humanitarian organizations.
The grantees describe their own work as follows: the Minnesota Academy of Science says it advances STEM learning, research, and communication in Minnesota; the National Center for Jewish Film says it collects, preserves, and exhibits films relevant to the Jewish experience; and Al Otro Lado says it provides cross-border legal services to refugees, deportees, and other migrants. The University of Minnesota Foundation describes its role as supporting the University of Minnesota.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $227,000. Individual grants ranged from $1,000 to $91,000, with a median of $10,500.
Among the reported grants were $91,000 to the University of Minnesota Foundation for “GIFT PLEDGE - UMJA”; $25,000 to the Yiddish Book Center for the Great Jewish Books Program; $25,000 to Workers Circle for general operating support; $22,000 to In Geveb for a pledge donation; and $15,000 each to the Minnesota Academy of Science for its FORSE program and the University of Minnesota Foundation for a donation described as “PROPOSALS.” Other grants included $11,000 to New Lehrhaus, $10,000 to the National Center for Jewish Film for film restoration, $2,500 each to Al Otro Lado, Doctors Without Borders USA, and Partners In Health, $2,000 to the Association for Jewish Studies, and $1,000 to World Central Kitchen.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Zachary M Baker as president, secretary, and treasurer. Martha Jean Baker, Greta Klungness, and Alex Levine are listed as board members.
Michael H Baker Family Foundation is led by Zachary M. Baker, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Zachary M. Baker
President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Alex Levine
Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Greta Klungness
Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Martha Jean Baker
Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Michael H Baker Family Foundation
How much does Michael H Baker Family Foundation give each year?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation gave $227K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $181K across 14 grants.
What is Michael H Baker Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,500, and its average grant was $16,214, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michael H Baker Family Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does Michael H Baker Family Foundation give grants?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (25%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Michael H Baker Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 29% of Michael H Baker Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Michael H Baker Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Minnesota Foundation ($106,000 across 2 grants), Yiddish Book Center ($25,000) and Workers Circle ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michael H Baker Family Foundation?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $229K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $240K (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 Michael H Baker Family Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for a university foundation, science education, Jewish cultural and educational organizations, immigrant legal services, and humanitarian organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michael H Baker Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Michael H Baker Family Foundation's EIN?
Michael H Baker Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4916970. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Michael H Baker Family 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 28, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Michael H Baker Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Michael H Baker Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/michael-h-baker-family-foundation-morg_0f8ab138e8c1487ba4cb47c874489bd0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_824916970_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Michael H Baker Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/michael-h-baker-family-foundation-morg_0f8ab138e8c1487ba4cb47c874489bd0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Michael H Baker Family 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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