Robert & Margaret Mcnamara
The Robert & Margaret McNamara Foundation is a family foundation established in 1954 in Washington, DC. The foundation was founded by the late Robert McNamara, who served as United States Secretary of Defense for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968. The foundation is currently based in Winters, California.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$909K
-3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$99K
+28.6% YoY
Grant Count
50
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
+28.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert & Margaret Mcnamara reported a distributable amount of $67K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus is giving for higher education. The foundation supports education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking, as well as human services.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants with typical award sizes ranging from $500 to $15,000. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has a geographic focus on the District of Columbia, Virginia, and California, with particular activity in Winters, California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Robert & Margaret McNamara Foundation (EIN 52-6056486)
- Location: 9264 Boyce Rd, Winters, CA 95694-9635
Robert and Margaret McNamara Foundation 2 (EIN 27-2141567)
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Total assets: $1,055,406
- Total giving: $96,287
- Tax-exempt since October 2010
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $909,410 | $937,261 | $890,683 |
| Revenue | $90,746 | $143,049 | $113,672 |
| Expenses | $118,597 | $96,471 | $75,812 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $98,808 | $76,821 | $66,353 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,944 | $27,243 | $43,943 |
| Distributable Amount | $66,509 | $79,652 | $62,982 |
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
199 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Phogonot Trust ($31,786), Center for Land Based Learning ($25,000), Uc Santa Barbara Foundation ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACT BLUE SOMERVILLE, MA | CHARITABLE | $4,050 |
| ALFRED A BRAUN HUT SYSTEM INC ASPEN, CO | CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST WASHINGTON, DC | CHARITABLE | $250 |
| AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM SACRAMENTO, CA | CHARITABLE | $300 |
| BIG DAY WINTERS SACRAMENTO, CA | CHARITABLE | $250 |
| BIG DAY YOLO SACRAMENTO, CA | CHARITABLE | $300 |
| CALCAN SACRAMENTO, CA | CHARITABLE | $500 |
| CALIFORNIA AG LEADERSHIP MONTEREY, CA | CHARITABLE | $250 |
| CAP RADIO SACRAMENTO, CA | CHARITABLE | $200 |
| CENTER FOR LAND BASED LEARNING WOODLAND, CA | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| R CRAIG MCNAMARA | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| JULIE MCNAMARA | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| GRAHAM MCNAMARA | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| SEAN MCNAMARA | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| EMILY MCNAMARA | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
Contact Information
- Telephone: 530-795-3824
- Address: 9264 Boyce Rd, Winters, CA 95694-9635
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Robert & Margaret Mcnamara fund?
The foundation's primary focus is giving for higher education. The foundation supports education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking, as well as human services.
How do I apply for a grant from Robert & Margaret Mcnamara?
The foundation makes grants with typical award sizes ranging from $500 to $15,000. Recent grant activity includes: • $2,100 to Winters Farm To School (2023) • $200 to Winters Friends of the Library (2023) • $500 to Historical Society of Winters (2023)
Where does Robert & Margaret Mcnamara make grants?
The foundation has a geographic focus on the District of Columbia, Virginia, and California, with particular activity in Winters, California.
What size grants does Robert & Margaret Mcnamara award?
In 2024, Robert & Margaret Mcnamara awarded 50 grants totaling $99K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Robert & Margaret Mcnamara required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Robert & Margaret Mcnamara reported a distributable amount of $67K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Robert & Margaret Mcnamara's EIN?
Robert & Margaret Mcnamara's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6056486. 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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