The Baker Foundation
The Baker Foundation is a private foundation established in 1987 in Tacoma, Washington. The foundation was created by Elbert H. Baker II, who sold the Tacoma News Tribune to McClatchy Newspapers and dedicated $1.5 million from the sale to establish the foundation. The Baker family had owned and published the Tacoma News Tribune for more than 74 years prior to the sale.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.6M
+4.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$262K
-1.2% YoY
Grant Count
34
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-1.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Baker Foundation is dedicated to providing funding for Tacoma youth programs, arts, education, and health care. According to the foundation's stated purpose, it gives to organizations primarily dedicated to the youth of Pierce County, Washington, specifically addressing education, the fine arts, and health care.
The foundation has historically supported:
- Scholarships for graduating high school seniors demonstrating academic and civic merit
- Children's art programs and local theater
- Tacoma Symphony Orchestra
- Community events and annual programs
- Health care facilities and medical treatment centers
- Youth education and workshops in the arts
Grantmaking
The Baker Foundation makes grants ranging from $500 to $35,000, with typical awards in this range. In 2024, the foundation made 34 grants totaling $261,750.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Baker Foundation focuses its funding on Tacoma and Pierce County, Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $6,583,290 (as of 2024)
Total Giving: $261,750 (2024)
Total Revenues: $748,583 (2024)
Total Expenses: $508,903 (2024)
The trust grows each year by approximately $100,000 in assets and disperses at least five percent of its total assets annually.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,583,290 | $6,327,888 | $6,573,052 |
| Revenue | $748,583 | $263,578 | $431,321 |
| Expenses | $508,903 | $513,041 | $537,829 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $376,425 | $381,781 | $392,668 |
| Net Investment Income | $616,105 | $186,695 | $285,967 |
| Distributable Amount | $405,973 | $375,778 | $387,288 |
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
165 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Baker Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Robert W Bethke serves as Executive Director.
The foundation is governed by a board composed of family members who each contribute to the trust financially.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT W BETHKE | EXECUTIVE DIR | 30 | — |
| MELISSA NELSON | DIRECTOR | 0.12 | — |
| JAY PRINCE | DIRECTOR | 0.12 | — |
| DEBRA PRINCE | DIRECTOR | 0.12 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 110 S. 9th Street, Suite 300, Tacoma, Washington 98402
Phone: 253-383-7055
Fax: 253-383-7057
Email: info@bakerfoundation.org
Website: bakerfoundation.org
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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