The Baker Street Foundation
The Baker Street Foundation is a private family foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 1993, it operates as a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization with assets exceeding $121 million. The foundation was established by Mary M. Miner, widow of Oracle co-founder Robert M. Miner, following her inheritance of Oracle shares.
Key facts about The Baker Street Foundation
- EIN
- 94-3192365
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,815,835
- Grants made (2024)
- 60
- Average grant
- $113,597
- Median grant
- $67,500
- Total assets
- $125,758,384
- Primary geography
- California (75% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Recent Grant Activity (2023):.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Baker Street Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Baker Street Foundation's 60 itemized 2024 grants were California (75%), Rhode Island (7%) and Colorado (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (37 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants) and Chicago, IL (3 grants). 88% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$125.8M
+3.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.8M
+15.7% YoY
Grant Count
60
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
+8.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Baker Street Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a public mission statement. However, its funding priorities consistently focus on:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Social justice
- Environmental issues
The foundation distributes funding across several consistent grant categories:
- Capital Projects: Variable amounts including multi-million commitments for infrastructure
- General Operating Support: $5,000 - $100,000 for ongoing organizational support
- Program Support Grants: $25,000 - $275,000 for specific initiatives and evaluations
- Major Institutional Support: $500,000 - $1,000,000+ for flagship cultural and educational institutions
Grantmaking
The foundation made 62 grants in 2023, with total grant distributions of approximately $5.9 million.
Grant Range
**: $5,000 - $1,025,000
How to Apply
**: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All funding decisions are made through trustee discretion, and the foundation operates exclusively through personal networks and pre-selected organizations. There is no public application portal or website.
Ready to take the next step with The Baker Street Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. locations, with primary focus on:
- San Francisco and California
- New York
- Illinois
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Rhode Island
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 60 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $121,138,567
- Total Revenue: $15,334,855
- Total Expenses: $7,071,983
- Total Grants Distributed: Approximately $5.9 million
Revenue Breakdown (2023):
- Grants and contributions: $13,526,250
- Investment income and dividends: $1,010,001
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $796,821
Year-over-Year Growth (2022-2023):
- Total grants and contributions increased 76.1%
- Investment income increased 80.3%
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $125,758,384 | $121,138,567 | $102,798,809 |
| Revenue | $2,103,817 | $15,334,855 | $10,923,827 |
| Expenses | $8,293,154 | $7,071,983 | $4,936,512 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,074,652 | $6,202,332 | $7,320,841 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,206,674 | $7,997,296 | $8,481,150 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,147,748 | $3,699,605 | $3,406,904 |
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
308 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include San Francisco Ballet ($1,000,000), San Francisco Park Alliance ($625,000), Brown University ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN FRANCISCO, CA | OPERATING EXPENSES | $1,000,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO PARK ALLIANCE SAN FRANCISCO, CA | INDIAN BASIN PROJECT | $625,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE | $500,000 |
| A HOME WITHIN OAKLAND, CA | OPERATING EXPENSES | $263,107 |
| WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION LOVELAND, CO | OPERATING EXPENSES | $250,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | OPERATING EXPENSES | $225,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER BOULDER, CO | OPERATING EXPENSES | $200,273 |
| CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE SAN FRANCISCO, CA | REIMAGINING SAN FRANCISCO | $200,000 |
| INDEPENDENT ARTS & MEDIA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | CINEMASF UPGRADE TO THEATERS | $200,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ENDOWMENT | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mary M. Miner: President/Director
- Helen Sedwick: Secretary/Director
- Roy Bukstein: CFO/Director
- Nicola Miner: Director
- Luke Miner: Director
Directors do not receive compensation for their roles. The foundation operates with a volunteer board structure.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY M MINER | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HELEN SEDWICK | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROY BUKSTEIN | CFO/DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| NICOLA MINER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LUKE MINER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 135 Main Street, Suite 1140, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-356-2012
EIN: 94-3192365
Tax-Exempt Status: Ruling year 1995
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Baker Street Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a public mission statement. However, its funding priorities consistently focus on: • Arts and culture • Education • Social justice • Environmental issues The foundation distributes funding across several consistent grant categories: • **Capital Projects**: Variable amounts including multi-million commitments for infrastructure • **General Operating Support**: $5,000 - $100,000 for ongoing organizational support • **Program Support Grants**: $25,000 - $275,000 fo…
How do I apply for a grant from The Baker Street Foundation?
**Grant Range**: $5,000 - $1,025,000 **Annual Giving**: $5-8 million (with recent fiscal year distributions of approximately $6.8 million) **Application Process**: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All funding decisions are made through trustee discretion, and the foundation operates exclusively through personal networks and pre-selected organizations. There is no public application portal or website. **Recent Grant Activity** (2023): • San Francisco Ballet: $1,000,000 (O…
Where does The Baker Street Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. locations, with primary focus on: • San Francisco and California • New York • Illinois • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Rhode Island
What size grants does The Baker Street Foundation award?
In 2024, The Baker Street Foundation awarded 60 grants totaling $6.8M — an average of about $114K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Baker Street Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Baker Street Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Baker Street Foundation's EIN?
The Baker Street Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3192365. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Baker Street Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Recent Grant Activity (2023):.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Baker Street Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.