The Barnes Family Foundation
The Barnes Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Little Rock, AR. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $4.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $155K. Net investment income was $271K.
The Barnes Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Barnes Family Foundation gave $155K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $52K), mostly in Arkansas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $155,000
- -10.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -57.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $51,667
- +109.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $4,002,879
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Arkansas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Barnes Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Arkansas Community Foundation ($130K). Together the top 3 received $155K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 22 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Barnes Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 107% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $75K (2022) to $172K (2024). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $155K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Community Foundation Little Rock, AR | General Fund | $130,000 |
| Womens Initiative International Inc Little Rock, AR | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Arkansas State Golf Association Little Rock, AR | General Fund | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Barnes Family Foundation?
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 | $4,002,879 | $304,682 | $194,208 | $155,000 | 3 | $156,225 | $271,313 | $162,393 |
| 2024 | $3,674,368 | $255,316 | $201,945 | $172,421 | 7 | $173,896 | $226,462 | $144,539 |
| 2023 | $3,495,981 | $65,274 | $193,491 | $165,000 | 5 | $166,675 | $46,686 | $129,995 |
| 2022 | $3,332,161 | $55,504 | $126,501 | $75,000 | 1 | $76,250 | $39,471 | $138,760 |
| 2021 | $3,838,749 | $4,408,766 | $147,918 | $118,000 | 6 | $119,950 | $2,176,572 | $141,141 |
| 2020 | $1,523,799 | $22,254 | $138,271 | $124,000 | 4 | — | $14,884 | $73,330 |
| 2019 | $1,564,995 | $43,225 | $112,935 | $96,000 | 4 | — | $31,904 | $76,368 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Barnes Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $162K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Barnes Family Foundation is led by James Barnes, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Barnes
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Terry Barnes-Wells
Secretary & Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Terry Barnes (2019–2024) — Secretary & Treasurer
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 The Barnes Family Foundation
How much does The Barnes Family Foundation give each year?
The Barnes Family Foundation gave $155K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $172K across 7 grants.
What is The Barnes Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Barnes Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $51,667, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Barnes Family Foundation give grants?
The Barnes Family Foundation gives mostly in Arkansas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Little Rock, AR (3 grants).
Does The Barnes Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Barnes Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is The Barnes Family Foundation?
The Barnes Family Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $156K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $162K (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 is The Barnes Family Foundation's EIN?
The Barnes Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4560661. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 February 21, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Barnes Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Barnes Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Riggs Benevolent Fund
Little Rock, AR
The fund supports a broad range of education, health, human-services, youth, and community organizations, primarily in Arkansas. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median award of $5,000. The filing says there is no particular application form, but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$15.3M
Grants
86
Total Given
$724K
William H Bowen Family Foundation
Little Rock, AR
The foundation funds a range of Arkansas charitable needs, including hunger relief, healthcare, children’s services, and community programs. Its 2023 grants ranged from $5,000 to $34,500, with a median of $12,000; it gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
15
Total Given
$201K
Heart of Arkansas United Way
Little Rock, AR
Heart of Arkansas United Way supports measurable programs focused on youth opportunity, financial security, health, and community resiliency, especially for people below the ALICE threshold or federal poverty line. Its Community Investment Grants offer $3,000–$12,000 for six months, with possible renewal, to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations serving Pulaski, Lonoke, or Saline Counties in Arkansas. The profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$8.9M
Grants
26
Total Given
$511K
Windgate Charitable Foundation Inc
Little Rock, AR
Windgate Charitable Foundation funds contemporary craft and visual arts education across the United States, plus education, health, and community initiatives for Arkansas organizations. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,000 to $7.52 million, with a median of about $54,700. It does not accept unsolicited requests; organizations funded in the past five years may apply through its grantee portal.
Assets
$421.0M
Grants
341
Total Given
$105.6M
Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable
Dallas, TX
The foundation funds educational, cultural, human services, and health care programs, including capital projects, medical research, and endowments, primarily in Arkansas and Texas, with an emphasis on the Dallas area. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $250,000, with a median of $20,000. It accepts applications from eligible 501(c)(3) organizations; the deadline is March 1.
Assets
$33.5M
Grants
82
Total Given
$2.1M
John and Robyn Horn Foundation Inc
Little Rock, AR
The foundation’s 2023 grants supported arts and crafts, performing arts, cultural institutions, and Arkansas land conservation, with grants ranging from $20,000 to $150,000 and a median of $50,000. Giving was concentrated in Arkansas and North Carolina, with some support elsewhere in the United States; its 2022 filing said it preferred projects of its own initiative over unsolicited requests, but that filing was marked final and the foundation appears to have wound down.
Assets
—
Grants
27
Total Given
$1.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in Arkansas
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Barnes Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-barnes-family-foundation-morg_edaf02b40c5e4685a0ae4add03da50bf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814560661_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Barnes Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-barnes-family-foundation-morg_edaf02b40c5e4685a0ae4add03da50bf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 The Barnes 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.
The Barnes Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?