The Barr Foundation
The Barr Foundation is a private foundation located in Chesapeake, Virginia. Its 2025 filing reports 103 grants totaling $139,569 to organizations including arts and cultural institutions, educational organizations, and nonprofits working in areas such as health and the environment.
The Barr Foundation at a glance
In short: The Barr Foundation gave $140K across 103 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), top state Virginia. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $139,569
- -15.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 103
- +7.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,355
- -21.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $4,181,186
- +0.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (18 of 103, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (48% 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 The Barr Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It describes the process as a written request, with no restrictions on awards, and names Clay H. Barr as the application contact.
- Review Cycle
- The filing listed June 30, 2024. This is a past deadline.
- Deadline
- The filing listed June 30, 2024.
- Contact
Application contact: Clay H Barr
Mailing address: 129 Hanbury Road W Suite 201, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Phone: (757) 625-1627
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Barr Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Breast Cancer Research Foundation ($25K). Together the top 10 received $87K.
Grant Size Distribution
489 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 486 grants of 489 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia, 32% to New York, 7% to the District of Columbia, 3% to Washington, and 2% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 103 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Barr Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 103 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $573; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $375 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $89K (2020) to $210K (2022). In 2025 it made 103 grants totaling $140K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer Research Foundation New York, NY | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Virginia Arts Festival Norfolk, VA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $20,800 |
| Chrysler Museum Norfolk, VA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $14,050 |
| Beth El Norfolk, VA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $5,360 |
| WHRO Norfolk, VA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $5,300 |
| Metropolitan Museum New York, NY | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $4,100 |
| Ukrainian Humanity Center Carnation, WA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $4,100 |
| Hopewell Fundgalvanize USA Washington, DC | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $3,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Se Virginia Virginia Beach, VA | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $2,700 |
| Planned Parenthood New York, NY | To Support the Mission of the Organization | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Barr 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 | $4,181,186 | $356,320 | $334,301 | $139,569 | 103 | $254,952 | $154,656 | $281,342 |
| 2024 | $4,159,167 | $520,486 | $351,653 | $165,025 | 96 | $274,138 | $201,496 | $254,553 |
| 2023 | $3,990,334 | $480,186 | $360,774 | $172,712 | 104 | $264,563 | $71,847 | $230,225 |
| 2022 | $3,870,922 | $1,221,764 | $378,556 | $210,400 | 97 | $309,852 | $961,810 | $238,858 |
| 2021 | $3,027,862 | $645,331 | $230,041 | $96,650 | 89 | — | $120,546 | $213,708 |
| 2020 | $2,614,831 | $80,678 | $210,293 | $88,618 | 90 | — | $30,602 | $187,358 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Barr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $281K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation describes its mission as advancing research to prevent and cure breast cancer; Virginia Stage Company says it builds community through shared stories; and the Natural Resources Defense Council describes work on climate, wildlife, and clean air and water. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 103 grants totaling $139,569. Grants ranged from $53 to $25,000, with a median of $500.
Among the largest reported grants were $25,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, $20,800 to Virginia Arts Festival, $14,050 to Chrysler Museum, $5,360 to Beth El, and $5,300 to WHRO. The stated purpose for these grants was to support each organization’s mission.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Clay H. Barr as president and director, Elena B. Baum as director, vice president, and treasurer, and Janice Pfaffinger as secretary.
The Barr Foundation is led by Clay H. Barr, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Clay H. Barr
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elena B. Baum
Director, Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$34K (2020) → $41K (2025)
Janice Pfaffinger
Secretary
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $64K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $64K, to Janice Pfaffinger (Secretary). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Barr Foundation
How much does The Barr Foundation give each year?
The Barr Foundation gave $140K across 103 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $165K across 96 grants.
What is The Barr Foundation's typical grant size?
The Barr Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,355, across 103 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Barr Foundation that year got $573 on average.
Where does The Barr Foundation give grants?
The Barr Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (32%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (26 grants), Norfolk, VA (22 grants), Washington, DC (11 grants) and Virginia Beach, VA (5 grants).
Does The Barr Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 103 grants with a stated purpose on The Barr Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Mission of the Organization" (103 grants).
Who are The Barr Foundation's largest grantees?
The Barr Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Breast Cancer Research Foundation ($25,000), Virginia Arts Festival ($20,800) and Chrysler Museum ($14,050), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Barr Foundation?
The Barr Foundation reported $4.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $255K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $281K (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 The Barr Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Barr Foundation?
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Barr Foundation's EIN?
The Barr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1518708. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Barr Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-barr-foundation-morg_9d0d74701d2248e79ac1180d8d0ad639
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311518708_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Barr Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-barr-foundation-morg_9d0d74701d2248e79ac1180d8d0ad639},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Barr 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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