The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation
The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1999 and based in Encino, California. The foundation was founded by Barry Meyer, former CEO and Chairman of Warner Bros. Entertainment, and his wife Wendy Meyer, a clinical social worker. The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not operate a website or accept unsolicited applications.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
-3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-32.3% YoY
Grant Count
45
-4.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-29.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $677K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:
- Primary Areas: Arts and culture, foster youth, mental health, human rights, and criminal justice reform
- Secondary Areas: K-12 education, health clinics, and Jewish causes
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept applications. Organizations interested in funding are encouraged to network with past grantees to gain an introduction.
Grant Range
$6,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is primarily limited to the Los Angeles area and Southern California. However, a limited number of national organizations have received funding in recent years.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $14 million (2023 tax year data)
- $9.3 million (alternative reporting)
- $9.66 million (2023)
Annual Giving:
- Total distributions: $1.6 million
- Total giving: $1,061,560 (2024 reporting)
Revenue:
- $833,000 (2023)
Expenses:
- $1.64 million (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,321,804 | $9,658,984 | $10,466,402 |
| Revenue | $796,431 | $832,679 | $183,603 |
| Expenses | $1,138,761 | $1,640,097 | $1,678,882 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,065,112 | $1,569,850 | $1,588,850 |
| Net Investment Income | $724,580 | $768,260 | $136,933 |
| Distributable Amount | $676,665 | $663,011 | $734,320 |
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
242 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Venice Family Clinic ($255,000), Human Rights Watch ($150,000), National Foster Youth Institute (nfyi) ($78,612).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU (AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION) FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES, CA | WORKING IN COURTS, LEGISLATURES, AND COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND RIGHTS | $70,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS LOS ANGELES, CA | TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND FUTURES OF CHILDREN | $10,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL | TO HELP PROVIDE URGENTLY NEEDED CARE AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES FACING ALZHEIMER'S AND ADVANCE VITAL RESEARCH AIMED AT FINDING METHODS OF TREATMENT, PREVENTION AND ULTIMATELY, A CURE | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | PROVIDING DISPLAYS OF ART TO THE COMMUNITY | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION LOS ANGELES, CA | TO FOSTER APPROPRIATE CARDIAC CARE IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE AND STROKE | $25,000 |
| ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION (ARC) LOS ANGELES, CA | TO REDUCE INCARCERATION, IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED, AND TO BUILD HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES | $10,000 |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY KANAB, UT | TO PLACE UNWANTED DOGS AND CATS INTO GOOD HOMES | $2,500 |
| BRAVE NEW FILMS LOS ANGELES, CA | TO CHAMPION SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES BY USING A MODEL OF MEDIA, EDUCATION, AND GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS INVOLVEMENT | $50,000 |
| CAMPAIGN FOR THE FAIR SENTENCING OF YOUTH WASHINGTON, DC | TO HELP END EXTREME SENTENCES FOR CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY JUVENILE LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE | $12,000 |
| CASA (COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES) FOR CHILDREN OF LOS ANGELES MONTEREY PARK, CA | TO MOBILIZE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO ADVOCATE FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN | $12,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Wendy Meyer, PhD - President (10 hours per week, unpaid)
- Barry Meyer - CFO and Secretary (10 hours per week, unpaid)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WENDY MEYER PHD | PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| BARRY MEYER | CFO AND SECRETARY | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant grants in recent years, including a $1.25 million grant to NFYI (National Foster Youth Institute).
NFYI Receives $1.25M from Barry & Wendy Meyer Foundation - NFYISubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • **Primary Areas**: Arts and culture, foster youth, mental health, human rights, and criminal justice reform • **Secondary Areas**: K-12 education, health clinics, and Jewish causes
How do I apply for a grant from The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Median grant size: $6,000 • Grant range: $449,000 to $757,000 • Typical awards vary significantly in size **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept applications. Organizations interested in funding are encouraged to network with past grantees to gain an introduction. **Recent Activity:** The foundation distributed approximately $1.6 million in grants across 47 grants in the most recent reporting period.
Where does The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking is primarily limited to the Los Angeles area and Southern California. However, a limited number of national organizations have received funding in recent years.
What size grants does The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation award?
In 2024, The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $24K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $677K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation's EIN?
The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4754104. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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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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