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.
Key facts about The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation
- EIN
- 95-4754104
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,061,560
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $23,590
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (6 of 45, 2024)
- Total assets
- $9,321,804
- Primary geography
- California (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation's 45 itemized 2024 grants were California (73%) and New York (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (21 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants). None of its 45 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Is The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 45 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 42% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 157% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation
- How to evaluate The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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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
Grant Range
$6,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Barry and Wendy Meyer Foundation?
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
Share of all 45 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
268 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Venice Family Clinic ($255,000), Human Rights Watch ($150,000), National Foster Youth Institute (Nfyi) ($78,612).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VENICE FAMILY CLINIC Venice, CA | PROVIDES FREE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, SPECIALTY CARE AND DENTAL CARE | $255,000 |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH New York, NY | TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD | $150,000 |
| NATIONAL FOSTER YOUTH INSTITUTE (NFYI) Los Angeles, CA | TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR FOSTER YOUTH | $78,612 |
| ACLU (AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION) FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Los Angeles, CA | WORKING IN COURTS, LEGISLATURES, AND COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND RIGHTS | $70,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Los Angeles, CA | DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN BEINGS AND SOCIETY AS A WHOLE THROUGH THE CULTIVATION AND ENRICHMENT OF THE HUMAN MIND AND SPIRIT | $55,000 |
| BRAVE NEW FILMS Los Angeles, CA | TO CHAMPION SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES BY USING A MODEL OF MEDIA, EDUCATION, AND GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS INVOLVEMENT | $50,000 |
| 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 HEART ASSOCIATION Los Angeles, CA | TO FOSTER APPROPRIATE CARDIAC CARE IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE AND STROKE | $25,000 |
| HOLOCAUST MUSEUM LA Los Angeles, CA | TO PROMOTE AWARENESS | $25,000 |
| MAYOR'S FUND FOR LOS ANGELES Los Angeles, CA | TO DEVELOPE AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO HELP PREVENT ANGELENOS FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS THROUGH OUTREACH, CASE MANAGEMENT AND EXPANDED LEGAL SERVICES | $25,000 |
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS 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?
The foundation does not accept applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.