The Beker Foundation
The Beker Foundation is a family foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established by Jayne and Harvey Beker in New York in 1985, it relocated to Greater Boston in 2015. The foundation supports creative, community-centered, and collaborative organizations working within and outside the Jewish community.
The Beker Foundation at a glance
In short: The Beker Foundation gave $2.4M across 141 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Massachusetts. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,367,661
- +10.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 141
- +7.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,792
- +3.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $52,891,106
- +4.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (34 of 141, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Beker Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says it accepts unsolicited requests only from organizations working in the Boston area. Its statement on its 2024 filing says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligible applicants must be tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) status or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, and must comply with state and federal nondiscrimination, equality-of-opportunity, privacy, and safety requirements. The foundation asks organizations to meet at least one criterion under each of its four strategic-objective headings and reserves the right to decline any application.
- Contact
Mailing address: 204 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (212) 332-7300
Website: https://bekerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Beker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($150K). Together the top 10 received $957K.
Grant Size Distribution
641 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 581 grants of 641 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it focuses its funding in the Boston area and other communities where family members live. In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 17% to New York, and 7% to California; New Jersey and Colorado each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 141 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Beker Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 34 of 141 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.8M (2020) to $2.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 141 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, MA | General Operating | $150,000 |
| Central Synagogue Boston Boston, MA | Capital Grant; General Operating | $135,000 |
| Prizmah New York, NY | Stronger Together Project; General Operating; Conference Sponsor | $113,500 |
| Keshet Jamaica Plain, MA | General Operating; Boston Institutional Training | $98,000 |
| Brandeis University Waltham, MA | Architectural plans for center for jewish life; hillel; mkap essentials fund; fine arts dept. | $89,500 |
| Solomon Schechter Day School Newton, MA | General Operating; Just Imagine Grants | $85,090 |
| Brigham & Womens Hospital Boston, MA | Center for visual arts in healthcare; dei in medical education | $85,000 |
| Moishe House Encinitas, CA | For Base Boston | $75,000 |
| Metrowest Jewish Day School Framingham, MA | General operating; clear the path campaign; just imagine grants | $68,828 |
| Gann Academy Waltham, MA | Annual Fund, Just Imagine Grants | $56,960 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $52,891,106 | $3,702,648 | $2,936,308 | $2,367,661 | 141 | $2,762,051 | $2,919,383 | $2,534,281 |
| 2023 | $50,859,249 | $1,618,096 | $2,702,967 | $2,135,459 | 131 | $2,484,595 | $1,803,287 | $2,312,962 |
| 2022 | $45,364,992 | $3,650,480 | $2,699,357 | $2,132,515 | 146 | $2,449,441 | $3,317,095 | $2,224,102 |
| 2021 | $51,769,187 | $3,655,193 | $2,384,198 | $1,953,295 | 138 | $2,172,889 | $2,872,335 | $2,365,456 |
| 2020 | $44,714,298 | $303,549 | $2,031,999 | $1,789,197 | 85 | — | $117,767 | $1,935,244 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Beker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to continue a legacy of tzedakah (giving). It supports organizations and leaders addressing social challenges with inclusiveness, creativity, and compassion, and seeks to cultivate an equitable world where diverse people find common ground and connection.
Its 2025–2026 strategic objectives are to strengthen communities and networks; uplift young people in Greater Boston; deepen connection to Jewish life and community; and cultivate Jewish belonging, resilience, and emotional wellbeing. Its eligibility guidelines describe interests including field-building, community health, arts, enriching opportunities for young people, educator development, youth mental health access, Jewish day schools, Jewish arts and culture, and welcoming and inclusive Jewish communities.
Examples of the organizations it has supported illustrate this range. Keshet describes its work as advancing the full equality of LGBTQ Jews and their families in Jewish life and equipping Jewish organizations to build LGBTQ-affirming communities. Brandeis University describes its mission as advancing the humanities, arts, and sciences and providing a broad, critical education. Moishe House describes its work as supporting vibrant Jewish community, learning, and leadership for young adults. The Esplanade Association describes its mission as enhancing the Charles River Esplanade, preserving green space, and providing educational, cultural, and recreational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 141 grants totaling $2,367,661. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $150,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among its largest grants were $150,000 to Combined Jewish Philanthropies for general operating support; $135,000 to Central Synagogue Boston for a capital grant and general operating support; $113,500 to Prizmah for the Stronger Together project, general operating support, and conference sponsorship; and $98,000 to Keshet for general operating support and Boston institutional training.
Other notable 2024 grants included $89,500 to Brandeis University, $85,090 to Solomon Schechter Day School, $85,000 to Brigham & Women’s Hospital, $75,000 to Moishe House, $68,828 to MetroWest Jewish Day School, and $50,000 each to GrubStreet and Jewish Studio Project.
The foundation makes programmatic grants, project-based grants, general operating grants, and family-directed discretionary grants. It says it typically holds meetings in lieu of written proposals and reports. Its website states that there are currently no open programmatic grants and that open requests for proposals or other opportunities will be posted when available.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Harvey Beker as president and treasurer; Jayne Beker as vice president and secretary; Gregg Buckbinder as assistant secretary and assistant treasurer; Sheri Gurock as executive director; and Alison Judd and Emily Beker as directors.
The Beker Foundation is led by Sheri Gurock, Executive Director since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sheri Gurock
Executive Director
Director → Executive Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$95K (2021) → $174K (2024)
Harvey Beker
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alison Judd
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Beker
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregg Buckbinder
Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jayne Beker
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $174K, to Sheri Gurock (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Beker Foundation
How much does The Beker Foundation give each year?
The Beker Foundation gave $2.4M across 141 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.1M across 131 grants.
What is The Beker Foundation's typical grant size?
The Beker Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,792, across 141 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Beker Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Beker Foundation give grants?
The Beker Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (17%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (36 grants), New York, NY (19 grants), Newton, MA (11 grants) and Brookline, MA (6 grants).
Does The Beker Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 62% of The Beker Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (88 of 141) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Just Imagine Grants" (8 grants).
Who are The Beker Foundation's largest grantees?
The Beker Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($150,000), Central Synagogue Boston ($135,000) and Prizmah ($113,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Beker Foundation?
The Beker Foundation reported $52.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Beker Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to continue a legacy of *tzedakah* (giving). It supports organizations and leaders addressing social challenges with inclusiveness, creativity, and compassion, and seeks to cultivate an equitable world where diverse people find common ground and connection. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Beker Foundation?
The foundation’s website says it accepts unsolicited requests only from organizations working in the Boston area. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Beker Foundation's EIN?
The Beker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3249239. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Beker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-beker-foundation-morg_e517aa37739e48b99f580c2242cf199b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133249239_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Beker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-beker-foundation-morg_e517aa37739e48b99f580c2242cf199b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Beker 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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