The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation is a private foundation based in Reno, Nevada. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations serving children and families, providing food assistance, and supporting health and other community services.
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation at a glance
In short: The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation gave $250K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Nevada. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $250,000
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $20,833
- -8.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,134,939
- -3.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (2 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nevada (90% 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 Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11440 Dixon Lane, Reno, NV 89511
Phone: (775) 852-5642
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Washoe County School District - Child and Family Services Department ($50K). Together the top 10 received $240K.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 54 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Nevada and 10% to recipients in New York. The listed grants include organizations in Reno and Sparks, Nevada, and Doctors Without Borders in New York, New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 12 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 177% 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 $250K (2020) to $250K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $250K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washoe County School District - Child and Family Services Department Reno, NV | Fund Children in Transition Program | $50,000 |
| Food Bank of Northern Nevada Sparks, NV | General Support | $50,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows Reno, NV | General Support | $40,000 |
| Children's Cabinet Reno, NV | General Support | $30,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| Northern Nevada Hopes Reno, NV | General Support | $10,000 |
| American Red Cross Reno, NV | General Support | $10,000 |
| The Eddy House Reno, NV | General Support | $10,000 |
| Community Health Alliance Foundation Reno, NV | General Support | $10,000 |
| Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation Reno, NV | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Brett and Deborah Barker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,134,939 | $146,215 | $253,446 | $250,000 | 12 | $252,096 | $85,746 | $142,684 |
| 2023 | $3,242,170 | $135,406 | $256,431 | $250,000 | 11 | $250,000 | $82,107 | $144,096 |
| 2022 | $3,363,195 | $168,836 | $254,644 | $250,000 | 11 | $250,000 | $120,215 | $159,140 |
| 2021 | $3,450,217 | $143,798 | $254,835 | $250,000 | 11 | $250,000 | $101,538 | $179,507 |
| 2020 | $3,560,040 | $161,908 | $263,790 | $250,000 | 9 | — | $101,706 | $171,826 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $143K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a food bank, youth organizations, health organizations, and other charitable recipients. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada describes its mission as “Feeding the hungry today and solving hunger for tomorrow through community partnership,” with a vision of “Healthy Food. Every Person, Every Day.” Community Health Alliance Foundation says its mission is to support the operations and programs of Community Health Alliance. Safe Talk for Teens says its mission is to motivate, redirect, assist, and guide youth in making better decisions by teaching positive and healthy coping tools, core values, and goal setting.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $250,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among the 2024 grants, Washoe County School District’s Child and Family Services Department received $50,000 for its Children in Transition Program, and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada received $50,000 for general support. Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows received $40,000, and Children’s Cabinet received $30,000, both for general support. Doctors Without Borders received $25,000 for general support. Other recipients included Northern Nevada Hopes, American Red Cross, The Eddy House, and Community Health Alliance Foundation, each receiving $10,000 for general support; Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, University of Nevada Reno, and Safe Talk for Teens, each receiving $5,000 for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brett D. Barker as president and secretary, Deborah L. Barker as treasurer, and Christie Stitser and Michelle Barker-Hurley as directors.
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation is led by Brett D. Barker, President & Secretary since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brett D. Barker
President & Secretary
Trustee → President & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christie Stitser
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Barker-Hurley
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah L. Barker
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/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.
Frequently asked questions about The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation
How much does The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation give each year?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation gave $250K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $250K across 11 grants.
What is The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's typical grant size?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $20,833, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation give grants?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation gives mostly in Nevada: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Reno, NV (10 grants).
Does The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 92% of The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's largest grantees?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Washoe County School District - Child and Family Services Department ($50,000), Food Bank of Northern Nevada ($50,000) and Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $252K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $143K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a food bank, youth organizations, health organizations, and other charitable recipients. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's EIN?
The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1186903. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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
Live grants for the work The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Renown Health
Reno, NV
Renown Health funds community health and wellness work, with 2026 priorities including mental health, access to health care and community services, and maternal and child health. Its Better Together program offers grants of up to $10,000 for projects in areas served by its Reno-area medical centers, especially Washoe County and nearby communities. The program accepts applications from eligible nonprofits and public-sector groups; whether it accepts unsolicited requests outside the program is not stated.
Assets
$594.5M
Grants
3
Total Given
$43.0M
The Bretzlaff Foundation Inc
Reno, NV
The Bretzlaff Foundation supports youth development, research, arts and culture, legal aid, and other community programs, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Nevada, followed by Hawaii and Virginia. Its 15 grants in 2025 ranged from $5,000 to $600,000, with a median of $250,000. It accepts written applications; no deadline is stated.
Assets
—
Grants
15
Total Given
$2.8M
Roxie and Azad Joseph Foundation
Reno, NV
The foundation’s grants support a range of charitable organizations, including cultural, health, education, and youth-serving groups, with recent awards ranging from $5,000 to $200,000 and a median of $10,000. It gives in Nevada and California, with most recent grant dollars going to Nevada. It accepts written applications year-round, according to its 2025 filing.
Assets
$9.6M
Grants
33
Total Given
$625K
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Renown Regional Medical Center
Reno, NV
Renown Regional supports health-related services and community projects, with current priorities in mental health, access to health care and community services, and maternal and child health. Its 2024 grants had a median of $15,000 (ranging from $7,500 to $844,093), while its 2026 Better Together program offers up to $10,000; its giving is focused mainly on Nevada and northeastern California. The provided information does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$830.1M
Grants
37
Total Given
$1.9M
Thelma B & Thomas P Hart Foundation
Reno, NV
The Thelma B & Thomas P Hart Foundation funds education, children’s programs, service animals, health, and community-based programs, generally in Northern Nevada, Northern California, and Hawaii. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median of $20,000. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations; applicants are advised to contact Mark W. Knobel, with June recommended for submissions.
Assets
$22.4M
Grants
39
Total Given
$1.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Nevada
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brett-and-deborah-barker-foundation-morg_78c5c567e951418c9af99cd0de1e5edc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201186903_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brett-and-deborah-barker-foundation-morg_78c5c567e951418c9af99cd0de1e5edc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Brett and Deborah Barker 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 Brett and Deborah Barker Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?