The Burke Family Foundation
The Burke Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2024 filing reports 125 grants totaling $4,327,153, with 99% of grant dollars going to recipients in Pennsylvania.
The Burke Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Burke Family Foundation gave $4.3M across 125 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,327,153
- +12.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 125
- +42.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $34,617
- -20.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $83,385,224
- +0.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (19 of 95, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (99% 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 Burke Family 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 436 Seventh Avenue 2450, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 471-4660
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Burke Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh ($1.3M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
502 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 447 grants of 502 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars were concentrated in Pennsylvania, which received 99% of the total. The filing also reports shares of 0% each for Massachusetts, Illinois, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 125 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Burke Family Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 95 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $56K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 181% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $1.4M (2020) to $4.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 125 grants totaling $4.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | General | $1,250,000 |
| Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Pittsburgh, PA | General | $500,000 |
| Power Pittsburgh, PA | General | $350,000 |
| Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | General | $250,000 |
| Senator John Heinz History Center Pittsburgh, PA | General | $250,000 |
| The Neighborhood Academy Pittsburgh, PA | General | $250,000 |
| Urban Impact Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | General | $150,000 |
| Allegheny Rivertrail Park Pittsburgh, PA | General | $125,000 |
| Cooper-Siegel Community Library Pittsburgh, PA | General | $125,000 |
| Cooper-Siegel Community Library Pittsburgh, PA | General | $125,000 |
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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 | $83,385,224 | $5,617,339 | $5,559,231 | $4,327,153 | 125 | $4,361,130 | $3,250,775 | $4,529,507 |
| 2023 | $83,104,376 | $7,435,722 | $4,835,514 | $3,843,958 | 88 | $3,880,123 | $4,967,321 | $4,021,826 |
| 2022 | $80,497,943 | $6,808,293 | $3,966,165 | $2,647,351 | 106 | $2,672,718 | $3,889,357 | $3,987,517 |
| 2021 | $77,776,173 | $54,757,487 | $2,229,163 | $1,540,708 | 75 | $1,579,238 | $4,025,018 | $2,632,926 |
| 2020 | $25,338,137 | $2,830,155 | $1,681,147 | $1,361,863 | 108 | — | $1,271,802 | $1,479,326 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Burke Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.5M for 2024 — 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 foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants supported organizations whose work includes arts and cultural programming, education, children’s health, youth services, and riverfront development. For example, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust describes its mission as presenting performing and visual arts, managing arts facilities, advancing arts education, and developing Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. The Neighborhood Academy says it prepares low-income students for higher education, while Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation says it supports the hospital’s work in patient care, teaching, research, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 125 grants totaling $4,327,153. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $1,250,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest grants were $1,250,000 to Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, $500,000 to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, $350,000 to POWER, and $250,000 each to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, Senator John Heinz History Center, and The Neighborhood Academy. The filing lists the grants to Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and POWER for general purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Charles R. Burke Jr. as president and Merrilynn Young as treasurer and trustee.
The Burke Family Foundation is led by Charles R. Burke Jr., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charles R. Burke Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Merrilynn Young
Treasurer & Trustee
Trustee → Treasurer & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Patricia G. Burke (2020) — Vice President & Treasurer
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 Burke Family Foundation
How much does The Burke Family Foundation give each year?
The Burke Family Foundation gave $4.3M across 125 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.8M across 88 grants.
What is The Burke Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Burke Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $34,617, across 125 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Burke Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Burke Family Foundation give grants?
The Burke Family Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (105 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and New Kensington, PA (2 grants).
Does The Burke Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Burke Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (125 of 125) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Burke Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Burke Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh ($1,300,000 across 2 grants), Pittsburgh Cultural Trust ($550,000 across 2 grants) and Power ($357,500 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Burke Family Foundation?
The Burke Family Foundation reported $83.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.5M (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 Burke Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants supported organizations whose work includes arts and cultural programming, education, children’s health, youth services, and riverfront development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Burke Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Burke Family Foundation's EIN?
The Burke Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1583757. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Burke Family 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 October 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 Burke Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Burke Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-burke-family-foundation-morg_1aa097a7da954cd2abb2ab9866960204
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311583757_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Burke Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-burke-family-foundation-morg_1aa097a7da954cd2abb2ab9866960204},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Burke Family 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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