The Burke Foundation Inc
The Burke Foundation Inc is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1988 and headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation invests in transformative maternal and child health and early childhood initiatives to build a cycle of opportunity across generations. It operates as a value-added partner, connector, convener, and problem solver in the philanthropic space, working with nonprofits to identify, rigorously evaluate, and help scale programs and policies that foster healthy child and family development.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$122.2M
+10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.3M
-15.5% YoY
Grant Count
102
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-20.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Burke Foundation's mission centers on investing in transformative prenatal-to-early childhood initiatives to unlock the full potential of children and their communities. The foundation focuses exclusively on the First 1,000 Days—pregnancy through age 2—recognizing this period as the most determinative time for a child's cognitive and socio-emotional development.
The foundation emphasizes a place-based, community-centered approach while supporting both targeted geographic initiatives and statewide programs.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributed 96 awards in 2023. The application process is described as invitation-only.
Grant Range
** $10,000 - $500,000+
Invitation Only
is described as invitation-only.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Burke Foundation operates with a primary geographic focus on New Jersey, with particular emphasis on place-based initiatives in Camden, Newark, and Trenton. The foundation also supports statewide initiatives beyond these core communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $122.2 million (2024)
Total Revenue: $5.03 million (2024)
Total Expenses: $6.08 million (2024)
Net Assets: $122,207,424 (2024)
Total Liabilities: $11,100 (2024)
The foundation's expenses exceeded revenue in 2024, resulting in a net loss of $1,050,784, reflecting active grant distribution and operational spending.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $122,218,555 | $110,458,470 | $109,420,940 |
| Revenue | $5,028,213 | $2,102,058 | $4,882,193 |
| Expenses | $6,078,997 | $6,354,243 | $5,764,874 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,534,324 | $5,885,123 | $5,752,787 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,452,274 | $2,356,443 | $4,462,758 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,737,636 | $5,379,973 | $5,634,198 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
James Burke — President and Chairman
Atiya Weiss — Executive Director
Renée Nogales — Director of Programs
Jessica Nugent — Senior Program Officer
Caroline Bersak — Program Officer
Sanjana Chandrasekharan — Program Manager
Kristen Gibbs — Communications Manager
Board Members:
- Philip Siana (Secretary)
- Charles L. Carroll (Treasurer)
- Dr. Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
- Dr. Renée Boynton-Jarrett
- Christopher Kuenne
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES BURKE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $200,000 |
| CHARLES CARROLL | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| PHILIP SIANA | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER KUENNE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JEANNE BROOKS-GUNNE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RENEE BOYNTON-JARRETT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ATIYA S WEISS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $342,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In November 2025, The Burke Foundation announced a historic $6.5 million commitment in multi-year grants—the largest in the foundation's history. This investment targets improvements in maternal and infant health and early childhood development, with a focus on reducing health disparities in New Jersey.
Burke Foundation Commits $6.5M in Grants | Council of New Jersey GrantmakersRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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