The Burke Foundation
The Burke 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 Foundation at a glance
In short: The Burke 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
- $83,374,777
- +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 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) 471-4500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Burke 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 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to Pennsylvania recipients. The listed leading recipients are based in Pittsburgh. Massachusetts, Illinois, Vermont, and the District of Columbia each accounted for a reported 0% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 125 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Burke 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 | $83,374,777 | $5,617,320 | $5,559,219 | $4,327,153 | 125 | $4,361,112 | $3,250,748 | $4,528,986 |
| 2023 | $83,093,936 | $7,435,699 | $4,835,613 | $3,843,958 | 88 | $3,880,223 | $4,967,284 | $4,021,563 |
| 2022 | $80,492,793 | $6,808,269 | $3,966,570 | $2,647,351 | 106 | $2,672,717 | $3,888,925 | $3,987,326 |
| 2021 | $77,771,639 | $54,758,022 | $2,228,971 | $1,540,708 | 75 | $1,579,041 | $4,024,953 | $2,632,425 |
| 2020 | $25,332,871 | $2,830,045 | $1,681,122 | $1,361,863 | 108 | — | $1,271,691 | $1,480,200 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Burke 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 recipients include organizations working in arts and culture, health care, education, youth support, and riverfront development. For example, the 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 Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation says it raises funds to support the hospital’s work in patient care, teaching, research, and advocacy. The Neighborhood Academy describes its mission as preparing low-income students for higher education to help break generational poverty.
Other 2024 grantees describe their work as supporting at-risk youth (Urban Impact Foundation), creating and activating Pittsburgh’s riverfronts (Riverlife), and providing long-term support to underserved Pittsburgh students and their families (Steel City Squash). Winchester Thurston School describes its mission as developing students’ minds, motivation, and character.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 125 grants totaling $4,327,153. Grants ranged from $50 to $1,250,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed awards included $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. Other listed awards included $150,000 to Urban Impact Foundation, $125,000 to Riverlife, and $75,000 to Steel City Squash.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gail Burke as president; Charles Steven Burke and Peter Grable Burke as vice presidents and treasurers; and Merrilynn Young as trustee.
The Burke Foundation is led by Gail Burke, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gail Burke
President
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Merrilynn Young
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Steven Burke
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Grable Burke
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Charles R. Burke Jr. (2020–2022) — President
- 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 Foundation
How much does The Burke Foundation give each year?
The Burke 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 Foundation's typical grant size?
The Burke 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 Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Burke Foundation give grants?
The Burke 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 Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Burke 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 Foundation's largest grantees?
The Burke 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 Foundation?
The Burke 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 Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 recipients include organizations working in arts and culture, health care, education, youth support, and riverfront development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Burke 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 Foundation's EIN?
The Burke Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1407410. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Burke 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Burke Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Burke Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-burke-foundation-morg_d5d230b4337541e7b1aef64ff8aa49f3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251407410_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Burke Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-burke-foundation-morg_d5d230b4337541e7b1aef64ff8aa49f3},
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 Burke 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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