The Charles and Elizabeth Barr
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. It supports a range of charitable organizations, including arts and cultural institutions, schools, historic-preservation organizations, and other organizations serving public and educational purposes.
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr at a glance
In short: The Charles and Elizabeth Barr gave $515K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Kentucky. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $515,398
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,106
- +9.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $6,692,637
- +18.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Charles and Elizabeth Barr
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3114 Boxhill Lane, Louisville, KY 40222
Phone: (502) 551-7330
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Charles and Elizabeth Barr funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Yew Dell Botanical Gardens ($150K). Together the top 10 received $385K.
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 119 grants of 127 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky. Other leading recipient states were the District of Columbia (7%), New Jersey (5%), Oregon (4%), and California (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Charles and Elizabeth Barr open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 32 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 59% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $324K (2023) to $515K (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $515K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yew Dell Botanical Gardens Crestwood, KY | To Spark a Passion for Plants and Gardening | $150,000 |
| Speed Art Museum Louisville, KY | To Invite Everyone to Celebrate Art | $70,000 |
| Kentucky Opera Association Inc Louisville, KY | To promote a more empathetic, compassionate, and just community through the power of the arts | $30,000 |
| West End School Louisville, KY | To provide a safe and structured environment for boys in grades pre-k through 8 | $30,000 |
| Ivy 1879 Foundation Inc Princeton, NJ | To support the preservation of the ivy club's historic building | $25,000 |
| The Louisville Orchestra Inc Louisville, KY | Building Community with Music | $25,000 |
| See International W Sacramento, CA | General Operations | $20,000 |
| Liberty Hall Historic Site Frankfort, KY | To serve the public by preserving collections and sharing stories that illustrate urban life in early Kentucky | $12,500 |
| The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America Washington, DC | To Support Dumbarton House | $12,500 |
| Macula Society Pepper Pike, OH | General operationscontributed 25 shares of microsoft corp stock on 2/20/2025. Cost basis of $643 reported as book value; fair value of $10,398. | $10,398 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,692,637 | $1,608,381 | $571,779 | $515,398 | 32 | $517,548 | $1,569,410 | $466,653 |
| 2024 | $5,646,280 | $1,700,089 | $541,963 | $441,000 | 30 | $443,850 | $1,664,736 | $433,229 |
| 2023 | $4,487,522 | $4,256,016 | $367,202 | $324,000 | 32 | $329,100 | $2,230,734 | $300,460 |
| 2022 | $5,098,786 | $5,440,927 | $342,141 | $325,000 | 33 | $328,937 | $883,294 | $78,437 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Charles and Elizabeth Barr reported a distributable amount of $467K for 2025 — 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 separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in the arts, education, gardening, historic preservation, and other areas. For example, the Speed Art Museum says it invites everyone to celebrate art, while Kentucky Opera describes its work as sparking discovery, joy, and connection through opera. West End School describes itself as an academically rigorous year-round boarding school for middle school boys, and the Ivy 1879 Foundation says it supports the Ivy Club’s educational and cultural activities and preservation of its historic clubhouse.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $515,398. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median grant of $9,000. Its largest awards included $150,000 to Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, $70,000 to the Speed Art Museum, $30,000 each to Kentucky Opera Association and West End School, and $25,000 each to Ivy 1879 Foundation and the Louisville Orchestra.
Other 2025 grants included $20,000 to SEE International, $12,500 each to Liberty Hall Historic Site and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, and $10,000 each to DC Prep and Ethel Walker School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth E. Barr as president and Dr. Charles C. Barr as vice president. Elizabeth B. Fawell and Charles M. Barr are listed as directors.
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr is led by Elizabeth E. Barr, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth E. Barr
President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles M. Barr
Vice President & Director
Treasurer & Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth B. Fawell
Director
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 Charles and Elizabeth Barr
How much does The Charles and Elizabeth Barr give each year?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr gave $515K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $441K across 30 grants.
What is The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's typical grant size?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $16,106, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Charles and Elizabeth Barr that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Charles and Elizabeth Barr give grants?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr gives mostly in Kentucky: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (8 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Portland, OR (4 grants).
Does The Charles and Elizabeth Barr give general operating support?
Yes: 16% of The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's largest grantees?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's largest 2025 grantees include Yew Dell Botanical Gardens ($150,000), Speed Art Museum ($70,000) and Kentucky Opera Association Inc ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Charles and Elizabeth Barr?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $518K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $467K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Charles and Elizabeth Barr fund?
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in the arts, education, gardening, historic preservation, and other areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Charles and Elizabeth Barr?
The foundation 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 Charles and Elizabeth Barr's EIN?
The Charles and Elizabeth Barr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-2146412. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does The Charles and Elizabeth Barr 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Charles and Elizabeth Barr funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-and-elizabeth-barr-morg_009d0dd187b847ff9c15f1db59879849
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_882146412_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Charles and Elizabeth Barr funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-and-elizabeth-barr-morg_009d0dd187b847ff9c15f1db59879849},
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 Charles and Elizabeth Barr'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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