The Harman Cain Family Foundation
The Harman Cain Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Needham, Massachusetts. It makes charitable contributions to preselected organizations and supports a range of charitable recipients, including arts, education, and community-service organizations.
The Harman Cain Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Harman Cain Family Foundation gave $153K across 28 grants in 2023 (avg $5K), mostly in District of Columbia. 11% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $152,679
- -26.3% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 28
- -20.0% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $5,453
- -7.9% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,815,482
- +38.9% vs 2022
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (3 of 27, 2023)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (62% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Harman Cain Family Foundation
- 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: 397 South Street, Needham, MA 02492
Phone: (781) 449-4189
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Harman Cain Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Sitar Arts Center ($15K). Together the top 10 received $84K.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 137 grants of 137 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2023, 62% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC; 20% to Maryland; 14% to Massachusetts; 3% to Virginia; and 1% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Harman Cain Family Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 3 of 27 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 89% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2020 to 2023 (−16%). Method
- In 2023 it paid out 158% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $153K (2023) to $207K (2022). In 2023 it made 28 grants totaling $153K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sitar Arts Center Washington, DC | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Charitable | $15,000 |
| National Gallery of Art Landover, MD | Charitable | $12,500 |
| Shakespeare Theater Washington, DC | Charitable | $6,179 |
| Center for Adoption Support Burtonsville, MD | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Court Appointed Special ADV for Children of DC Washington, DC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Dumbarton Concerts Washington, DC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Episcopal Diocese of Washington Washington, DC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Gala Inc Hispanic Theater Washington, DC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Greater DC Diaper Bank Washington, DC | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2,815,482 | $951,219 | $162,777 | $152,679 | 28 | $152,679 | $51,498 | $96,884 |
| 2022 | $2,027,040 | $70,218 | $230,684 | $207,133 | 35 | $207,133 | $10,660 | $100,803 |
| 2021 | $2,187,506 | $499,360 | $217,566 | $200,000 | 38 | $200,000 | $173,091 | $102,413 |
| 2020 | $1,905,712 | $250,650 | $194,419 | $181,000 | 36 | — | $125,650 | $88,308 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Harman Cain Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $97K for 2023 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2023 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, and organizations serving children and families. For example, Wellesley College describes its mission as providing “an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world.” The National Gallery of Art says it serves the nation by welcoming people to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity. Other 2023 recipients include SCAN of Northern Virginia, whose stated mission is to protect children from abuse through education, advocacy, and community engagement, and the Greater DC Diaper Bank, which says it strengthens families by providing diapers and other essentials to vulnerable families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2023, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $152,679. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $15,000, with a median of $5,000. Its largest reported grants included $15,000 each to Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC, and Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts; $12,500 to the National Gallery of Art in Landover, Maryland; and $6,179 to Shakespeare Theater in Washington, DC. Other reported grants of $5,000 each went to the Center for Adoption Support, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of DC, Dumbarton Concerts, the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, GALA Inc Hispanic Theater, Greater DC Diaper Bank, Healthy Babies Project, and Homeless Children’s Playtime Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Barbara L. Harman and William E. Cain as trustees.
The Harman Cain Family Foundation's 2023 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Barbara L. Harman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William E. Cain
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Harman Cain Family Foundation
How much does The Harman Cain Family Foundation give each year?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation gave $153K across 28 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $207K across 35 grants.
What is The Harman Cain Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,453, across 28 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Harman Cain Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Harman Cain Family Foundation give grants?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maryland (20%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (17 grants).
Does The Harman Cain Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Harman Cain Family Foundation's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (28 grants).
Who are The Harman Cain Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include Sitar Arts Center ($15,000), Wellesley College ($15,000) and National Gallery of Art ($12,500), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is The Harman Cain Family Foundation?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $153K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $97K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Harman Cain Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2023 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, and organizations serving children and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Harman Cain Family Foundation?
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 Harman Cain Family Foundation's EIN?
The Harman Cain Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3340178. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does The Harman Cain 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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