The Helen R Buck Foundation
The Helen R Buck Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It made 21 grants totaling $242,544 in filing year 2025 to organizations working in areas including parks and open space, land conservation, horticulture, health care, and food systems.
The Helen R Buck Foundation at a glance
In short: The Helen R Buck Foundation gave $243K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state New Jersey. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $242,544
- +1.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,550
- +16.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $3,149,255
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Helen R Buck Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Nina L. Cohen. The filing lists no form or other application materials and states no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- December 31.
- Deadline
- December 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Nina L Cohen
Mailing address: C/O The Glenmede Trust Co 1650 Mar, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 419-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Helen R Buck Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Somerset County Park Foundation ($88K). Together the top 10 received $202K.
Grant Size Distribution
119 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 119 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New Jersey (45%), followed by the District of Columbia (15%), Rhode Island (9%), Virginia (8%), and Maryland (8%). The listed recipients also include organizations in North Carolina and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Helen R Buck Foundation gives
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $180K (2020) to $251K (2022). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $243K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset County Park Foundation North Branch, NJ | The For the Benefit of | $87,544 |
| Triangle Land Conservancy Inc Durham, NC | General Charitable Purposes | $20,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Division of Infectious | $18,000 |
| Blithewold Bristol, RI | General Charitable Purposes | $15,000 |
| District Of Columbia Green Spaces Allian Washington, DC | W Street Park | $15,000 |
| Botanical Garden of the Piedmont Charlottesville, VA | General Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
| Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc Millbrook, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
| Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation Washington, DC | In Honor of Dr Oskoui | $10,000 |
| Cultivate Charlottesville Charlottesville, VA | City Schoolyard Garden | $10,000 |
| Community Food Bank of New Jersey Hillside, NJ | General Charitable Purposes | $6,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,149,255 | $191,600 | $272,241 | $242,544 | 21 | $242,544 | $168,929 | $258,993 |
| 2024 | $3,229,759 | $350,348 | $259,552 | $238,500 | 24 | $238,500 | $329,910 | $240,050 |
| 2023 | $3,139,292 | $179,166 | $219,678 | $203,000 | 25 | $210,412 | $169,900 | $214,449 |
| 2022 | $3,179,436 | $177,989 | $278,904 | $251,000 | 27 | $258,809 | $168,463 | $220,185 |
| 2021 | $3,281,419 | $490,953 | $213,510 | $195,000 | 22 | $203,238 | $481,191 | $240,905 |
| 2020 | $3,003,919 | $192,321 | $199,239 | $180,000 | 1 | — | $183,283 | $199,763 |
| 2019 | $3,015,298 | $183,479 | $213,399 | $195,000 | 1 | — | $176,099 | $199,851 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Helen R Buck Foundation reported a distributable amount of $259K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. For example, Somerset County Park Foundation says it works to preserve, support, and promote county park programs, facilities, and open space. Triangle Land Conservancy describes work safeguarding clean water and natural habitats, supporting local farms, and connecting people with nature. Blithewold says its mission is to preserve and share its horticulture, history, and waterfront estate.
Other 2025 recipients include Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, whose stated mission includes engaging and educating the community about nature and plants, and Cultivate Charlottesville, which says it works with youth and the community on an equitable, sustainable food system.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $242,544. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $87,544, with a median of $6,000. The largest awards included $87,544 to Somerset County Park Foundation, $20,000 to Triangle Land Conservancy, $18,000 to Johns Hopkins University, and $15,000 each to Blithewold and District of Columbia Green Spaces Alliance. Other grants included $10,000 to Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, Dutchess Land Conservancy, Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation, and Cultivate Charlottesville.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists The Glenmede Trust Company, Martha B. Bartlett, and Leonard J. Buck II as trustees.
The Helen R Buck Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
The Glenmede Trust Company
Trustee
On filings since 2019
7 hrs/week
$11K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Leonard J. Buck II
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martha B. Bartlett
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Nancy B. Pyne (2019–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $15K, to The Glenmede Trust Company (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Helen R Buck Foundation
How much does The Helen R Buck Foundation give each year?
The Helen R Buck Foundation gave $243K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $239K across 24 grants.
What is The Helen R Buck Foundation's typical grant size?
The Helen R Buck Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,000, and its average grant was $11,550, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Helen R Buck Foundation give grants?
The Helen R Buck Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and Rhode Island (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), Charlottesville, VA (2 grants), Newport, RI (2 grants) and Peapack, NJ (2 grants).
Does The Helen R Buck Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 71% of The Helen R Buck Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Helen R Buck Foundation's largest grantees?
The Helen R Buck Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Somerset County Park Foundation ($87,544), Triangle Land Conservancy Inc ($20,000) and Johns Hopkins University ($18,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Helen R Buck Foundation?
The Helen R Buck Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $243K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $259K (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 Helen R Buck Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. For example, Somerset County Park Foundation says it works to preserve, support, and promote county park programs, facilities, and open space. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Helen R Buck Foundation?
Contact Nina L. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Helen R Buck Foundation's EIN?
The Helen R Buck Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7693437. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 24, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Helen R Buck Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-helen-r-buck-foundation-morg_b1b61d6d83ee49f79e94a7d66ccb7f52
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237693437_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Helen R Buck Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-helen-r-buck-foundation-morg_b1b61d6d83ee49f79e94a7d66ccb7f52},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Helen R Buck 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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