The Jack Buncher Foundation
The Jack Buncher Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1974 and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The foundation was created by Jack G. Buncher (1911-2001), a Pittsburgh real estate developer and philanthropist who built his fortune from a family scrap yard business into one of Pittsburgh's largest real estate portfolios. Upon his death in 2001, Buncher donated 100% of The Buncher Company stock—valued at $197 million at the time—to charity, with 55% going to the Jack Buncher Foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$185.8M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$21.0M
-1.4% YoY
Grant Count
247
+24600.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$85K
-99.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jack Buncher Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's purpose is to encourage "the pursuit of ideas and innovations that unlock the potential of individuals and communities, and that enrich people's lives."
The foundation focuses on five key fields:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Disease and Conditions
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts the Common Grant Application Format (CGAF).
Grant Range
$10,000 - $5,000,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania, with additional giving in New York and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $185,816,198
- Total revenue: $22,810,672
- Total expenses: $21,747,710
- Net income: $1,062,962
- Total liabilities: $0
Funding Sources: The foundation is funded primarily through investment income and real estate holdings, with 84.6% of revenue coming from dividends. The foundation holds real estate parcels received as contributions in previous years, with income from leases used to provide funds for charitable contributions.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $185,816,198 | $184,753,236 | $184,871,112 |
| Revenue | $22,810,672 | $21,945,342 | $21,335,271 |
| Expenses | $21,747,710 | $22,063,218 | $22,754,054 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $21,194,596 | $21,491,634 | $22,179,816 |
| Net Investment Income | $22,571,046 | $21,748,760 | $21,146,033 |
| Distributable Amount | $21,562,539 | $21,161,723 | $22,071,004 |
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
54 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Jewish Joint Dist-leadership ($2,500,000), American Jewish Joint Dist-szarvas ($1,000,000), Buncher(jack G) Charitable Fund for the American Jewish Joint Distribution ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 412 ABILITY TECH ECOSYSTEM PITTSBURGH, PA | PART A - OPERATING EXPENSES | $12,500 |
| 412 FOOD RESCUE PITTSBURGH, PA | GENERAL OPERATING / PROGRAMS | $15,000 |
| ABIDING MISSIONS PITTSBURGH, PA | AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS | $20,000 |
| ALEPH INSTITUTE PITTSBURGH, PA | KOSHER PASSOVER FOODS | $17,000 |
| ALLEGHENY CENTER ALLIANCE CHURCH PITTSBURGH, PA | AFTER SCHOOL PLACE PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ALLEGHENY COUNTY LIBRARY ASSOC PITTSBURGH, PA | AWARENESS CAMPAIGN/ CMMTY OUTREACH | $35,000 |
| ALLEGHENY COUNTY LIBRARY ASSOC PITTSBURGH, PA | YEAR END GIFT-$5,000 PER ACLA MEMBER | $235,000 |
| ALLEGHENY COUNTY LIBRARY ASSOC PITTSBURGH, PA | LOVE YOUR LIBRARY MATCH 2024 | $205,009 |
| ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION PITTSBURGH, PA | MEMORIAL: JIM RODDEY | $1,000 |
| ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION PITTSBURGH, PA | OPERATING FUNDS | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Bernita Buncher, Jack's daughter, serves as Chair of the Board. The foundation operates with a small staff of 2 employees, including a Grant Manager and Grants Administrator.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| H WILLAM DORING | ACTING PRES./TREAS. | 10 | — |
| THOMAS J BALESTRIERI | VP | 2 | — |
| HOWARD M RIEGER | VP | 4 | — |
| JOSEPH M JAKOVIC | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| BRIAN A SCHREIBLER | VP | 4 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1251 Waterfront Place, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 422-9900
The foundation does not maintain a public-facing website and is a member of Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Jack Buncher Foundation fund?
The foundation's purpose is to encourage "the pursuit of ideas and innovations that unlock the potential of individuals and communities, and that enrich people's lives." The foundation focuses on five key fields: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Disease and Conditions
How do I apply for a grant from The Jack Buncher Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $20,972,366 (2024) • Annual giving: $21,278,555 (2023) • Number of grants: 297 awards (2022) • Grant range: $10,000 - $5,000,000 • Typical awards: $225 - $2,500,000 **Application Process:** The foundation accepts the Common Grant Application Format (CGAF). **Recent Grants:** • Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA): $5,000 year-end gift • United Way of Washington County: $10,000 • Carnegie Mellon University School of Music: Largest gift to the school (am…
Where does The Jack Buncher Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania, with additional giving in New York and North Carolina.
What size grants does The Jack Buncher Foundation award?
In 2024, The Jack Buncher Foundation awarded 247 grants totaling $21.0M — an average of about $85K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Jack Buncher Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jack Buncher Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Jack Buncher Foundation's EIN?
The Jack Buncher Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7366998. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jack Buncher Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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