The Julia Burke Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1998 in California as a vehicle to support causes of interest to Julia, preferably in ways that perpetuate her memory and influence. Based in San Francisco, the foundation focuses on education and economic development initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$252K
-20.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-49.8% YoY
Grant Count
7
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$185K
-57.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Julia Burke Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philosophy is captured in a favorite quotation from George Bernard Shaw: "Life is no brief candle to me, it is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."
The foundation's primary program areas include:
- Education and Debate: Supporting organizations that provide students with the opportunity to build friendships with debaters nationwide and strengthen research, analytical, and critical thinking skills necessary for debate competition
- Academic and Mentoring Support: Providing comprehensive academic and mentoring support to students
- Economic Development: Supporting organizations that provide students with access to economic resources and educational opportunities
Grantmaking
The foundation made 21 grants in 2024. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $252,108
- Total revenues: $1,503,496
- Total expenses: $1,559,826
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $316,656
- Total expenses: $2,780,891
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $252,108 | $316,656 | $2,724,015 |
| Revenue | $1,503,496 | $364,692 | $3,526,266 |
| Expenses | $1,559,826 | $2,780,891 | $10,975,767 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,556,834 | $2,756,830 | $10,953,938 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,673 | $57,427 | $2,752,237 |
| Distributable Amount | $18,758 | $28,489 | $417,077 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Aswc ($1,000,000), Bay Area Urban Debate League ($208,000), University of Iowa ($41,921).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Area Urban Debate League Oakland, CA | Personnel & program expenses, debate instruction support, administrative costs. | $208,000 |
| ASWC | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $1,000,000 |
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $41,921 |
| Grad Guard Phoenix, AZ | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $120 |
| Groves Learning St Louis Park, MN | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $1,926 |
| Tads Tuition Aid Minneapolis, MN | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $16,524 |
| University of Redlands Redlands, CA | Personnel & program expenses, administrative costs. | $23,884 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joy Johnson | Executive Dir. | 40 | $174,389 |
| Marilyn Burke | President&Secy. | 5 | — |
| Gerald P Burke | VP&Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Amy Stoneham | CFO | 20 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 300 Montgomery Street, Suite 1050, San Francisco, CA 94104-1919
- Phone: 415-983-0500
- Website: www.juliaburkefoundation.org
- EIN: 94-3314266
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Julia Burke Foundation fund?
The foundation's philosophy is captured in a favorite quotation from George Bernard Shaw: "Life is no brief candle to me, it is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." The foundation's primary program areas include: • **Education and Debate**: Supporting organizations that provide students with the opportunity to build friendships with debaters nationwide and strengthen resear…
How do I apply for a grant from The Julia Burke Foundation?
The foundation made 21 grants in 2024. Recent grants include: • University of Redlands: $23,884 (2024) • Groves Learning Organization: $1,926 (2024) • Pope Francis Center: $2,050,000 (2023) • Generations in Jazz Foundation: $150,000 (2023) **Total giving in 2023**: $2,574,922
What size grants does The Julia Burke Foundation award?
In 2024, The Julia Burke Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $185K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Julia Burke Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Julia Burke Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Julia Burke Foundation's EIN?
The Julia Burke Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3314266. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Julia Burke 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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