Dorothy And Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $50,000 (2023)
• Total Assets: $14.5 million (2024)
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $168,500
• Geographic Focus: Philadelphia area and Florida
• Foundation Type: Private family foundation
• Number of Grants: 3 awards (2023), 7 awards (2022)

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
C/O Janet Maldonado
2823 Belgrade Street
Philadelphia, PA 19134

Phone: 215-680-5180

EIN: 20-2057509

Note: This foundation does not appear to have a public website or email address listed.

Overview

The Dorothy And Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 2004 in Florida and granted tax-exempt status in 2005. Originally founded by Dorothy and Anthony Bardaro (Dorothy passed away in 2017), the foundation operates with substantial assets of approximately $14.5 million as of 2024. Despite these significant assets, the foundation maintains a modest annual grant-making program, distributing approximately $50,000 in grants during 2023 through 3 awards. The foundation experienced substantial growth in 2024, with total revenue of $13.7 million, primarily from contributions. The foundation focuses on supporting youth development programs, therapeutic services for people with disabilities, Italian cultural organizations, and religious institutions, primarily in the greater Philadelphia area. The foundation is also known as "The Bardaro Charities Foundation" and maintains connections to both the Philadelphia and Florida communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with defined application cycles. Instead, grants are made through trustee discretion. Recent grant amounts have varied significantly:

• Large Grants: $100,000 - $168,500 for established programs
• Medium Grants: $50,000 for cultural and community organizations
• Historical Range: Annual giving has ranged from $20,000 to $68,000 in recent years (2020-2023)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grant recipients, the foundation supports:

• Youth Development: Programs that use sports and life skills education to impact young people (e.g., The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia - $168,500)
• Therapeutic Services: Equine-assisted therapy and programs serving people with disabilities (e.g., Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy - $100,000)
• Cultural Organizations: Italian cultural preservation and education (e.g., Il Circolo, Italian Cultural Society - $50,000)
• Religious Institutions: Churches and faith-based organizations, particularly Catholic and Christian organizations
• General Operating Support: The foundation primarily provides unrestricted funding

Geographic Focus

• Primary: Greater Philadelphia area, Pennsylvania
• Secondary: Palm Beach/Boca Raton area, Florida (maintaining connection to the founders' Florida roots)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but as a small family foundation:

• Likely does not fund organizations outside their geographic focus areas
• No evidence of international grant-making
• No evidence of funding for advocacy or political activities

Governance and Leadership

Board and Officers

As of recent filings, the foundation is governed by trustees who also serve as officers. In 2024, three officers each received compensation of $125,000, marking a significant increase in operational formalization.

Key Contact:

• Janet Maldonado - Current contact person and likely trustee/officer (contact listed at Philadelphia address)

Historical Leadership:

• Dorothy Bardaro - Co-founder (deceased February 2017, age 92, formerly of Boca Raton, FL)
• Anthony Bardaro - Co-founder

The foundation operates as a private family foundation, suggesting that trustees are likely family members or close associates of the founders.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, grants are made at the discretion of the trustees. There is no online portal, application form, or documented procedure for submitting grant requests.

Organizations interested in foundation support should consider:

• Direct outreach to the foundation via phone (215-680-5180) or mail to inquire about potential interest in their work
• Building relationships within the Philadelphia nonprofit community where the foundation is active
• Understanding that grants may be initiated by trustees rather than through external applications

Getting on Their Radar

Given that the foundation supports a specific cluster of cause areas (youth development through sports, therapeutic services for people with disabilities, Italian cultural preservation, and religious organizations), organizations working in these areas in the Philadelphia region could:

• Research connections between their organization and the foundation's known grantees (The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia, Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy, Il Circolo)
• Consider that the foundation has demonstrated support for JFCS (Jewish Family and Children's Service) of Philadelphia as a "Believer" level donor ($10,000-$24,999), indicating interfaith charitable interests
• Note the significant grant to Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy, suggesting strong interest in therapeutic programs for people with disabilities
• Recognize the foundation's support for youth character development through sports (The First Tee)
• Understand the Italian-American heritage connection given support to Il Circolo

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on a formal grant cycle or published timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Important Note: Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following insights are based on analysis of their documented giving patterns rather than stated preferences.

Key Patterns in Their Grant-Making:

1. Substantial Support for Established Programs: Recent grants show the foundation is willing to make six-figure grants ($100,000+) to organizations with strong programmatic track records in their areas of interest.

2. Focus on Direct Service: All identified recent grantees provide direct services (youth programs, therapeutic riding, cultural education) rather than advocacy or research organizations.

3. Local Philadelphia Connection: The foundation maintains strong ties to Philadelphia despite Florida connections, with major grants going to Philadelphia-area organizations.

4. Values-Based Giving: Support for character development (The First Tee), therapeutic services (Pegasus), and cultural preservation (Il Circolo) suggests values-driven grant-making focused on human development and community enrichment.

5. Italian-American Heritage: The grant to Il Circolo (Italian Cultural Society) indicates cultural heritage is important to the foundation's mission.

6. Interfaith Support: While supporting religious organizations, the foundation also supports Jewish organizations (JFCS), indicating broad charitable values beyond a single faith tradition.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not an accessible foundation for most grant seekers - with no public application process, opportunities are limited to organizations with direct connections to trustees or those operating in their specific interest areas within Philadelphia.

• Assets vs. Annual Giving Gap - The foundation holds nearly $14.5 million in assets but distributes relatively modest annual grants ($50,000 in 2023), suggesting conservative grant-making or potential for growth in future giving.

• Focus on Quality Over Quantity - The foundation makes few grants (3 in 2023, 7 in 2022) but can make substantial awards ($100,000+) to organizations aligned with their priorities.

• Geographic Specificity Matters - Strong Philadelphia focus despite Florida origins; organizations outside the greater Philadelphia area (or Palm Beach, FL area) are unlikely to receive consideration.

• Therapeutic and Youth Programs Are Priorities - Two of the three largest known grants went to youth development and therapeutic riding programs, indicating these are core interests.

• Cultural Heritage Connection - Support for Italian cultural organizations suggests trustees value cultural preservation and ethnic heritage.

• Relationship-Driven Grant-Making - As a family foundation without public applications, personal connections, board relationships, and community visibility in shared networks are likely the primary pathways to funding.

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Dorothy And Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc (EIN: 20-2057509)
   https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/202057509
   Accessed: February 4, 2026

2. Cause IQ - The Dorothy and Anthony Bardaro Foundation
   https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-dorothy-and-anthony-bardaro-foundation,202057509/
   Accessed: February 4, 2026
   (Source for recent grantee information: The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia $168,500, Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy $100,000, Il Circolo $50,000)

3. GuideStar Profile - Dorothy and Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc
   https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-2057509
   Accessed: February 4, 2026

4. Candid Foundation Directory - The Dorothy and Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc
   https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=ARDA001
   Accessed: February 4, 2026

5. Instrumentl - Dorothy And Anthony Bardaro Foundation Inc 990 Report
   https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/dorothy-and-anthony-bardaro-foundation-inc
   Accessed: February 4, 2026

6. Obituary - Dorothy Bardaro, G. Panoch Funeral Home
   https://www.gpanochfunerals.com/obituary/Dorothy-Bardaro
   (Dorothy Bardaro, 92, passed away February 25, 2017)

7. JFCS Partners for Good - JFCS of Greater Philadelphia
   https://jfcsphilly.org/jfcs-partners-for-good/
   (Lists Dorothy and Anthony Bardaro Foundation as "Believer $10,000-$24,999" donor level)