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Barra Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.8M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M
Decision Time
5mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2.8-4 million (approx. $2.8M in 2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 4-6 months (from LOI to decision)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $120,000 (Catalyst Fund); $25,000-$50,000 (Barra Awards)
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Philadelphia region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.barrafoundation.org/

Online Application Portal: https://barra.fluxx.io/

Address: Philadelphia, PA

Email: Available through website contact form

Overview

The Barra Foundation was established in 1963 by Robert L. McNeil, Jr., former Chairman of McNeil Laboratories (developer of Tylenol™). With approximately $82 million in assets, the foundation distributed $2.8 million across 80 grants in 2023. The foundation invests in innovation to inspire change that strengthens communities in the Greater Philadelphia region, focusing on four areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Health, and Human Services. Since 2014, Barra has streamlined its grantmaking into two primary programs: the Catalyst Fund (providing risk capital for early-stage, bold approaches) and the Barra Awards (providing unrestricted core support to exemplary organizations). The foundation emphasizes supporting under-resourced communities and maintaining a vibrant cultural sector, with a particular focus on funding projects that test novel approaches to entrenched or emerging problems.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Catalyst Fund: $1,000 - $120,000

  • Provides early-stage funding for new or existing organizations testing innovative ideas
  • Supports projects typically less than three years old
  • Rolling application via online Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
  • Approximately $3 million annually distributed through this fund
  • Examples: Philadelphia Midwife Collective ($400,000/24 months), YEAH Philly ($400,000/24 months), Mann Center for the Performing Arts ($300,000/36 months)

Barra Awards: $25,000 - $50,000 over two years

  • Unrestricted core support for exemplary organizations
  • Invitation-only through nomination process (no open applications)
  • Community leaders nominate organizations; selected organizations are invited to apply
  • Approximately $1 million annually distributed through this program
  • Focuses on organizations demonstrating leadership, performance, and adaptability

Priority Areas

Arts & Culture: Support for innovative cultural programs and accessibility initiatives

  • Example: Art-Reach ($400,000/36 months) establishing standards for arts access
  • Example: Guilded ($200,000/24 months) creating cooperative structures for contingent arts labor

Education: Programs serving under-resourced communities with innovative approaches

  • Example: Lift Every Voice Philly ($480,000/36 months) testing community organizing model for parents
  • Example: Workshop Learning ($350,000/24 months) creating real-world learning for recent graduates

Health: Healthcare access and innovative service delivery models

  • Must focus on serving under-resourced individuals and communities
  • Example: Children First ($300,000/24 months) reforming Pennsylvania's Medicaid mental health services
  • Example: Paraprofessional Training Institute testing training for high-quality in-home healthcare

Human Services: Programs addressing social justice and community needs

  • Must focus on serving under-resourced individuals and communities
  • Example: Food Connect ($300,000/24 months) transforming food delivery into learning system
  • Example: Xiente ($200,000/36 months) testing economic mobility strategies

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Budget deficits
  • Endowments
  • Capital campaigns
  • International programs
  • Religious or political organizations
  • Scholarships
  • Stand-alone marketing, conference, or evaluation projects
  • Currently: Artificial Intelligence (AI) focused projects (due to nascent nature of technology and insufficient internal capacity to evaluate)

Governance and Leadership

Staff

Kristina L. Wahl, President

  • Joined as Program Officer in 2010, became President in 2013
  • Previously: Senior Associate at The Pew Charitable Trusts
  • Education: BA from La Salle University, MPP from Harvard Kennedy School
  • Board service: Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia, Center for Health Care Strategies
  • Philosophy: "Innovation isn't the next passing fad. It's intentional. Innovation for Barra is about creating the conditions for idea generation, testing novel approaches to well-defined problems, and sharing lessons learned about what works and what doesn't."

Linda Rich, Senior Program Officer

  • Joined in 2019
  • Previously: Builder of Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice at Drexel University
  • Education: BA from Trinity College, MA in Community Psychology from Temple University
  • Perspective: "When stories are shared, we can reduce isolation, maximize connection and promote healing"

Leah Reisman, Program Officer

  • Joined in early 2023
  • Previously: Health & Wellness Director at Puentes de Salud
  • Education: PhD in Sociology from Princeton University

Maeve Kelly, Senior Program Associate

  • Joined in November 2022
  • Previously: Director of Programs and Communications at The Fund for Women and Girls
  • Education: BA from Barnard College, MPA from Villanova University

Stephanie Mullen, Administrative Coordinator

  • Joined in June 2012
  • Education: Bachelor's in Sociology from Purdue University

Board of Directors

  • Uva C. Coles: Chief Learning Officer at Spring Point Partners
  • Michael DiPiano: Managing General Partner and co-founder of NewSpring
  • Stacy E. Holland, Ed.D.: Executive Director of Philadelphia School Partnership
  • Joanna McNeil Lewis: Art history background, extensive nonprofit board experience
  • Magda Martinez: Consultant across arts, culture, and education; poet and educator
  • Clayton Gates C. McNeil: MBA from Drexel University, background in data analytics
  • Rory McNeil: President of Kisimul Management
  • David P. O'Connor: General Counsel at First Eagle Investments
  • Emily L. Turner, CFA: Investment advisor at Goldman Sachs
  • Kristina L. Wahl: President of The Barra Foundation
  • John C. Williams, Jr.: Senior VP of Wealth Management at UBS Financial

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Catalyst Fund (Open Application Process):

  1. Submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI): Online submission via https://barra.fluxx.io/

  2. LOI Review: Foundation reviews on rolling basis; responds within 45 days

  3. Full Application: If invited, submit detailed proposal through online portal

  4. Board Review: Quarterly board meetings in March, June, September, or December

Important Notes:

  • Do not contact foundation before submitting LOI
  • No email or phone pitches accepted
  • Do not send unsolicited materials
  • Preference is to start with LOI submission

Barra Awards (Nomination-Only Process):

  • Organizations cannot apply directly
  • Community leaders nominate organizations (up to 10 nominators in each interest area)
  • Nominated organizations are contacted by foundation staff and invited to apply
  • Timeline: Recommendations due in May, applications in July, awards announced in December

Decision Timeline

Catalyst Fund: 4-6 months from LOI submission to grant approval

  • LOI response: Within 45 days
  • Full application review: Considered at quarterly board meetings
  • Board meetings: March, June, September, December

Barra Awards: Approximately 7 months

  • Nominations: May
  • Applications: July
  • Announcements: December

Success Rates

The Barra Foundation does not publicly disclose specific success rates or acceptance rates. However, grant activity shows:

  • 80 awards in 2023
  • 88 awards in 2022
  • 106 awards in 2021

Reapplication Policy

Yes, unsuccessful applicants may apply again at any time. There are no waiting periods or restrictions on resubmission. The foundation welcomes repeat applications from organizations whose LOIs were not advanced or whose full applications were not approved.

Application Success Factors

What Makes an Application Competitive

Demonstrates True Innovation:

  • President Kristina Wahl emphasizes: "Innovation for Barra is about creating the conditions for idea generation, testing novel approaches to well-defined problems, and sharing lessons learned about what works and what doesn't."
  • The foundation asks: "Not just will this work, but if it works, will this matter?"
  • Ideas should represent a shift in underlying assumptions, built upon new or emerging evidence, or a shift in cultural/social awareness

Clearly Defined Problem or Opportunity:

  • Projects must address a precisely defined and timely problem or opportunity
  • Explain how your idea is different from existing approaches
  • Demonstrate why your approach has potential to be more effective than existing or past solutions

Strong Leadership Track Record:

  • Leadership is a critical factor in identifying, nurturing, and sharing innovation
  • Projects should build upon strong organizational and/or individual leadership track record
  • Foundation looks for organizations that take an experimental approach

Early-Stage, High-Impact Potential:

  • Projects should typically be less than three years old (though the organization can be more mature)
  • Ideas should have potential for "outsized impact"
  • Foundation is willing to fund ideas that might not work—emphasizes learning from what works and what doesn't

Serves Under-Resourced Communities (for Education, Health, Human Services):

  • Must demonstrate focus on serving under-resourced individuals and communities
  • Arts & Culture programs do not have this requirement but should contribute to a vibrant cultural sector

Accessibility and Honesty:

  • Wahl notes: "We really try to listen. We think that if people are going to try something new, you really have to be honest about what's working and what's not working – and that's a hard thing to do with foundations! So we try to be really open and accessible."
  • Be transparent about potential risks and learning opportunities

Recent Successful Projects

  • Philadelphia Midwife Collective: Opening city's first freestanding, midwife-run birth center
  • Mann Center for the Performing Arts: Creating pipeline connecting public high schools, stagehand unions, and performing arts venues to create pathways to good jobs
  • YEAH Philly: Launching coalition to replace traditional juvenile probation systems
  • Bridge Way School: Pennsylvania's first and only recovery high school with student-led garden learning and arts programming

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Focus on innovation and transformation: The foundation specifically asks how your idea is different and whether it will matter if it works. Avoid incremental improvements; emphasize transformative potential.

  • Early-stage is okay—even encouraged: The foundation provides "risk capital" and expects some projects might not succeed. Don't oversell certainty; be honest about experimentation and learning.

  • Strong leadership matters more than perfect ideas: Demonstrate your organization's or leaders' track record of innovation, adaptability, and effectiveness.

  • Be precise about the problem: Clearly articulate what specific problem or opportunity you're addressing and why it's timely now.

  • Start with the LOI—don't call first: The foundation prefers you submit the Letter of Inquiry before making contact. The application process is designed to be straightforward.

  • Geographic focus is strict: Your organization must be located in or primarily serve the five-county Greater Philadelphia region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia).

  • Reapplication is welcomed: If unsuccessful, you can apply again immediately with no waiting period. Use feedback to strengthen your next submission.

References

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