Bainum Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold proposal is unlikely to be considered; a small nonprofit should first look for a route into its partner network through an organisation or community it already works with.
- Its programmatic focus is early childhood, supporting children's healthy development and learning from birth to age five, with priorities in early learning, mental health and well-being, prenatal and perinatal health, family economic security and housing stability, so work outside those areas is unlikely to fit.
- The typical band is $100 to $300,000, with about 8 in 10 of its 279 grants falling in it, and half of its grants are $50,000 or less, so a modest request suits its usual pattern; its largest grant was $2,000,000, so the band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat funding is substantial, with 57% of its grant dollars to organisations going to organisations it had already funded in earlier filings, which suggests existing relationships matter a great deal.
- The filing states no geographic focus, though its grants mainly go to District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland and the United States.
Overview
Bainum Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Washington, DC.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Bainum Family Foundation focuses its programmatic work on Early Childhood, supporting children’s healthy development and learning from birth to age five. It prioritises early learning; mental health and well-being; health, including prenatal and perinatal health; family economic security; and housing stability. It works alongside practice partners to provide accessible, affordable and quality services for young children and their families and the professionals who support them, and alongside policy partners to make publicly funded systems effective and readily accessible. The foundation also develops strategic projects to reinforce partners’ work and address gaps they have identified. Its approach is co-creation: it follows the lead of partner communities and organisations, coming alongside them to make change happen together.
Themes
- Early learning
- Mental health and well-being
- Prenatal and perinatal health
- Family economic security
- Housing stability
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland and the United States.
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or use a formal RFP process. It engages directly with partner communities and organisations to identify potential partners for joint work.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 57% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 279 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It follows the lead of partner communities and organisations, working alongside them to make change together.
- For facility improvements, it gives priority to smaller programmes and home-based settings.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 26%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 57% of grant dollars went to organisations Bainum Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 114 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $87,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Pine Forge Academy · Emergency repairs for pine forge academy facilities$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Educare DC · Wevision earlyed solutions lab site$930,0002024 tax year
- DC Action for Children · Fy24 foundation grant$800,0002024 tax year
- Brynmor Early Education & Preschool · Wevision earlyed solutions lab site$650,0002024 tax year
- AdventHealth Foundation Central Florida · Wevision earlyed solutions lab site (ece center).$550,0002024 tax year
- HighScope · Wevision earlyed solutions lab site$550,0002024 tax year
- Toledo Day Nursery · Wevision earlyed solutions lab site (ece center).$550,0002024 tax year
- Purpose Built Communities Foundation · Explote ideal child care system within purpose built communities network$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kathleen Simpson — Director
- Aimee Stewart — Part Year Secretary
- Michael Brannan — Chief Financial Officer
- Scott Renschler — Chair
- Amanda Misiko Andere — Director
- Felicia Dehaney — Director
- Brooke Bainum — Director
- Tammy Mann — Director
- Charles Ledsinger — Director
- Mae Cheung — Part Year Secretary
- David Daniels — Chief Executive Officer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $52,595,382 | $6,638,305 | $745,909,231 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $49,263,699 | $12,103,977 | $731,761,315 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $57,982,386 | $16,080,816 | $752,758,452 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Bainum Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Washington, DC
- bainumfdn.org
Applying to Bainum Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Washington, DC
- bainumfdn.org