The Barker Welfare Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The work fits if the organisation is a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) and 509(a), serves youth and families or one of the listed fields, and is located in or directly serves metropolitan Chicago, the five boroughs of New York City, or Michigan City, Indiana.
- Start-up organisations, individuals, medical and scientific research, work with specific diseases or disabilities, and social services outside metropolitan New York are excluded, as are organisations whose work is conducted outside the United States.
- Typical grants fall between $2,500 and $22,500, with a median of $10,000 and a largest grant of $150,000, so a modest request in that region matches the filing.
- Begin with an online funding inquiry stating the organisation, its purpose and the amount sought, and consider a telephone call first to check fit; complete proposals must be received before 1 February or 1 August.
- Repeat grantees received 81% of grant dollars, and no site visit is arranged before a proposal is submitted, so the inquiry, the call and the written proposal are where the case has to be made.
Overview
The Barker Welfare Foundation is a US private foundation based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
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 Barker Welfare Foundation makes grants to qualified charitable organisations whose initiatives improve quality of life, with an emphasis on strengthening youth and families. It considers applications from tax-exempt public charities classified as publicly supported organisations or their affiliates. Its stated fields are health, welfare, education, cultural activities and civic affairs, with a priority for organisations primarily serving metropolitan Chicago, New York (five boroughs of NYC only) and Michigan City, Indiana. Its overall giving approach reflects the philanthropic philosophy of its founder, Catherine B. Hickox.
Themes
- Youth and families
- Health
- Welfare
- Education
- Cultural activities
- Civic affairs
Geographic Focus
United States. Priority: Metropolitan areas of Chicago; New York (five boroughs of NYC only); Michigan City, Indiana.
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations not located in nor directly serving the areas defined in #2
- National health, welfare, or education agencies, institutions or funds
- Scholarships, fellowships, loans, student aid and appeals from individuals
- Medical and scientific research
- Private elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, professional schools and trade organizations
- Films, program advertising, conferences, seminars, benefits and fundraising costs
- Start-up organizations, start-up programs, emergency funds, and deficit financing
- Lobbying-related or legislative activities
- Endowment funds and intermediary organizations
- Organisations that are not classified as tax-exempt public charities described in Section 501 (c)(3) and classified in Section 509 (a) (1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code
- Organizations whose work is conducted outside of the United States
- Individuals
- Federated campaigns
- Work with specific diseases or disabilities
- Social services and cultural institutions from outside the metropolitan New York (five boroughs of New York City) area
How to apply
Submit an online funding inquiry describing the organisation, its purpose and the amount requested before the Foundation issues an application form. If a request appears suitable, the Foundation provides a link to its application form.
Deadlines: Complete proposals must be received before 1 February and before 1 August.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 81% 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 494 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- A telephone call before a funding inquiry is suggested to check whether the organisation falls within the Foundation’s General Policy.
- Start-ups of new organisations are discouraged from applying.
- Site visits are not arranged before a proposal is submitted.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to organisations The Barker Welfare Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 124 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society · First payment of $150,000 on a pledge of $450,000 payable over 3 yrs for the capital campaign to construct the car shop which will be names the haskell & barker car company.$150,0002024 tax year
- Metropolitan Opera Association · For first payment on a pledge of $100,000.00 payable over 3 years for hd live in nyc schools.$50,0002024 tax year
- Citizens Concerned for the Homeless · For first payment on a pledge of $80,000.00 payable over 2 years for general operating support$40,0002024 tax year
- Grand Street Settlement · For final payment on a pledge of $75,000.00 payable over 3 years for the second century capital campaign.$25,0002024 tax year
- Success Academy Charter School · For final payment on a pledge of $50,000 payable over 2 years for general operating support.$25,0002024 tax year
- Academy for Urban School Leadership · For first payment on a pledge of $50,000.00 payable over 2 years for general operating support.$25,0002024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington · For primary care services$25,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Commons Association · For first payment on a pledge of $50,000.00 payable over 2 years for family hub program$25,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Adam Wawrynek — Director
- Walter L Ross III — Director
- Danielle H Moore — Ipp, Director
- Susan M Demaio — Assistant Secretary, Executive Director
- Betsy L Turner — Treasurer, Director
- James A B Hickox — Secretary, Director
- Sarane R O'Connor — 2nd Vice President, Director
- Frances B Hickox — 1st Vice President, Director
- Stephen B Ross — Director
- Sarane H Ross — Director
- Alexander B Ross — Director
- Thornton Matheson — Director
- Alline Matheson — President, Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,175,155 | $2,279,686 | $133,160,895 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,803,483 | $1,848,531 | $144,033,986 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,589,543 | $1,506,172 | $146,017,811 | 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 The Barker Welfare Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (561) 677-9119
- info@barkerwelfare.org
- SUSANDEMAIO@BARKERWELFARE.ORG
- Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- barkerwelfare.org
Applying to The Barker Welfare Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (561) 677-9119
- info@barkerwelfare.org
- SUSANDEMAIO@BARKERWELFARE.ORG
- Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- barkerwelfare.org