Barney Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• EIN: 367195126
• Annual Giving: $1,695,000 (2024)
• Total Assets: $30,360,226 (2024)
• Number of Grants: 34 awards (2024), 34 (2023), 30 (2022)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $595,000
• Average Grant: $52,824
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Illinois, Florida, and Virginia
• Application Window: January 1 - June 30 (applications after October 1 considered for following year)

Contact Details

Address: 130 South Canal Street, Suite 9T, Chicago, IL 60606-3919

Phone: (312) 632-0000

Fax: (312) 632-1000

Website: https://www.barneyfamilyfoundation.org

Key Personnel:

• Kristen Barney Adams, Managing Director
• Stephen (Chip) Barney Jr., Managing Director
• Mary Ann Roti, Associate Managing Director

Overview

The Barney Family Foundation was established in 1998 by Stephen Barney, a longtime portfolio manager with American Century Mutual Funds, and his wife Lynne Barney. After selling his portfolio in the late 1990s, Stephen Barney dedicated himself to philanthropy, creating the foundation out of a desire to aid those financially less fortunate. The foundation is a private family foundation based in Chicago with total assets of approximately $30.4 million.

The foundation's mission is to help educate youth and support medical research advancements for the good of all. The foundation operates through a unique structure involving the "Barney Family Fund," a donor-advised fund created by the Chicago Community Trust to accept grants from the Barney Family Foundation, with trustees serving as advisors recommending worthy charitable beneficiaries.

The foundation is primarily interested in education policy and was the initial donor to establish the Barney Charter School Initiative at Hillsdale College, contributing over $4 million to Hillsdale between 2010 and 2019, including $500,000 in 2019. The foundation has also been a supporting organization for various entities including the Heritage Foundation, CATO Institute, Hillsdale College, DePauw University, and Opportunity International.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation offers grants in two primary areas:

Education Grants: $5,000 - $50,000 (typical range)

• Focus on K-8 education, particularly supporting practical initiatives that lead to tangible improvements in children's life experiences
• Strong interest in education reform, charter schools, and school choice programs
• Support for early education initiatives

Health Research Grants: $5,000 - $50,000 (typical range)

• Primary focus on cancer research
• Support for Alzheimer's disease research
• Grants range up to $595,000 for exceptional initiatives

Grant Period: One year (annual grants only; funding in one year does not imply preferential status in future years)

Application Method: Rolling basis from January 1 through June 30

Priority Areas

Education:

• K-8 education programs
• Charter school initiatives
• School choice and scholarship programs
• Education reform initiatives
• Classical education models

Health Research:

• Cancer research
• Alzheimer's disease research

Geographic Priorities:

• Illinois (particularly Chicago area)
• Florida
• Virginia

Notable Past Support:

• In 1998, donated $1 million to the Children's Scholarship Fund as part of a $10 million effort to provide $1,700 scholarships for 2,100 low-income students in Chicago to attend private schools (fund spent out by 2001)
• Founding support for Hillsdale College's Barney Charter School Initiative, which began in 2010 and has opened dozens of charter schools across the country

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals
• Organizations devoting significant activities to influencing legislation or participating in political campaigns
• Governmental bodies for services within their normal responsibilities
• Tax-supported institutions for services within their normal responsibilities
• Grants less than $1,000 (foundation policy)
• Multi-year commitments (grants are annual only)

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

• Stephen M. Barney Sr., Trustee and Co-Founder
• Lynne C. Barney, Trustee and Co-Founder

Foundation Managers

• Stephen M. Barney Jr. (Chip), Managing Director
• Kristen Barney Adams, Managing Director and primary contact
• Mary Ann Roti, Associate Managing Director

Foundation Background: Stephen Barney Sr. served as a trustee emeritus on the Hillsdale College Board and was a portfolio manager at American Century Mutual Funds for twenty years before establishing the foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important Note: There is conflicting information about the foundation's application process. Some sources indicate the foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds," while the foundation's official website provides detailed application guidelines. Prospective applicants should contact the foundation directly to clarify their current policy.

If Applications Are Accepted:

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
• Must provide evidence of federal tax exemption issued by the IRS
• Organizations must focus on the foundation's priority areas (K-8 education or health research)

Application Window: January 1 - June 30

• Rolling deadline during this period
• Applications submitted after October 1 will be considered for funding in the subsequent year
• Organizations encouraged to submit applications early to allow ample review time

Application Requirements:

• Proposals should target a plausible and practical chain of events leading to tangible improvements to children's life experiences
• Foundation seeks simple, original ideas with strong implementation plans
• Detailed application instructions available on the foundation's website

Contact Methods:

• Phone: (312) 632-0000
• Online contact form available on website
• Website application page: barneyfamilyfoundation.org/application.html

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Given the rolling application period from January-June and the note that late applications (after October 1) are considered for the following year, decisions appear to be made on a rolling basis or in annual cycles.

Success Rates

The foundation makes approximately 30-34 grants annually. Success rates and total number of applications received are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation explicitly states that "a grant made in one year does not imply that the recipient will have preferential status for funding in future years." This suggests:

• Past grantees may reapply
• No preference given to previous recipients
• Each application evaluated on its own merits
• No specific waiting period mentioned for unsuccessful applicants

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and funding history, successful applications likely demonstrate:

1. Clear Focus on K-8 Education or Health Research The foundation has a sharp focus on these two areas. Proposals outside these areas are unlikely to succeed.

2. Tangible, Measurable Outcomes for Children The foundation states it wants to be "convinced that funded projects will lead, over time, to significant improvements in children's life experiences." Applications should clearly articulate:

• Specific, measurable outcomes
• A plausible chain of events leading from program to impact
• Practical implementation plans

3. Simple, Original Ideas The foundation "favors proposals that describe a practical chain of events leading to tangible results for children" and looks for "simple, original ideas with strong implementation plans." Avoid overly complex or theoretical proposals.

4. Alignment with Education Reform Principles Given the foundation's strong support for charter schools, school choice, and classical education models (through Hillsdale College), proposals aligned with these educational philosophies may be favorably received.

5. Geographic Connection to Illinois, Florida, or Virginia While not an absolute requirement, the foundation prioritizes these three states.

6. Strong Conservative/Free-Market Alignment (for certain initiatives) The foundation's support for organizations like the Heritage Foundation, CATO Institute, and Hillsdale College suggests alignment with conservative principles and free-market approaches to education and social issues.

7. One-Year, Well-Defined Projects Since the foundation only makes annual grants, proposals should be for discrete, one-year initiatives with clear endpoints rather than requesting multi-year commitments.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Clarify application policy first: Before investing time in a proposal, contact the foundation to confirm whether they accept unsolicited applications or only fund preselected organizations.

• Focus sharply on K-8 education or health research: These are the foundation's only two funding areas. Cancer and Alzheimer's research are specifically mentioned priorities.

• Emphasize practical outcomes over theory: The foundation seeks "simple, original ideas" with "practical chain of events" leading to "tangible improvements" - concrete, measurable results matter more than elaborate theories.

• Consider education reform alignment: The foundation's substantial support for charter schools and classical education suggests strong alignment with school choice and education reform principles.

• Apply early in the cycle: With a January 1 - June 30 application window and encouragement to submit early "for ample review time," earlier submissions may have an advantage.

• Keep grant requests moderate: While grants up to $595,000 have been made, the typical range is $5,000-$50,000, with an average of about $53,000. Request amounts should align with this pattern.

• Don't expect multi-year funding: The foundation explicitly states grants are annual only and previous funding doesn't create preferential status for future years.

• Understand the donor-advised fund structure: Grants flow through the Barney Family Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, with trustees serving as advisors - this structure may affect timing and process.

References

1. Barney Family Foundation official website: https://www.barneyfamilyfoundation.org (Accessed February 2026)

2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Barney Family Foundation (EIN 367195126): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/367195126 - Form 990-PF filings providing financial data, grant amounts, and organizational information (Accessed February 2026)

3. Instrumentl 990 Report - Barney Family Foundation: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/barney-family-foundation-co-robert-t-napier-harrison-and-held - Grant activity data for 2022-2024 (Accessed February 2026)

4. InfluenceWatch - Barney Family Foundation Profile: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/barney-family-foundation/ - Information on foundation history, founders, and major grants to policy organizations (Accessed February 2026)

5. Grantmakers.io Profile - Barney Family Foundation: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/367195126-barney-family-foundation/ - Grant recipient data and organizational profile (Accessed February 2026)

6. GuideStar Profile - Barney Family Foundation: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-7195126 - Organizational overview and key personnel (Accessed February 2026)

7. Candid Foundation Directory - Barney Family Foundation: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=CHES115 - Foundation profile and funding focus areas (Accessed February 2026)

8. GrantStation Grantmaker Profile: https://grantstation.com/grantmakers/barney-family-foundation - Application guidelines and funding priorities (Accessed February 2026)

9. Hillsdale College - Barney Charter School Initiative: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/Schools/BCSI/ - Information on foundation's major education initiative (Accessed February 2026)

10. Chicago Tribune, "Conservative Michigan college backs pitch for Chicago charter school" (March 30, 2017): http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-hillsdale-chicago-charter-school-met-20170330-story.html - Background on foundation's charter school support