Bacca Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,640,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (trustee-directed, no public application process)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation/relationship-based)
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $5,000,000
• Average Grant: $68,286
• Total Assets: $36,271,947 (2024)
• Geographic Focus: National, with emphasis on Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and New York
• EIN: 38-6981808

Contact Details

Address: 10 S Dearborn Street, IL1-0111, Chicago, IL 60603-2300

Phone: (800) 496-2583

Managed by: JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware

• 500 Stanton Christiana Road, Newark, DE 19713
• Phone: (302) 634-3800

Note: The Bacca Foundation does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

The Bacca Foundation is a private family foundation established in May 2013 by Winston Berry (Duke University class of 1993) and her husband Brett M. Berry, who is founder and Managing Director of Bacca Capital, LLC. With assets exceeding $36 million, the foundation primarily supports educational opportunities and advancement for students, with particular emphasis on humanities education, arts and media programs, and communication skills development. The foundation is managed by JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware along with the Berrys as trustees, all serving without compensation. The foundation operates through trustee discretion, making strategic grants to institutions with which the trustees have established relationships. In 2024, the foundation distributed approximately $1.64 million in charitable disbursements across 5-7 grants, representing 94.4% of total expenses. The foundation has demonstrated commitment to transformative educational initiatives, including a landmark $5 million gift to Duke University and significant support for humanities programs at Davidson College.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Bacca Foundation operates as a trustee-directed private foundation without formal grant programs or public application processes. Grants are awarded based on trustee initiative and discretion. Known funding includes:

Major Institutional Grants (Multi-year commitments, $1M+)

• Large-scale program development at universities
• Endowed professorships and fellowships
• Strategic educational initiatives

Program Support Grants ($100,000 - $500,000)

• Arts and cultural institutions
• Humanities programs
• Educational innovation projects

Standard Grants ($50,000 - $150,000)

• Institutional support for aligned organizations
• Specific program funding

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants, the foundation focuses on:

Education & Humanities

• Undergraduate education enhancement
• Humanities professorships and visiting scholar programs
• Communication and media literacy programs
• Cross-disciplinary educational initiatives
• Student-centered learning innovation

Arts & Culture

• Classical music and performing arts
• Arts education programs
• Cultural institutions in communities with Berry family connections

Geographic Preferences

• Institutions in Colorado (particularly Vail/Avon area)
• North Carolina (Duke University, Davidson College)
• Massachusetts (Boston area)
• New York
• Areas with personal connections to trustees

Institutional Types

• Higher education institutions
• Cultural and arts organizations
• Educational nonprofits with strong track records

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly documented, as a private foundation with limited grantmaking activity (5-7 grants annually), the foundation does not fund:

• Individual scholarships or fellowships (grants go to institutions)
• General operating support without strategic alignment
• Organizations outside trustee networks
• International programs (focus is U.S.-based)
• Capital campaigns (focus appears to be program-based)

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware

• Professional trustee and asset manager
• Contact: 500 Stanton Christiana Road, Newark, DE 19713
• Phone: (302) 634-3800

Brett M. Berry

• Co-founder of the Bacca Foundation
• Founder and Managing Director, Bacca Capital, LLC (early-stage venture capital)
• Serves on Board of Visitors, Davidson College
• Serves on advisory boards at various educational institutions
• Compensation: None

Winston Berry

• Co-founder of the Bacca Foundation
• Duke University alumna (Class of 1993)
• Compensation: None

Leadership Philosophy

Brett Berry on the Duke LAMP program gift: "We are honored to partner with Duke in pioneering an academic environment in which undergraduate students will acquire and hone skills of deliberate speech, civil discourse and effective interpersonal communication."

This quote reflects the foundation's emphasis on:

• Innovative educational approaches
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Civic engagement
• Preparing students for contemporary challenges
• Partnership with institutions rather than passive grantmaking

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Bacca Foundation does not have a public application process. As a private, trustee-directed foundation, grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their strategic interests and established relationships.

The foundation operates in a manner typical of many family foundations, where:

• Trustees identify organizations and initiatives aligned with their mission
• Grants emerge from pre-existing relationships with institutions
• The foundation may be approached through board members or institutional connections
• JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware manages administrative functions

Organizations seeking funding should note that the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals through traditional grant application channels.

Getting on Their Radar

While the Bacca Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there are specific patterns in their grantmaking that provide insight:

Institutional Connections

• The foundation has strong ties to Duke University (Winston Berry, Class of 1993) and Davidson College (Brett Berry serves on the Board of Visitors)
• Organizations connected to these institutions or their networks may have better access

Geographic Connections

• The Vail/Avon, Colorado area appears significant (Bravo Vail Valley Music Festival, Vail Valley Foundation)
• This suggests personal connections to the region, potentially through residence or recreation

Board Service and Advisory Roles

• Brett Berry serves on the Davidson College Board of Visitors and various advisory boards
• Organizations where trustees have formal governance or advisory roles may receive consideration

Professional Network

• Brett Berry's venture capital background and advisory work create a professional network
• Educational institutions seeking innovation funding or entrepreneurial program support may align with his interests

Through JP Morgan Trust Services

• Organizations working with JP Morgan's philanthropic services may have networking opportunities
• Professional advisors who work with JP Morgan Trust Company might facilitate introductions

Application Success Factors

Since the Bacca Foundation operates through trustee discretion without a public application process, traditional "success factors" don't apply. However, analysis of their documented grants reveals important patterns:

Characteristics of Funded Organizations

Institutional Credibility

• All documented recipients are well-established institutions with strong reputations
• Duke University, Davidson College, Stanford University, and established cultural institutions
• The foundation appears to favor proven organizations over emerging nonprofits

Transformative Program Design

• The $5 million LAMP program at Duke created an entirely new academic program
• Davidson's Bacca professorships and visiting scholar programs represent significant institutional enhancement
• Grants appear designed to create lasting impact, not just support existing operations

Strategic Alignment with Trustee Interests

• Education grants emphasize humanities, communication, and media literacy—areas reflecting contemporary challenges
• Arts grants support classical music and cultural institutions in areas with personal connections
• Brett Berry's quote emphasizes "deliberate speech, civil discourse and effective interpersonal communication," suggesting these themes resonate

Multi-Year Commitment Potential

• Major grants like the Duke LAMP program ($5M) and Davidson programs suggest long-term partnerships
• The foundation appears to prefer depth over breadth in grantmaking

Cross-Disciplinary Innovation

• The Duke LAMP program explicitly emphasizes cross-disciplinary approaches
• Davidson's Bacca Visiting Scholar program encourages cross-disciplinary initiatives
• This suggests the foundation values breaking down academic silos

Grant Size Patterns

• Transformative gifts: $1M+ for program creation and endowed positions
• Major program support: $100,000-$500,000 for established programs
• Standard institutional support: $50,000-$150,000
• Average grant size of $68,286 suggests most grants fall in the moderate range, with occasional major commitments

Relationship-Building Indicators

Based on known grants, successful funding relationships appear to emerge from:

• Direct trustee connections (alma maters, board service)
• Geographic proximity to trustee interests (Vail area)
• Reputation in higher education and arts sectors
• Institutional capacity for significant program development

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: The Bacca Foundation operates as a trustee-directed private foundation. Traditional grant applications are not accepted, and there is no application portal or deadline schedule.

• Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: All documented grants reflect strong institutional connections to the trustees—Duke University (Winston Berry's alma mater), Davidson College (Brett Berry serves on Board of Visitors), and Vail-area organizations (suggesting personal geographic connections).

• Focus on Transformative Educational Programs: The foundation's largest commitments support innovative undergraduate education, particularly in humanities, communication skills, and cross-disciplinary learning. Programs that create new academic initiatives or endowed positions appear most attractive.

• Limited Annual Grantmaking: With only 5-7 grants made annually from a $36M+ asset base, the foundation is highly selective. This suggests deep engagement with fewer partners rather than broad distribution of smaller grants.

• Emphasis on Communication and Civic Discourse: Brett Berry's statement about supporting "deliberate speech, civil discourse and effective interpersonal communication" reflects a clear thematic priority that appears consistently across education grants.

• Arts and Culture Secondary to Education: While the foundation supports classical music and performing arts (Bravo Vail, Vail Valley Foundation), the majority of documented funding supports educational institutions, suggesting education is the primary focus.

• Geographic Pattern Beyond Chicago Base: Despite being based in Chicago, the foundation's grants concentrate in North Carolina, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New York—areas connected to trustee personal histories, education, or interests rather than headquarters location.

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Bacca Foundation Profile (EIN 38-6981808)

   • https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/386981808
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of financial data, trustee information, and grant totals

2. Cause IQ - Bacca Foundation Organization Profile

   • https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/bacca-foundation,386981808/
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of grant recipients, average grant size, and operational details

3. Duke Today - "Duke Receives $5 Million for New Language Arts and Media Program"

   • https://today.duke.edu/2013/10/berryrelease
   • Published: October 2013
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of Brett Berry quote, gift details, and foundation mission

4. Charity Navigator - Bacca Foundation Profile

   • https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/386981808
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of tax-exempt status and basic organizational information

5. Duke University LAMP (Language, Arts & Media Program)

   • https://lamp.duke.edu/
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of Bacca Fellowship details and program scope

6. Davidson College News - Bacca Professor of Humanities references

   • Various Davidson College sources referencing Bacca endowed positions
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026

7. Grantable.co - Bacca Foundation Profile

   • https://www.grantable.co/search/funders/profile/bacca-foundation-us-foundation-386981808
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of geographic distribution of grants

8. Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital - Brett M. Berry Profile

   • https://globalhealth.massgeneral.org/people/brett-m-berry/
   • Accessed: February 5, 2026
   • Source of Brett Berry's professional background