Barker Welfare Foundation

Barker Welfare Foundation operates as a deliberately relationship-oriented private grantmaker rooted in the legacy of Catherine Barker Hickox, who founded the foundation in Illinois in 1934. Its giving philosophy centers on sustained, multi-year support to established organizations rather than one-time grants to newcomers — a pattern visible across its entire documented grantee history. The Metropolitan Opera Association, Goddard-Riverside Community Center, Grand Street Settlement, Henry Street Settlement, and Citizens Concerned for the Homeless have each received between 5 and 12 grants over multiple years, with pledges structured as $50,000–$180,000 packages paid in annual installments over two to three years.

The foundation funds tightly within three geographic corridors: New York City's five boroughs (65% of FY2024-25 giving), Michigan City, Indiana (17%), and metropolitan Chicago — though Chicago applications are now by invitation only, effectively closing that corridor to unsolicited applicants. First-time applicants must be located in NYC (all five boroughs are eligible) or Michigan City.

The foundation strongly favors mid-sized community organizations delivering direct services in human services (food access, shelter, workforce development, services for the elderly), youth development, settlement houses, and cultural institutions with broad civic reach. The typical successful grantee profile: an organization with at least five to ten years of operation, a track record of IRS 990 filings, audited financial statements, and deep roots in its target community. Startups and organizations in deficit financing are explicitly discouraged from applying.

The funding relationship typically begins with a telephone inquiry (recommended before submitting a formal inquiry), followed by an online funding inquiry form submitted via the foundation's website. If the submission passes initial review, the foundation may request a full proposal before a board meeting. Unlike many private foundations, Barker does not arrange site visits before receiving a proposal.

First-time applicants should understand that Barker is fundamentally a funder that builds long-term institutional relationships. The strongest entry strategy is demonstrating that your organization already embodies their priorities — not just in mission language, but in organizational maturity and deep community roots in one of their two open-application geographies. Organizations that have received funding report that relationships deepen over successive grant cycles, with pledge amounts typically increasing as trust is established.

Based on 974 recorded grant payments in the foundation's database totaling $13.2 million, the average individual payment is approximately $13,529 — but this figure reflects installment payments within multi-year pledges rather than total pledge commitments. The foundation's stated annual grant range is $500 to $60,000 per year. Actual pledge structures routinely reach $25,000–$180,000 over 2-3 years, distributed as annual installments of $12,500–$75,000.

FY2024-25 (12 months ended September 30, 2025): 72 grants totaling $1,056,500, or an average of $14,674 per grant. This reflects a moderated giving year relative to the foundation's historical range. For context, annual grants paid have fluctuated significantly: $2.3M (FY2022), $2.6M (FY2021), $4.8M (FY2020, which included elevated COVID-response distributions), $3.5M (FY2019), $3.4M (FY2018), and $3.3M (FY2014).

Geographic breakdown from FY2024-25: - New York City: 49 grants, $687,500 (65% of annual giving) - Chicago: 12 grants, $192,500 (18%) - Michigan City, IN: 11 grants, $176,500 (17%)

In NYC, the portfolio skews toward legacy settlement houses (Henry Street Settlement, Grand Street Settlement, Goddard-Riverside, Queens Community House, University Settlement), arts institutions (Metropolitan Opera, NY Botanical Garden, American Museum of Natural History, New York Historical Society, Central Park Conservancy), and youth-serving organizations (Good Shepherd Services, Grand Street Settlement, BUILD Inc). In Michigan City, the Friends of Barker Civic Center and International Friendship Gardens Music Festival are anchor relationships, with the former receiving $1.93 million over its grant history for Barker Mansion restoration and operations.

Asset base: $104 million (2024), growing from $73.9M in 2013 and $79.2M in 2018. The foundation relies primarily on investment income to fund grantmaking (net investment income of $2.7M in FY2023), which explains payout variability across years. The 5% minimum payout rule for private foundations means the endowment level implies capacity for ~$5M in annual qualifying distributions — the gap between capacity and actual grants paid in recent years suggests some of the payout goes to operating expenses and the Barker Mansion LLC.

For planning purposes: a new grantee relationship typically starts at $15,000–$35,000 per year, escalating to $40,000–$60,000 in subsequent cycles as the relationship deepens.

The following table compares Barker Welfare Foundation against four comparable regional foundations serving human services and community development in the northeastern U.S.:

Barker Welfare Foundation occupies a distinct niche among New York-area human services funders: it is mid-sized by assets but operates at a comparatively modest annual payout relative to peers like Altman (which distributes ~$10M annually at roughly 5% of assets). Barker's individual grant ceiling of $60,000 per year is lower than Altman's typical range of $50,000–$200,000, but Barker's multi-year pledges can deliver comparable cumulative support for organizations willing to build a sustained relationship. Unlike the Altman Foundation's more structured LOI process, Barker maintains a phone-first, inquiry-based approach that rewards grantees who invest in relationship cultivation. Michigan City organizations have no direct peer funder at this scale nationally — Barker is effectively the primary institutional philanthropic partner for that community.

The FY2024-25 annual report (12 months ending September 30, 2025) is the most recent public documentation of Barker Welfare Foundation activity. The foundation distributed $1,056,500 across 72 grants — a year characterized by continuation of existing pledge relationships rather than dramatic new investments. Key awards in this cycle include a $50,000 payment to the Metropolitan Opera Association (first installment of a $100,000 two-year pledge supporting HD Live in NYC Schools and the Voices Must Be Heard program), $40,000 to Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, $25,000 to New York Botanical Garden (first payment of a $50,000 two-year pledge), and $20,000 to the American Museum of Natural History (first payment of a $40,000 two-year pledge).

Leadership as of the most recent available records: Danielle H. Moore serves as President and Director; Susan M. De Maio continues as Executive Director (compensation: $332,563 as of the most recent 990 filing). Alline Matheson holds the role of 1st Vice President; Frances B. Hickox serves as 2nd Vice President and Secretary; Betsy L. Turner is Treasurer. No leadership transitions were announced in 2025-26 public materials.

The most recent major public announcement prior to the annual report was the September 2021 pledge of $50,000 toward the Washington Park Bandstand restoration in Michigan City — made by then-President Alexander Barker Ross. Also in mid-2021, the foundation formalized its Michigan City commitment by incorporating Barker Mansion LLC as a Delaware entity to hold and preserve the historic Barker Mansion property, with the foundation as sole member. No new program areas or geographic expansions were announced in 2025-26.

Call first — it is not optional. The foundation explicitly states that a telephone call to (561) 677-9119 is suggested before submitting a funding inquiry. In practice, this call serves as a pre-screening filter. Use it to verify that your service geography (NYC's five boroughs or Michigan City, IN only) and program area align with current priorities. Mention your organization's founding year, annual budget, and the specific program or project you seek to fund. Staff will signal whether to proceed.

Respect the two-deadline calendar. Board meetings occur twice annually with hard submission cutoffs: February 1 for the spring meeting and August 1 for the fall meeting. There is no rolling review. Missing a deadline by a single day means waiting six months. Plan backwards from these dates: allow 3-4 weeks for document gathering and inquiry form completion.

Lead with organizational age and community roots. Barker's portfolio is built around organizations with decades of operation — settlement houses, community centers, established arts institutions. The inquiry form asks about staff size, board composition, and mission. Emphasize your years of continuous service, community relationships, and the population you directly serve. Avoid framing your work in terms of national impact, innovation, or sector-disruption; the foundation rewards depth over ambition.

Anchor your first request between $20,000 and $50,000. The stated range is $500–$60,000 per year. First-time relationships in the grantee database typically start at the $15,000–$35,000 level. Coming in at the upper ceiling on an initial request signals inexperience with this funder. A modest first ask that succeeds is far more valuable than an ambitious ask that is declined, given the one-year wait rule after rejection.

Assemble documents before opening the inquiry form. The form requires four uploads: two years of audited financial statements (or a CPA financial review), two years of filed IRS Form 990s with all schedules, your current organizational budget (income and expenses), and your 501(c)(3) determination letter. If you are requesting project or capital support, prepare a separate program budget as well. The form cannot be saved mid-completion.

Signal long-term partnership intent. Barker's pledge structure — $50,000–$180,000 paid over 2-3 years — reveals its preference for sustained relationships. In your inquiry, articulate how the proposed funding fits a multi-year organizational direction, not a one-time project need. Describe the outcomes you will measure and report back on.

Avoid trigger language. Do not mention scholarships, student aid, medical research, lobbying, endowment building, or work conducted outside the United States. Do not describe your organization as a startup or in financial distress.