The Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation concentrates its giving on health/medical institutions and secondary education, with a clear tilt toward funding major academic medical centers and a small set of private Catholic high schools. Grants are large and targeted—supporting biomedical research, hospital/health system priorities, public university initiatives, and tuition assistance at faith-based secondary schools—often through repeat, multi-year commitments to a few flagship organizations.
A defining feature of Barbara and Gerson Bakar Foundation Dba the Achieve Foundation’s recent giving is its repeated, large support for Baptist Health Foundation, including multiple seven-figure and near-seven-figure general-support grants. That pattern sits alongside substantial commitments to universities, medical research institutions, and a small cluster of Catholic high schools, showing a funder that balances institutional philanthropy with direct tuition assistance. The foundation’s largest recent grants also point to a strong preference for general support rather than tightly restricted project funding. Across the recent grant list, UCSF Foundation and UC Berkeley Foundation appear as recurring academic beneficiaries, while Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco receives sizeable operating support. Several faith-based secondary schools also appear more than once, with tuition expense reimbursement and general support used side by side. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on health, biomedical research, higher education, and student financial support, with a noticeable emphasis on long-term relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation also makes grants to individuals through tuition reimbursement structures, reinforcing the educational side of its portfolio.
In health and medical philanthropy, the foundation gave $3,250,000 to Baptist Health Foundation for general support and later added another $1,000,000 grant, indicating a sustained relationship with a major health-system beneficiary. Academic medicine is another clear thread: UCSF Foundation received $540,000 in 2023 and $525,000 in 2025, both for general support, while UC Berkeley Foundation received $470,000 in 2023 and $600,000 in 2025. The education side includes direct tuition support for Catholic secondary schools. Notre Dame High School received $494,427 in 2024 as tuition expense reimbursement and $275,668 in 2025. Holy Names High School was supported with $385,035 in 2024, $313,091 in 2025, and $311,153 in 2023, all tied to tuition reimbursement except the later $100,000 general-support grant. Youth-serving work also appears through Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, which received $500,000 in 2025 and $250,000 in both 2024 and 2023 for general support.
$4.8M
$133.2M
$9.9M
$6.9M
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Highly concentrated giving: few, large grants with repeat funding to core institutions rather than many small awards. The foundation favors institutional partners (university foundations and hospital foundations) and makes targeted tuition/support grants to select private secondary schools and local youth organizations.
Notable grantees: Baptist Health Foundation, UCSF Foundation, UC Berkeley Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, Notre Dame High School
Typical grant sizes cluster at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grants list shows much larger awards at the top end. The foundation’s pattern is relationship-based: several recipients appear across multiple years, including Baptist Health Foundation, UCSF Foundation, UC Berkeley Foundation, Holy Names High School, Archbishop Riordan High School, and Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco. It gives both general support and tuition expense reimbursement, and it also funds individuals through tuition reimbursement structures. The profile fits a foundation with direct, targeted grantmaking rather than an open application program.
Giving is heavily concentrated in California, which accounts for 84% of grants and is the top state by grant count. San Francisco is the most visible recipient city, with grants to UCSF Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, Archbishop Riordan High School, Mercy High School, and San Francisco Playhouse. Other California recipient cities include Berkeley, Oakland, and Belmont. Outside California, recent grants also reach Coral Gables, New York, and Boston, but the overall footprint remains local and overwhelmingly California-based.
Its recent grants cluster around health and medical institutions, higher education, Catholic secondary schools, and a youth-serving nonprofit in San Francisco. Recurring beneficiaries include Baptist Health Foundation, UCSF Foundation, UC Berkeley Foundation, and several private high schools such as Holy Names High School and Archbishop Riordan High School.
It funds individuals as well as organizations. The grant profile includes tuition expense reimbursement and tuition fees reimbursement awards, which are direct forms of student financial support alongside grants to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions.
The distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include much larger grants, such as seven-figure support to Baptist Health Foundation and six-figure grants to universities and schools.
Many are recurring. Baptist Health Foundation appears in multiple years with large general-support grants, UCSF Foundation and UC Berkeley Foundation each show repeated support, and several schools and Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco receive awards across more than one year.
The giving is local and strongly California-centered: 84% of grants go to recipients in California, and California is also the top state by grant count. San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and Belmont appear repeatedly among recipient cities.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC BERKELEY FOUNDATION | BERKELEY, CA | $600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | CORAL GABLES, FL | $597,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCSF FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $525,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL | OAKLAND, CA | $313,091 | 2025 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $279,423 | 2025 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL | BELMONT, CA | $275,668 | 2025 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| MERCY HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $166,058 | 2025 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| BOSTON PLASTIC & ORAL SURGERY FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $110,307 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HEBREW FREE LOAN ASSOCIATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAMPION CHARITIES | PALO ALTO, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCSF BENIOFF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OAKLAND | OAKLAND, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KQED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHRONICLE SEASON OF SHARING | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | OAKLAND, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMPASS FAMILY SERVICES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UC BERKELEY REAL ESTATE FORUM | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM | BERKELEY, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING | BERKELEY, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS | INTERLOCHEN, MI | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAXIMILIANO BEAS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,667 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDREN'S WISCONSON FOUNDATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRIGHTRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HERIBERTO VELEZ | APPLETON, WI | $7,500 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| ALEXANDER ROBINSON | PORTLAND, OR | $7,000 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| ALONDRA PACAS | HOLLAND, MI | $6,000 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| PENINSULA TEMPLE BETH EL | SAN MATEO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE TRUSTEES OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TOGETHER WE RISE CORPORATION | BREA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NICHOLAS NIDO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,500 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| MARY WU | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $3,750 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| GALLERIASTUDIO 24 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARL MCENTEE | OAKLAND, CA | $904 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | CORAL GABLES, FL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL | BELMONT, CA | $494,427 | 2024 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| UCSF FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $440,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL | OAKLAND, CA | $385,035 | 2024 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $295,966 | 2024 | TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
UC BERKELEY FOUNDATION
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION
$597,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCSF FOUNDATION
$525,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL
$313,091TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$279,423TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL
$275,668TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL
$166,058TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
BOSTON PLASTIC & ORAL SURGERY FOUNDATION
$110,307GENERAL SUPPORT
HEBREW FREE LOAN ASSOCIATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UC BERKELEY REAL ESTATE FORUM
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MAXIMILIANO BEAS
$10,667STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
CHILDREN'S WISCONSON FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRIGHTRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HERIBERTO VELEZ
$7,500STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
ALEXANDER ROBINSON
$7,000STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
ALONDRA PACAS
$6,000STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
PENINSULA TEMPLE BETH EL
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE TRUSTEES OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NICHOLAS NIDO
$4,500STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
MARY WU
$3,750STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
GALLERIASTUDIO 24
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CARL MCENTEE
$904STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL
$494,427TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
HOLY NAMES HIGH SCHOOL
$385,035TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$295,966TUITION EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT