The Craig and Barbara Barrett Foundation prioritizes education and knowledge institutions, funding K–12 charter networks, postsecondary access programs, and major STEM research organizations, while also supporting regional cultural and historic institutions. Their grants are concentrated and sizable, often made repeatedly to the same organizations or to high-profile national institutions, indicating a preference for visible, impact-oriented investments in learning, research, and heritage.
The Craig and Barbara Barrett Foundation backs education, research, and heritage institutions through large grants that often recur across multiple years. One of its clearest patterns is support for BASIS Charter Schools Inc., which received $310,500 in 2023, $308,500 in 2024, and $180,000 in 2025 for general support. The foundation also commits major sponsorship dollars to the Horatio Alger Association, including $521,230 in 2024 and $245,000 in 2023 for the Distinguished Americans Award Sponsorship. Beyond school support, the foundation funds high-visibility science and civic institutions. Carnegie Institution of Washington received $200,000 in 2023 and $35,000 in 2024 for Carnegie Fund sponsorship, while California Institute of Technology received $275,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2024 for its Trustee Fund and Student Initiative Fund. These awards sit alongside grants to cultural and historic organizations such as Cm Russell Museum, Uss Arizona Legacy Foundation, and Smithsonian Institution. The overall pattern points to concentrated giving in learning, discovery, and preservation, with repeated support for organizations that operate at regional and national scale.
In K–12 education, the foundation has repeatedly backed BASIS Charter Schools Inc. with three grants for general support across 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing sustained support for the network rather than one-off project funding. It also funded the Arizona Interscholastic Association with $25,000 in 2025 for the 2025 AIA State Robotics Championship, linking youth competition to STEM learning. Its higher-education and research support includes $275,000 in 2025 to California Institute of Technology for the Trustee Fund and Student Initiative Fund, plus $100,000 in 2025 to Stanford University for support of the Hoover Institution. Cultural preservation is another thread: Cm Russell Museum received $200,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general support, and the Smithsonian Institution received grants tied to the National Museum of Natural History and the James Smithson Society. The foundation also supports heritage-related work through the Uss Arizona Legacy Foundation.
Typical grants are in the mid-thousands, with a p25 of $2,023, a median of $7,000, and a p75 of $23,750. The recent record also shows a small set of much larger sponsorships and institutional gifts, which pull the average well above the median. Giving appears recurring for several recipients across multiple years, including BASIS Charter Schools Inc., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Cm Russell Museum, National Forest Foundation, and the Horatio Alger Association. The foundation makes grants nationally, and the profile indicates it funds individuals as well as organizations. No application process is visible in the provided data.
$1.5M
$711K
$1M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $2K and $24K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$24K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with repeat funding to select core grantees and prominent national research and education institutions rather than many small, one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: BASIS Charter Schools Inc, Horatio Alger Association, Carnegie Institution of Washington, California Institute of Technology, USS Arizona Legacy Foundation
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, with 147 grants recorded there. Arizona is the top state by grant count and accounts for 41% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent recipient cities include Scottsdale, Tempe, Phoenix, Washington, DC, Pasadena, and Great Falls. Outside Arizona, Washington, DC appears frequently through institutional grants, while California and Montana also receive multiple awards.
The foundation supports K–12 charter schools, college access and scholarship organizations, STEM research institutions, museums and cultural institutions, and historic or memorial preservation groups. Recent examples include BASIS Charter Schools Inc., Horatio Alger Association, Carnegie Institution of Washington, California Institute of Technology, Cm Russell Museum, and Uss Arizona Legacy Foundation.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including BASIS Charter Schools Inc. in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Carnegie Institution of Washington in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Cm Russell Museum in 2023 and 2024; National Forest Foundation in 2023 and 2024; and Horatio Alger Association in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The distribution centers on smaller grants, with a p25 of $2,023, a median of $7,000, and a p75 of $23,750. The recent record also includes much larger sponsorships and institutional awards, such as $521,230 to Horatio Alger Association and $330,000 to Carnegie Institution of Washington.
The foundation gives nationally, but Arizona is the top state by grant count. Recipients in Arizona account for 41% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and recent Arizona recipients include Scottsdale, Tempe, and Phoenix-based organizations.
Yes. It gave $25,000 in 2025 to the Arizona Interscholastic Association for the 2025 AIA State Robotics Championship, $275,000 in 2025 to California Institute of Technology for the Trustee Fund and Student Initiative Fund, and $330,000 in 2025 to Carnegie Institution of Washington for Carnegie Fund sponsorship.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $560,000 | 2026 | CARNEGIE FUND SPONSORSHIP |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $375,000 | 2026 | DISASTER RELIEF FUND/GEOCHEMICAL INNOVATION FUND/TRUSTEES FUND |
| HORATIO ALGER ASSOCIATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $282,330 | 2026 | DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS AWARD SPONSORSHIP |
| USS ARIZONA LEGACY FOUNDATION | TEMPE, AZ | $170,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOOVER INSTITUTION | STANDORD, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | RICE FAMILY FELLOWSHIP |
| UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA | MISSOULA, MT | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KISKI SCHOOL | SALTSBURG, PA | $33,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY GEM AND MINERAL COLLECTION |
| GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM MEMORIAL FD | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | SPONSORSHIP - 2026 AIA STATE ROBOTICS CHAMPIONSHIP |
| SI SE PUEDE FOUNDATION | CHANDLER, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | STEM CENTER IN ARIZONA SUPPORT |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY | BRONX, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GALA SPONSORSHIP |
| BASIS CHARTER SCHOOLS INC | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | ANNUAL BOARD CONTRIBUTION/GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BARROWS NEUROLOGICAL FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | 2026 BARROW GRAND BALL SPONSORSHIP |
| NOONELEFTORG | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,773 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AFRICAN PARKS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CM RUSSELL MUSEUM | GREAT FALLS, MT | $12,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF THE WEST | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | 2025 SPIRIT OF THE WEST FUNDRAISER |
| ARIZONA ACADEMIC DECATHLON | PHOENIX, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER | PHOENIX, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | AZ SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR SPONSORSHIP |
| ARIZONA FIRST ROBOTICS | CHANDLER, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | ROBOTICS TEAM SPONSORSHIP |
| US UKRAINE FOUNDATION | FALLS CHURCH, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RAND | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF ARIZONA | TEMPE, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | STEM PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| O'CONNOR INSTITUTE | PHOENIX, AZ | $6,000 | 2026 | LBJ DINNER SPONSORSHIP,ENDOWMENT |
| SALTSBURG AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | SALTSBURG, PA | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HEARD MUSEUM | PHOENIX, AZ | $5,500 | 2026 | GUILD AWARD SPONSORSHIP |
| COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE TIBET FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $4,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TROUT UNLIMITED | WOOLLY BUGGER, WV | $3,420 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DESERT BOTANICAL GARDENS | PHOENIX, AZ | $2,900 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT/ANNUAL FUND/RESTRICTED ENDOWMENT |
| VALLEY LEADERSHIP | PHOENIX, AZ | $2,581 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOUNTAIN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION | LAKEWOOD, CO | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORICAL LEAGUE | TEMPE, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | ARIZONA HISTORYMAKERS SPONSORSHIP |
| PHOENIX ZOO | PHOENIX, AZ | $2,250 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN SCANDINAVIAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | 2025 GALA SPONSORSHIP |
| FIGHTER COUNTRY FOUNDATIONLUKE FORW | LUKE AFB, AZ | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHARLIE RUSSELL RIDERS FOUNDATION | BIGFORK, MT | $1,500 | 2026 | COPPER SPUR EVENT SPONSORSHIP |
| GOLDWATER INSTITUTE | PHOENIX, AZ | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIENTY | HELENA, MT | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM | PHOENIX, AZ | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| IMPRINTS OF HONOR | PHOENIX, AZ | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDHELP | PHOENIX, AZ | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COUNCIL OF AMERICAN AMBASSADORS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AIR FORCE CYCLING TEAM | DENVER, CO | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CORVALLIS MIDDLE SCHOOL | CORVALLIS, MT | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
$560,000CARNEGIE FUND SPONSORSHIP
DISASTER RELIEF FUND/GEOCHEMICAL INNOVATION FUND/TRUSTEES FUND
HORATIO ALGER ASSOCIATION
$282,330DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS AWARD SPONSORSHIP
USS ARIZONA LEGACY FOUNDATION
$170,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
RICE FAMILY FELLOWSHIP
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KISKI SCHOOL
$33,500GENERAL SUPPORT
IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY GEM AND MINERAL COLLECTION
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM MEMORIAL FD
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARIZONA INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION
$25,000SPONSORSHIP - 2026 AIA STATE ROBOTICS CHAMPIONSHIP
SI SE PUEDE FOUNDATION
$25,000STEM CENTER IN ARIZONA SUPPORT
NOONELEFTORG
$15,773GENERAL SUPPORT
CM RUSSELL MUSEUM
$12,500GENERAL SUPPORT
ARIZONA ACADEMIC DECATHLON
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARIZONA FIRST ROBOTICS
$10,000ROBOTICS TEAM SPONSORSHIP
RAND
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
O'CONNOR INSTITUTE
$6,000LBJ DINNER SPONSORSHIP,ENDOWMENT
SALTSBURG AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TROUT UNLIMITED
$3,420GENERAL SUPPORT
DESERT BOTANICAL GARDENS
$2,900GENERAL SUPPORT/ANNUAL FUND/RESTRICTED ENDOWMENT
HISTORICAL LEAGUE
$2,500ARIZONA HISTORYMAKERS SPONSORSHIP
FIGHTER COUNTRY FOUNDATIONLUKE FORW
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHARLIE RUSSELL RIDERS FOUNDATION
$1,500COPPER SPUR EVENT SPONSORSHIP
NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIENTY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
IMPRINTS OF HONOR
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHILDHELP
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COUNCIL OF AMERICAN AMBASSADORS
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AIR FORCE CYCLING TEAM
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CORVALLIS MIDDLE SCHOOL
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT