Timothy And Michele Barakett Foundation
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting a diverse range of causes, with a significant focus on education, health, arts and culture, and community service. It prioritizes funding for educational initiatives, particularly through substantial grants to Harvard College and other educational institutions. The foundation also contributes to health-related organizations and supports various cultural and civic institutions. Its mission reflects a commitment to social justice, community development, and enhancing educational opportunities for underrepresented populations. The foundation's activities primarily benefit organizations and initiatives across multiple sectors, with a notable emphasis on improving life outcomes for marginalized communities.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
An established nonprofit or institutional partner with an existing relationship or reputation with the trustees—especially large educational, cultural, or NYC/MA-based organizations seeking multi-year or program-level support.
Good Fit
- • Established ties or referral to the trustees or their networks (Harvard connections are prominent).
- • Work in higher education, arts and culture, food security, or large NYC/MA civic initiatives.
- • Capacity to manage large, unrestricted or designated funds and to steward major gifts.
- • Track record of repeat or scalable programming that aligns with named discretionary funds.
Geography
Grants in the latest year reached recipients in five states, but roughly 76% of dollars went to Massachusetts, indicating a multi-state footprint that is nonetheless heavily concentrated in one state.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows 25 distinct recipients (35 grants) with 10 new recipients that year and 15 recurring grantees across years, indicating a fairly broad and diverse recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
Although new recipients do appear (10 in the latest year), the foundation explicitly declares it funds only preselected recipients and the profile shows invitation-based giving; direct evidence that an unfamiliar applicant can successfully enter the portfolio is therefore limited.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
