Endowment / Foundation

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Barnabas Foundation

Barnabas Foundation was established in 1976 by James Bakke, J.D. It operates as a non-profit that manages charitable assets and distributes grants to religious...

Barnabas Foundation logo

Barnabas Foundation

Barnabas Foundation was established in 1976 by James Bakke, J.D. It operates as a non-profit that manages charitable assets and distributes grants to religious organizations. The foundation allocates across private equity, hedge funds, private credit and real estate. It maintains positions in common trust funds valued at $469 million as of July 2025. Geographic exposure includes North America with indicated activity in Europe, Asia and emerging markets. Holdings include Barnabas Foundation Properties LLC for donated real estate and notes receivable of $17.2 million. The firm employs 51 professionals. It maintains relationships with Marquette Associates for investment consulting since 2010. Recent activity includes sponsorship of the Annual Conference in October 2024 and the 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in January 2025. Barnabas Foundation uses separate entities such as Barnabas Charitable Trust and Barnabas Charitable NFP to hold and distribute assets for mission-related purposes.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

1976

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Crete

Corporate office

3801 Eagle Nest Drive Suite B, Crete, IL, United States

Principals

James Bakke, J.D.

Executive Director

Kurt Knoll

Director of Investments and Member Relations

Sector focus

Diversified

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at Barnabas Foundation?

James Bakke, J.D. serves as Executive Director. Kurt Knoll serves as Director of Investments and Member Relations.

What asset classes does Barnabas Foundation deploy into?

Allocations include private equity at 8.84 percent, hedge funds, private credit and real estate.

Does Barnabas Foundation accept non-cash donations?

Yes. It receives real property, cryptocurrency, farm commodities and notes receivable.

Where does Barnabas Foundation maintain investment relationships?

Marquette Associates has provided investment consulting and performance reporting since 2010.

What is the investment horizon for Barnabas Foundation commitments?

The foundation targets investment horizons between 5 and 15 years.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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