Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust
The Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust is a private foundation based in Pittsford, New York. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in areas including healthcare, the arts, Jewish community services, and support for people with disabilities.
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust at a glance
In short: Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust gave $244K across 50 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in New York. 22% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $244,000
- -10.6% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 50
- +0.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $4,880
- -10.6% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $4,240,068
- +1.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (11 of 50, 2026)
- Primary geography
- New York (86% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The trust states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filing lists Myrl S Gelb as the contact and states there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Myrl S Gelb
Mailing address: C/O Jay R Gelb Company 180 Office P, Pittsford, NY 14534
Phone: (585) 232-7046
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Rochester Fringe Festival Inc ($48K). Together the top 10 received $159K.
Grant Size Distribution
268 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 264 grants of 268 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York. Many listed recipients are based in Rochester.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 11 of 50 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 70% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving fell 23% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $244K (2026) to $316K (2023). In 2026 it made 50 grants totaling $244K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rochester Fringe Festival Inc Rochester, NY | General | $47,500 |
| Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester Rochester, NY | General | $25,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University School of Med Baltimore, MD | General | $25,000 |
| Foodlink Rochester, NY | General | $15,000 |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Syracuse University College of Law Syracuse, NY | General | $8,000 |
| Trillium Health Rochester, NY | General | $7,500 |
| Jewish Community Center Rochester, NY | General | $7,000 |
| WXXI Rochester, NY | General | $7,000 |
| Jewish Family Service of Rochester Inc Rochester, NY | General | $6,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,240,068 | $368,429 | $296,828 | $244,000 | 50 | $277,197 | $348,798 | $280,704 |
| 2025 | $4,168,467 | $134,317 | $324,593 | $272,800 | 50 | $303,009 | $121,890 | $263,616 |
| 2024 | $4,362,339 | $119,194 | $344,331 | $296,350 | 52 | $314,455 | $431,572 | $222,617 |
| 2023 | $4,246,532 | $117,988 | $363,936 | $316,000 | 59 | $335,081 | $144,166 | $241,022 |
| 2022 | $4,441,410 | $123,504 | $337,299 | $290,700 | 57 | $306,518 | $198,810 | $282,589 |
| 2021 | $4,550,400 | $91,475 | $48,060 | — | — | — | $92,240 | $257,254 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust reported a distributable amount of $281K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state the trust’s mission. Its 2025 grants include support for a children’s hospital, an arts festival, Jewish community organizations, and organizations serving people with disabilities.
Grantee descriptions illustrate this range: Rochester Fringe Festival Inc says it produces an annual festival showcasing performance and visual arts; Jewish Senior Life Foundation says it raises support to enhance the lives of residents, patients, and families; and Trillium Health describes its work as providing affordable, judgment-free healthcare. Mary Cariola Children’s Center describes its work as education and life-skill services for individuals with complex disabilities and their families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust reported 50 grants totaling $272,800. Grants ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest awards included $50,000 to Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, $37,500 to Rochester Fringe Festival Inc, $37,500 to Syracuse University College of Law, and $25,000 to Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester. Other awards included $16,000 to Jewish Senior Life Foundation, $12,500 to WXXI, and $5,000 each to Rochester School of the Holy Childhood and Trillium Health. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 50 grants totaling $244,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Myrl Gelb, Jay Gelb, Robert Vigdor, Richard Vigdor, and Justin Vigdor Esq as trustees.
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's 2026 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Jay Gelb
Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$4K (2021) → $4K (2026)
Myrl Gelb
Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$4K (2021) → $4K (2026)
Robert Vigdor
Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$4K (2021) → $4K (2026)
Richard Vigdor
Trustee
On filings since 2025
10 hrs/week
$4K (2026)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Justin Vigdor Esq. (2021–2025) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $4K, to Myrl Gelb (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust
How much does Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust give each year?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust gave $244K across 50 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $273K across 50 grants.
What is Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's typical grant size?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's median grant in 2026 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,880, across 50 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust that year got $5K on average.
Where does Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust give grants?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust gives mostly in New York: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maryland (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rochester, NY (41 grants) and Pittsford, NY (2 grants).
Does Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (49 of 50) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's largest grantees?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's largest 2026 grantees include Rochester Fringe Festival Inc ($47,500), Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester ($25,000) and Johns Hopkins University School of Med ($25,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust reported $4.2M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $277K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $281K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust fund?
The available information does not state the trust’s mission. Its 2025 grants include support for a children’s hospital, an arts festival, Jewish community organizations, and organizations serving people with disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust?
The trust states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's EIN?
Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1530490. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ames-amzalak-memorial-trust-morg_4fb06d9db96b44dd87c21b446e2389fd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_161530490_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ames-amzalak-memorial-trust-morg_4fb06d9db96b44dd87c21b446e2389fd},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ames-Amzalak Memorial Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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