Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust is a private foundation, based in Saint Louis, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 6 grants totaling $228K. Net investment income was $381K.
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust gave $228K across 6 grants in 2025 (avg $38K), mostly in Missouri. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,997
- +8.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 6
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $38,000
- +8.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $31,350
- Total assets
- $3,942,389
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Missouri (88% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lutheran Church Mo Synod ($57K). Together the top 6 received $228K.
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 20 grants of 30 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.
Cities
How Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $209K (2021) to $248K (2022). In 2025 it made 6 grants totaling $228K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lutheran Church Mo Synod St. Louis, MO | General Operating | $57,000 |
| Lutheran Church Mo World Relief Saint Louis, MO | General Operating | $57,000 |
| Washington Pub Lib Dev FD Washington, MO | General Operating | $34,200 |
| Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO | General Operating | $28,500 |
| Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, IN | General Operating | $28,497 |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church Washington, MO | General Operating | $22,800 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,942,389 | $447,608 | $305,187 | $227,997 | 6 | $235,869 | $381,473 | $244,856 |
| 2024 | $3,798,292 | $279,303 | $276,515 | $211,000 | 6 | $217,832 | $223,823 | $234,318 |
| 2023 | $3,795,923 | $233,528 | $283,102 | $225,000 | 6 | $231,243 | $179,300 | $217,656 |
| 2022 | $3,846,782 | $116,482 | $311,879 | $248,272 | 6 | $254,748 | $93,974 | $231,626 |
| 2021 | $4,041,484 | $385,645 | $276,649 | $209,000 | 6 | $215,886 | $330,153 | $254,421 |
| 2020 | $3,932,293 | $286,104 | $265,542 | $211,000 | 6 | — | $237,143 | $215,619 |
| 2019 | $3,914,698 | $98,498 | $272,747 | $215,000 | 6 | — | $72,458 | $216,971 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $245K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's only listed officer is Wells Fargo Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2019 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wells Fargo Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$51K (2019) → $67K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $67K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust
How much does Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust give each year?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust gave $228K across 6 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $211K across 6 grants.
What is Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $31,350, and its average grant was $38,000, across 6 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust give grants?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust gives mostly in Missouri: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (3 grants) and Washington, MO (2 grants).
Does Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 6) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Lutheran Church Mo Synod ($57,000), Lutheran Church Mo World Relief ($57,000) and Washington Pub Lib Dev FD ($34,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $236K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $245K (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 is Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's EIN?
Avery Les and Ruth Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3403398. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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