Bedford Family Charitable Trust

Private foundation · Grantmaker New Hartford, CT EIN: 86-6255502

Bedford Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in New Hartford, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing states that grants or contributions must be for secondary or higher education, or for medical care or research.

Key facts about Bedford Family Charitable Trust

In short: Bedford Family Charitable Trust gave $97K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state California. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
86-6255502
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$97,000
Grants made (2024)
10
Average grant
$9,700
Median grant
$6,500
New grantees (estimate)
60% first-time grantees (6 of 10, 2024; small sample)
Total assets
$1,387,758
Primary geography
California (26% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.4M

+7.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$97K

-1.6% YoY

Grant Count

10

+66.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

-41.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bedford Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $115K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Bedford Family Charitable Trust open to new grantees?

60%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 6 of 10 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $12K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $9K repeat.

  • 40% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 84% 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 (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 filing restricts grants or contributions to secondary or higher education, or medical care or research.

Among its 2024 grantees, the Society of Architectural Historians says its mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of architecture, design, landscape, and urbanism. Pepperwood Foundation says its mission is to inspire conservation through science. Bridges to Prosperity says it works with governments to build trail bridges and develop long-term plans for rural access.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $97,000. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $25,000, with a median of $6,500. The largest awards included $25,000 to US Rowing, $15,000 to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, and $15,000 to the Society of Architectural Historians. Other notable awards were $10,000 to Pepperwood Foundation, $8,000 to Litchfield Hills Rowing, and $5,000 each to Bridges to Prosperity, Princeton University Rowing Association, Thacher School, and Rianda House. The listed grants were for operating support.

How to Apply

The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It instructs applicants to contact Steven Bedford and provide the purpose of the grant or contribution and the amount. Grants or contributions must be for secondary or higher education, or medical care or research.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in California (26%), Pennsylvania (26%), Connecticut (24%), Illinois (15%), and Colorado (5%).

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.

Cities

LitchfieldPebble BeachPhiladelphiaSan FranciscoScarboroughDenverMelrosePrincetonSanta RosaWashingtonBarringtonChicagoFayettevilleHelenaOjaiPortlandPunta GordaTorringtonTroy

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K8 grants2020 8 grants2021 6 grants2022 6 grants2023 10 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $81K (2020) to $110K (2021). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $97K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

US Rowing: $25KUS Rowing$25KCharlotte Hungerford Hospital: $15KCharlotte Hungerford Hospital$15KSociety of Architectural Historians: $15KSociety of ArchitecturalHistorians$15KPepperwood Foundation: $10KPepperwood Foundation$10KLitchfield Hills Rowing: $8KLitchfield Hills Rowing$8KBridges to Prosperity: $5KBridges to Prosperity$5KPrinceton University Rowing Assoc: $5KPrinceton University RowingAssoc$5KThacher School: $5KThacher School$5KRianda House: $5KRianda House$5KBarrington Library Association: $4KBarrington Library Association$4K

The largest 2024 recipient was US Rowing ($25K). Together the top 10 received $97K.

Grant Size Distribution

38 grants across all recorded years

37<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 38 (97%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
US Rowing Philadelphia, PAOperating Support$25,000
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Torrington, CTOperating Support$15,000
Society of Architectural Historians Chicago, ILOperating Support$15,000
Pepperwood Foundation Santa Rosa, CAOperating Support$10,000
Litchfield Hills Rowing Litchfield, CTOperating Support$8,000
Bridges to Prosperity Denver, COOperating Support$5,000
Princeton University Rowing Assoc Pebble Beach, CAOperating Support$5,000
Thacher School Ojai, CAOperating Support$5,000
Rianda House Helena, CAOperating Support$5,000
Barrington Library Association Barrington, NHOperating Support$4,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2024 $1,387,758 $239,964 $148,381 $97,000 10
2023 $1,296,175 $210,544 $132,154 $98,600 6
2022 $1,227,616 $204,166 $143,705 $100,000 6
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,387,758$1,296,175$1,227,616
Revenue$239,964$210,544$204,166
Expenses$148,381$132,154$143,705
Qualifying Distributions$97,000$98,600$100,000
Net Investment Income$203,555$181,207$160,461
Distributable Amount$114,811$95,983$100,448

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Laura A Bedford as trustee, Steven Bedford as president, and Hilary B Parkhurst as trustee.

Bedford Family Charitable Trust is led by Steven Bedford, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Steven Bedford

    President

    Trustee & President → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Hilary B. Parkhurst

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Laura A. Bedford

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Peter Benjamin Bedford (2020) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Application contact: Steven Bedford
Mailing address: 11 Shafer Drive, New Hartford, CT 06057
Phone: (860) 489-9908

Frequently asked questions about Bedford Family Charitable Trust

How much does Bedford Family Charitable Trust give each year?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust gave $97K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $99K across 6 grants.

What is Bedford Family Charitable Trust's typical grant size?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $6,500, and its average grant was $9,700, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bedford Family Charitable Trust that year got $8K on average.

Where does Bedford Family Charitable Trust give grants?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust's top state is California, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (26%) and Connecticut (24%).

Does Bedford Family Charitable Trust give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Bedford Family Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Bedford Family Charitable Trust's largest grantees?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include US Rowing ($25,000), Charlotte Hungerford Hospital ($15,000) and Society of Architectural Historians ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Bedford Family Charitable Trust?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $97K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $115K (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 Bedford Family Charitable Trust fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 filing restricts grants or contributions to secondary or higher education, or medical care or research. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Bedford Family Charitable Trust?

The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Bedford Family Charitable Trust's EIN?

Bedford Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-6255502. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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