Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust
The Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Its 2026 filing reports 25 grants totaling $31,200 to charitable organizations in several states.
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust gave $31K across 25 grants in 2026 (avg $1K), top state Massachusetts. 60% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $31,200
- +7.6% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 25
- +92.3% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $1,248
- -44.1% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $551,640
- +1.1% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (15 of 25, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (35% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Spinelli Cpa 146 West Boylston Dr, Worcester, MA 01606
Phone: (508) 365-6522
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Jewish Federation of Central MA ($10K). Together the top 10 received $21K.
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 84 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2026 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (35%), California (29%), New York (28%), Washington, DC (5%), and Alabama (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 15 of 25 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $903; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $825 repeat.
- 40% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−4%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2026). 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 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2025) to $33K (2021). In 2026 it made 25 grants totaling $31K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Central MA Worcester, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General | $2,000 |
| Mazon Los Angeles, CA | General | $2,000 |
| US Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | General | $1,040 |
| American Technion Society New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| Culver City Education Foundation Culver City, CA | General | $1,000 |
| Friends of Bezalel New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| Friends of Israel Defense New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| Jewish Education Project New York, NY | General | $1,000 |
| La Voice Los Angeles, CA | General | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $551,640 | $39,377 | $33,283 | $31,200 | 25 | $31,200 | $37,294 | $33,976 |
| 2025 | $545,546 | $33,577 | $35,982 | $29,000 | 13 | $29,000 | $26,595 | $31,070 |
| 2024 | $547,951 | $18,821 | $36,875 | $30,500 | 14 | $30,500 | $12,446 | $29,170 |
| 2023 | $566,005 | $-2,838 | $39,555 | $32,500 | 17 | $32,500 | $4,349 | $30,527 |
| 2022 | $608,398 | $48,117 | $36,992 | $30,000 | 15 | $30,000 | $41,125 | $32,439 |
| 2021 | $597,273 | $12,046 | $39,875 | $33,000 | 14 | — | $8,881 | $31,821 |
| 2020 | $625,102 | $29,049 | $38,179 | $31,800 | 12 | — | $23,141 | $30,941 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $34K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Vision To Learn says it provides free eye exams and glasses to students and low-income communities; Reach Out and Read says it incorporates books into pediatric care and encourages families to read aloud together; and the Culver City Education Foundation says it raises funds to support and enhance education for students in its school district.
Other 2026 recipients include organizations whose stated missions concern Jewish history and culture, human rights, racial justice, and community-based change. These descriptions are the grantees’ own, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $31,200. Grants ranged from $390 to $10,000, with a median grant of $1,000.
The largest reported award was $10,000 to the Jewish Federation of Central MA. Other notable grants included $2,000 each to the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles and MAZON, and $1,040 to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The American Technion Society, Culver City Education Foundation, Friends of Bezalel, Friends of Israel Defense, Jewish Education Project, LA Voice, Our Big Kitchen LA, and Reach Out and Read each received $1,000. Other 2026 recipients included Vision To Learn, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, American Jewish World Service, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Skirball Cultural Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Sheila Trugman, Joel M Trugman, and Cara Nash Iason as trustees.
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's 2026 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Cara Nash Iason
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joel M. Trugman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheila Trugman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust
How much does Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust give each year?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust gave $31K across 25 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $29K across 13 grants.
What is Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's median grant in 2026 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,248, across 25 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust that year got $903 on average.
Where does Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust give grants?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (29%) and New York (28%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Los Angeles, CA (7 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's largest 2026 grantees include Jewish Federation of Central MA ($10,000), Jewish Federation of Los Angeles ($2,000) and Mazon ($2,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust reported $552K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $31K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $34K (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 Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's EIN?
Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1239032. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Does Bernard & Nita Trugman Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 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 July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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