Bison Charitable Foundation
Bison Charitable Foundation is a private foundation, based in Canonsburg, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $622K. Net investment income was $477K.
Bison Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Bison Charitable Foundation gave $622K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $156K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $622,000
- +31.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $155,500
- +31.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $60,000
- Total assets
- $1,605,115
- -3.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% 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 Bison Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Washington City Mission ($500K). Together the top 4 received $622K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 34 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Bison Charitable Foundation gives
- Giving grew 131% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 802% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $167K (2020) to $622K (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $622K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washington City Mission Washington, PA | General | $500,000 |
| Children's Hospital of Pi Pittsburgh, PA | General | $100,000 |
| Carnegie Museums Pittsburgh, PA | General | $20,000 |
| The Woodlands Foundation Wexford, PA | General | $2,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,605,115 | $582,047 | $647,274 | $622,000 | 4 | $622,000 | $476,779 | $77,536 |
| 2024 | $1,670,342 | $599,306 | $489,075 | $472,000 | 4 | $472,000 | $346,766 | $88,245 |
| 2023 | $1,560,111 | $180,394 | $354,824 | $334,000 | 6 | $334,000 | $164,683 | $88,216 |
| 2022 | $1,734,541 | $269,786 | $288,983 | $269,000 | 10 | $269,000 | $252,508 | $96,187 |
| 2021 | $1,753,738 | $156,575 | $309,526 | $290,000 | 10 | $290,000 | $137,049 | $106,523 |
| 2020 | $1,906,689 | $548,177 | $185,343 | $167,000 | 9 | — | $77,864 | $96,133 |
| 2019 | $1,543,855 | $492,928 | $194,703 | $180,000 | 10 | — | $83,966 | $72,090 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bison Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $78K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Bison Charitable Foundation is led by Walter W. Turner, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Walter W. Turner
President
President & Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arlene G. Turner
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Bison Charitable Foundation
How much does Bison Charitable Foundation give each year?
Bison Charitable Foundation gave $622K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $472K across 4 grants.
What is Bison Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Bison Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $60,000, and its average grant was $155,500, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Bison Charitable Foundation give grants?
Bison Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (2 grants).
Does Bison Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Bison Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is Bison Charitable Foundation?
Bison Charitable Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $622K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $78K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Bison Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Bison Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5748145. 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 July 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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