BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund is a public charity based in Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2012. It promotes philanthropy by receiving charitable contributions, pooling contributions for investment and administration, and making gifts to organizations dedicated to charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes.
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund at a glance
In short: BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund gave $720.2M across 1,503 grants in 2024 (avg $479K), mostly in Indiana. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $720,249,159
- +539.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 1,503
- +24.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $479,208
- +415.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $17,170
- Total assets
- $1,963,215
- -99.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (536 of 1,498, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund
- Contact
Mailing address: 201 Washington Street Ste 024-0062, Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 722-7191
Website: https://bnycharitable.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc ($619.8M). Together the top 10 received $651.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($12,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
5,467 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4,246 grants of 5,467 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana, 3% to Ohio, 2% each to Massachusetts and California, and 1% to New York. The listed grants also included recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 1,503 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 536 of 1,498 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $730K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $21K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $36.1M (2019) to $720.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 1,503 grants totaling $720.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc Indianapolis, IN | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $619,798,574 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund Cincinnati, OH | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $16,836,937 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Warwick, RI | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,000,000 |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Salt Lake City, UT | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $2,346,000 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund Orlando, FL | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,572,567 |
| Tabor Academy Marion, MA | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,503,000 |
| National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,402,176 |
| Ekadence Learning Foundation Irvine, CA | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,335,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Americus, GA | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,011,000 |
| Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund San Francisco, CA | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose | $1,010,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing narrative says the organization was undergoing termination and that its financial statements combined going-concern and liquidation-basis reporting for different portions of the year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,963,215 | $284,885,079 | $729,328,475 | $720,249,159 | 1,503 | $119,305,308 |
| 2023 | $496,581,548 | $171,318,573 | $117,278,572 | $112,595,130 | 1,210 | $51,797,689 |
| 2022 | $482,326,887 | $368,613,382 | $91,016,111 | $82,142,219 | 908 | $148,045,881 |
| 2021 | $342,614,894 | $208,280,795 | $45,489,141 | $39,013,139 | 997 | $71,007,329 |
| 2020 | $235,723,552 | $127,126,295 | $74,126,504 | $68,518,247 | 849 | $38,774,350 |
| 2019 | $219,249,459 | $114,515,572 | $39,937,745 | $36,108,736 | 619 | $42,447,841 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote philanthropy by receiving charitable contributions, encouraging charitable giving, pooling contributions for investment management and administrative purposes, and making gifts to organizations dedicated to charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes.
Its 2024 grants included gifts to organizations with varied missions. For example, Tabor Academy describes its work as inspiring a lifelong love of learning and encouraging achievement, responsibility, and citizenship. Habitat for Humanity International describes its work as providing safe, affordable homes and addressing poor housing conditions. The Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund says it distributes funds for critical family needs, housing assistance, and food programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy describes its mission as preserving the parks and enhancing the visitor experience.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the funder reported 1,503 grants totaling $720,249,159. Grant amounts ranged from $5,005 to $619,798,574, with a median grant of $17,170. The largest reported grant was $619,798,574 to Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. Other large grants included $16,836,937 to Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, $5,000,000 to Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, and $2,346,000 to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Additional recipients included Tabor Academy ($1,503,000), National Philanthropic Trust ($1,402,176), Habitat for Humanity ($1,011,000), Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund ($1,010,000), Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union ($1,002,000), and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy ($1,000,000). The listed grant purposes were to further the recipients’ exempt purposes.
The website describes grantmaking through donor-advised accounts. Account holders may recommend one-time or recurring grants to eligible charitable organizations through the online portal. Eligible recipients include tax-exempt public charities, qualifying U.S., state, or local government organizations, private operating foundations, and foreign organizations determined to be equivalent to tax-exempt public charities. The Foundation makes the final decision on grant recommendations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph Dello Russo as president and director. It lists Cynthia Danes, Kate Taylor, Komal Misra, and Lauren Messmore as directors; George Rio as secretary and director; William Elcock as treasurer and director; Carlos Byrne as assistant secretary and assistant treasurer; Christian Tinory as assistant treasurer; and Sharon Scaramozza as assistant secretary.
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund is led by Joseph Dello Russo, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joseph Dello Russo
President & Director
President & Chairman → President, 2020
President → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George Rio
Secretary & Director
Director, Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer → Secretary, 2020
Secretary → Secretary & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Elcock
Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Taylor
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Danes
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Komal Misra
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Messmore
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carlos Byrne
Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
Assistant Secretary → Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Morgan
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Scaramozza
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christian Tinory
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Pamela Scott (2019–2023) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Crystal Thompkins (2021–2023) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Daniel Coughlin (2021–2023) — Outgoing Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Alla Shpak (2019–2022) — Outgoing-Fund Compliance Officer
- Former: Helen Nugent (2019–2021) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Jennifer Borggaard (2019–2021) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Molly Derosa (2019–2020) — Outgoing Assistant Treasurer
- Former: William Weihs (2019) — Outgoing Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund
How much does BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund give each year?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund gave $720.2M across 1,503 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $112.6M across 1,210 grants.
What is BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's typical grant size?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's median grant in 2024 was $17,170, and its average grant was $479,208, across 1,503 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund that year got $33K on average.
Where does BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund give grants?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund gives mostly in Indiana: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (73 grants), Washington, DC (48 grants), Boston, MA (42 grants) and San Francisco, CA (39 grants).
Who are BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's largest grantees?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc ($619,798,574), Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($16,836,937) and Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($5,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($12,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $284.9M.
What does BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote philanthropy by receiving charitable contributions, encouraging charitable giving, pooling contributions for investment management and administrative purposes, and making gifts to organizations dedicated to charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check bnycharitable.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's EIN?
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0748315. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/bny-mellon-charitable-gift-fund-morg_64143334ff5644fcbeb03b895fd7f82d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300748315_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/bny-mellon-charitable-gift-fund-morg_64143334ff5644fcbeb03b895fd7f82d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund'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.
BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?