Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia is a public charity based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is an independent charitable trust managed by CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia, providing a legal, financial, and administrative home for fiscally sponsored projects.
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia at a glance
In short: Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia gave $1.2M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $106K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,170,527
- +6.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -47.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $106,412
- +103.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $32,700
- Total assets
- $4,878,897
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia
- Contact
Mailing address: 1315 Walnut Street 300, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (267) 875-3312
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was History Making Productions ($444K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 87 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 3% to recipients in New Jersey. The listed grants include recipients in Philadelphia and Camden.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia gives
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−19%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $665K (2019) to $1.4M (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| History Making Productions Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $444,457 |
| Artphilly Inc Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $339,686 |
| Presente Media LLC Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $142,552 |
| Get Fresh Daily LLC Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $68,280 |
| Red Pen Arts LLC Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $44,729 |
| Glen Foerd on the Delaware Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $32,700 |
| Urbanpromise Ministries Inc Camden, NJ | Grants for Arts Projects. | $30,700 |
| Sotomayor Productions Development LLC Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $23,819 |
| Inti Media Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $21,094 |
| Discovery Pathways Philadelphia, PA | Grants for Arts Projects. | $12,510 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,878,897 | $6,644,012 | $6,919,562 | $1,170,527 | 11 |
| 2024 | $5,110,826 | $6,296,310 | $6,305,920 | $1,096,149 | 21 |
| 2023 | $4,846,059 | $6,621,751 | $5,510,083 | $880,938 | 22 |
| 2022 | $4,021,484 | $4,320,845 | $7,368,134 | $1,445,407 | 23 |
| 2021 | $7,739,298 | $9,431,681 | $4,422,061 | $719,384 | 10 |
| 2020 | $3,050,887 | $5,382,892 | $3,874,908 | $676,761 | 12 |
| 2019 | $1,426,147 | $3,207,216 | $3,710,999 | $665,146 | 1 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CultureTrust’s stated mission is to provide a charitable home and shared management resources for fiscally sponsored projects in the arts, culture, heritage, and social impact sectors. Its filing describes Model C fiscal sponsorship as a regranting relationship in which CultureTrust receives grant funds and regrants them to individuals or entities under the grant terms, with documentation required for expenses related to those disbursements.
Among its 2025 grantees, ArtPhilly received $339,686; ArtPhilly describes its mission as amplifying Philadelphia’s arts and culture by commissioning, presenting, producing, and promoting art. Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation received $32,700 and says it stewards a riverfront estate for community enjoyment and education. UrbanPromise Ministries received $30,700 and says it equips Camden children and teens for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth, and Christian leadership. Discovery Pathways received $12,510 and describes its work as community well-being through experiential, nature-based programs and environmental education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, CultureTrust reported 11 grants totaling $1,170,527. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $444,457, with a median of $32,700. The largest awards were $444,457 to History Making Productions, $339,686 to ArtPhilly, $142,552 to Presente Media LLC, $68,280 to Get Fresh Daily LLC, and $44,729 to Red Pen Arts LLC. Each was listed for “grants for arts projects.”
The listed grant programs include the Leeway Transformation Award, an unrestricted annual award of $15,000 for eligible women, trans*, and gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers living in Greater Philadelphia who have created art for social change for at least five years. Its stated deadline was May 15, 2026, a past deadline. The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation program is described as supporting U.S.-based community nonprofits for which a small amount of money might make a large difference; its stated deadline was May 11, 2026, also past. The Edna W. Andrade Fund is described as supporting visual fine artists from Greater Philadelphia through grants of $5,000 to $25,000 to eligible museums and nonprofit art organizations; its stated deadline was May 1, 2026, also past.
CultureWorks’ website describes a separate intake process for fiscal sponsorship. Prospective partners may submit an interest form at any time; selected projects are invited to complete a fuller application during an intake window and meet with staff for an interview. The stated readiness criteria include mission alignment, start-up funds of $10,000 for Model A or $5,000 for Model C, a two-year initial commitment, and a team with more than one person.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Melinda Steffy and Ariel Shelton as co-executive directors; Marangeli Mejia-Rabell and Michele Walls as co-chairs; Joey Leroux as secretary; and Mark Comerota as treasurer. It also lists Dawn Frisby-Byers, Roberta Johnson, and Theresa Jackson as directors. Tailinh Agoyo is listed as a director until July 2024.
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia is led by Ariel Shelton, Co-Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 3 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ariel Shelton
Co-Executive Director
On filings since 2024
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melinda Steffy
Co-Executive Director
On filings since 2024
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tailinh Agoyo
Director
Member → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$61K (2023) → $72K (2025)
Roberta Johnson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Annie Chiu-McCabe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caralyn Spector
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dawn Frisby-Byers
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karol Mason
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ken Metzner
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theresa Jackson
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Dolan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marangeli Mejia-Rabell
Co-Chair
Member → Director, 2022
Director → Co-Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$45K (2023) → $56K (2025)
Joey Leroux
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$6K (2025)
Mark Comerota
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michele Walls
Co-Chair
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Sunanda Ghosh (2023) — Director
- Former: Michael Norris (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Neville Vakharia (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Dave Elderkin (2021–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Dawn Frisby Beyers (2022) — Director
- Former: Gabrielle Wanamaker (2021) — Chief Commons Director
- Former: Erica Hawthorn Manon (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: James Ijames (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: Moira Baylson (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Gabrielle Wanamaker Eff March (2020) — Chief Commons Director
- Former: Jamaine Smith Til (2020) — Chief Commons Director
- Former: James Dullinger (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: David Elderkin (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Eileen Heisman (2019) — President
- Former: Gilberto Gonzalez (2019) — Member
- Former: Jamaine Smith (2019) — Chief Commons Director
- Former: Kelly Lee (2019) — Member
- Former: Steven Mullin (2019) — Member
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 $72K, to Tailinh Agoyo (Director (Until July 2024)). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia
How much does Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia give each year?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia gave $1.2M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 21 grants.
What is Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's typical grant size?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's median grant in 2025 was $32,700, and its average grant was $106,412, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia give grants?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (10 grants).
Does Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grants for Arts Projects." (11 grants).
Who are Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's largest grantees?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's largest 2025 grantees include History Making Productions ($444,457), Artphilly Inc ($339,686) and Presente Media LLC ($142,552), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia reported $4.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.6M.
What does Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia fund?
CultureTrust’s stated mission is to provide a charitable home and shared management resources for fiscally sponsored projects in the arts, culture, heritage, and social impact sectors. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's EIN?
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3109411. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/culturetrust-greater-philadelphia-morg_8f3e92fbd310474295cb0b7a9be0b6b7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463109411_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/culturetrust-greater-philadelphia-morg_8f3e92fbd310474295cb0b7a9be0b6b7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia'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.
Culturetrust Greater Philadelphia down — hundreds of funders to go?