Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd

HARRISON, NY EIN: 13-6998091

The Donald A Pels Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1992 and based in Harrison, New York. The trust operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since December 1993.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$258.2M

-4.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$36.3M

+4.6% YoY

Grant Count

186

+1.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$195K

+2.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd reported a distributable amount of $18.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The trust provides grants across multiple sectors, with primary funding interests in:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$186,700

Average Grant

$186,700

Ready to take the next step with Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The trust primarily funds organizations in:

New York
District of Columbia
California

Grant Distribution by State

New York $41.2M (70%)

District of Columbia $8.5M (15%)

California $4.6M (8%)

North Carolina $2.4M (4%)

Alabama $735K (1%)

Connecticut $358K (1%)

Massachusetts $350K (1%)

Rhode Island $250K (0%)

+11 more states

States

Alabama California Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan North Carolina New York Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Texas Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Cities

Agoura HillsAmherstAstoriaAtlantaAuburnAustinBaltimoreBethlehemBostonBridgehamptonBronxBrooklynCambridgeChicagoDaytonDurhamElmsfordFairfieldFalmouthGlen Cove

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total assets: $270.8 million
Total revenues: $17.5 million
Total expenses: $37.0 million
Investment income and dividends: $6.4 million
Total liabilities: $0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$258,241,285	$270,769,856	$290,292,953
Revenue	$26,249,274	$17,510,786	$8,907,223
Expenses	$38,777,845	$37,033,883	$36,994,855
Qualifying Distributions	$36,841,838	$35,260,880	$34,831,751
Net Investment Income	$26,311,689	$15,140,091	$6,644,589
Distributable Amount	$18,548,899	$17,389,882	$18,647,087

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Duke University ($2,100,000), Friends of Highline ($2,100,000), American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc ($1,000,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AFRO LATIN JAZZ ALLIANCE NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$325,000
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$1,000,000
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NATAL NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$1,000
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$150,000
AMERICARES STAMFORD, CT	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$200,000
ARTHUR PROJECT INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$25,000
AT THE TABLE BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$40,000
AUBURN UNIVERSITY AUBURN, AL	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$85,000
BOTTOM LINE JAMAICA PLAIN, MA	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$100,000
BRADY CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$500,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Wendy Keys – Trustee (c/o PKF O'Connor Davies)
Valerie Anne Pels – Trustee (c/o PKF O'Connor Davies)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
WENDY KEYS CO PKF O'CONNOR DAVIES	TRUSTEE	3	—
VALERIE PELS CO PKF O'CONNOR DAVIES	TRUSTEE	4	—

Contact Information

Address: 500 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 301, Harrison, NY 10528-1648

Phone: 914-381-8900

EIN: 13-6998091

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd fund?

The trust provides grants across multiple sectors, with primary funding interests in: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2023: $36.3 million • Number of grants made: 184 grants (as of most recent data) • Typical award range: $500 to $2,500,000 • Average grant size: $186,700 • Median grant size: $55,000 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • The Rockefeller University: $2,500,000 (General Operating Support) • Planned Parenthood Federation of America: $2,250,000 (General Operating Support) • Friends of the High Line: $2,107,500 (General Operating Support)

Where does Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd make grants?

The trust primarily funds organizations in: • New York • District of Columbia • California

What size grants does Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd award?

In 2024, Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd awarded 186 grants totaling $36.3M — an average of about $195K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd reported a distributable amount of $18.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd's EIN?

Donald a Pels Charitable Trust Utd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6998091. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.