Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust
The Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Old Tappan, New Jersey. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations caring for animals, with grant purposes commonly described as animal care.
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust gave $45K across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in New Jersey. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $45,000
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,154
- +4.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $311,754
- +13.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (15 of 39, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The trust states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing describes submitting a copy of Form 990 and materials describing the organization’s activities; it lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- October 31.
- Deadline
- October 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Dorothy Zimmerman Trust Co Michael
Mailing address: 180 Old Tappan Rd, Old Tappan, NJ 07675
Phone: (201) 768-0218
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue Inc ($2K). Together the top 10 received $16K.
Grant Size Distribution
201 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 201 grants of 201 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, New Jersey organizations received 53% of grant dollars and New York organizations received 27%. Other listed recipient-state shares were Colorado and Minnesota at 4% each, and Louisiana at 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 39 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2023 it paid out 96% 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 (2019–2025). 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 $38K (2023) to $59K (2021). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $45K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue Inc Dover Plains, NY | Care for Animals | $2,000 |
| Bergen County Horse Rescue Mahwah, NJ | care for animal | $2,000 |
| Misfit Acres Inc Amboy, MN | care for animals | $2,000 |
| Standarbred Retirement Foundation Cream Ridge, NJ | care for animals | $2,000 |
| Wild Lands Wild Horses Fund Corp Elmer, NJ | care for animals | $2,000 |
| Peace 4 Paws Westwood, NJ | care for animal | $1,500 |
| Ramapo Bergen Animal Refuge Inc Oakland, NJ | care for animals | $1,500 |
| Closter Animal Welfare Closter, NJ | care for animals | $1,000 |
| Animal Life Savers Inc Palisades Park, NJ | care for animals | $1,000 |
| Tevaland Hillburn, NY | care for birds | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $311,754 | $23,582 | $70,763 | $45,000 | 39 | — | — | — |
| 2024 | $274,107 | $15,817 | $63,910 | $42,000 | 38 | — | $18,602 | $39,289 |
| 2023 | $385,045 | $13,836 | $70,379 | $38,000 | 39 | $38,000 | — | $39,548 |
| 2022 | $465,152 | $16,283 | $57,329 | $41,000 | 41 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $504,960 | $18,541 | $81,989 | $58,800 | 44 | $58,800 | $40,721 | — |
| 2020 | $531,559 | $16,650 | $62,935 | $48,000 | 33 | — | $1,715 | — |
| 2019 | $575,611 | $18,535 | $56,849 | $45,000 | 35 | — | $6,686 | $43,519 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grant records show support for animal care, including horse rescue, animal shelters, and wildlife or bird care. Grantee descriptions offer examples of this work: Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue says it provides a permanent sanctuary for rescued and retired horses, while Bergen County Horse Rescue describes its work as rescuing, rehabilitating, and caring for abandoned and neglected horses. Other grantees describe work ranging from finding homes for rescued dogs to transporting at-risk animals and training disaster search dogs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust made 39 grants totaling $45,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $2,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest grants were $2,000 each to Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue, Bergen County Horse Rescue, Misfit Acres, Standardbred Retirement Foundation, and Wild Lands Wild Horses Fund. Other 2025 grants included $1,500 each to Peace 4 Paws and Ramapo Bergen Animal Refuge.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael J Porro is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust is led by Michael J Porro, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael J Porro
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $8K (2025)
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 $8K, to Michael J Porro (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust
How much does Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust give each year?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust gave $45K across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $42K across 38 grants.
What is Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,154, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust that year got $1K on average.
Where does Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust give grants?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust gives mostly in New Jersey: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were Port Jefferson Station, NY (2 grants) and Wayne, NJ (2 grants).
Does Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 39 grants with a stated purpose on Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Care for Animals" (30 grants) and "Care for Animal" (8 grants).
Who are Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue Inc ($2,000), Bergen County Horse Rescue ($2,000) and Misfit Acres Inc ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust reported $312K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $24K.
What does Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grant records show support for animal care, including horse rescue, animal shelters, and wildlife or bird care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust?
The trust states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's EIN?
Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-6962329. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Dorothy Zimmerman 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Dorothy Zimmerman Charitable Trust funds
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