Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust
The Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust is a private foundation based in Dorset, Vermont. Its stated primary purpose is to support other charitable organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code through contributions; it says it is not involved in direct charitable activities.
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust at a glance
In short: Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust gave $94K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $94,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- Average grant
- $3,615
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $3,060,528
- +63.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (47% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 543 Lower Hollow Rd, Dorset, VT 05251
Phone: (607) 427-7500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Glimmerglass Festival ($20K). Together the top 10 received $70K.
Grant Size Distribution
27 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 27 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (47%), Colorado (27%), and Vermont (24%); New Hampshire and Connecticut each accounted for 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
How Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust gives
- In 2025 it paid out 65% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1K (2023) to $94K (2025). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $94K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Glimmerglass Festival Cooperstown, NY | General | $20,000 |
| Town Hall Arts Center Littleton, CO | General | $15,000 |
| Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra Binghamton, NY | General | $8,000 |
| WSKG Public TV & Radio Vestal, NY | General | $8,000 |
| Manchester Community Food Cupboard Manchester, VT | General | $5,000 |
| Southwestern Vermont Healthcare Foundation Bennington, VT | General | $3,500 |
| Merck Forest & Farmland Rupert, VT | General | $3,000 |
| Burr & Burton Academy Manchester, VT | General | $2,500 |
| Friends of Hildene Inc Manchester, VT | General | $2,500 |
| Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | General | $2,500 |
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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 | $3,060,528 | $112,152 | $109,060 | $94,000 | 26 | $107,229 | $125,408 | $165,709 |
| 2024 | $1,869,736 | $3,046,284 | $739 | — | — | — | $63,449 | $83,535 |
| 2023 | $12,380 | $217 | $1,084 | $1,000 | 1 | $1,084 | $316 | $589 |
| 2022 | $11,691 | $-243 | $85 | — | — | $84 | $218 | $618 |
| 2021 | $13,520 | $159 | $66 | — | — | $66 | $93 | — |
| 2020 | $12,195 | $9 | — | — | — | — | $9 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust reported a distributable amount of $166K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its primary purpose as supporting charitable organizations through contributions. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span several areas. For example, Friends of Hildene describes its work in terms of preservation, land conservation, sustainability, and civic responsibility; Doctors Care says it provides affordable health care to low-income people; and Skidmore College describes its mission as educating predominantly full-time undergraduates. Other 2025 recipients include arts and music organizations, a food cupboard, a health care foundation, and a school.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $94,000. Awards ranged from $500 to $20,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest grants included $20,000 to Glimmerglass Festival, $15,000 to Town Hall Arts Center, and $8,000 each to Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra and WSKG Public TV & Radio. Other recipients included Manchester Community Food Cupboard ($5,000), Southwestern Vermont Healthcare Foundation ($3,500), and Swallow Hill Music Association ($2,000). Swallow Hill describes its work as bringing concerts, classes, and community activities to the Denver metro area.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ron Levene and John Levene as trustees and James Orband as a director.
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Orband
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Levene
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron Levene
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Karen Levene (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust
How much does Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust give each year?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust gave $94K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's typical grant size?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,615, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust give grants?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's top state is New York, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (27%) and Vermont (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were Littleton, CO (5 grants), Manchester, VT (4 grants), Binghamton, NY (3 grants) and Bennington, VT (2 grants).
Does Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's largest grantees?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Glimmerglass Festival ($20,000), Town Hall Arts Center ($15,000) and Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $107K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $166K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its primary purpose as supporting charitable organizations through contributions. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's EIN?
Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-6283714. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Edward & Karen Levene Char Found 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/edward-and-karen-levene-char-found-trust-morg_c3776172a8e54e5a964d327538876b95
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_166283714_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Edward \& Karen Levene Char Found Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/edward-and-karen-levene-char-found-trust-morg_c3776172a8e54e5a964d327538876b95},
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 Edward & Karen Levene Char Found Trust'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.
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