Elisha V Ashton Trust UW

BOSTON, MA EIN: 04-6016303

The Elisha V Ashton Trust UW is a private foundation established in 1957 under the will of Elisha V. Ashton. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the trust is administered by the law firm Choate Hall & Stewart LLP. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with a fiscal year ending in October.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$19.9M

+16.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.1M

+57.2% YoY

Grant Count

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$64K

+57.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elisha V Ashton Trust UW reported a distributable amount of $943K 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 focuses its grantmaking on established Massachusetts-based organizations in the following areas:

Education
Human Services
Philanthropy and Voluntarism

The foundation makes general operating grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$30,459 to $152,295

Invitation Only

** Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily focuses on Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the Boston area.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $3.6M (100%)

States

Massachusetts

Cities

BostonBrooklineChelseaEast BostonRoslindaleRoxburySalemSouth DartmouthWaltham

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets:

$19,927,359 (as of 2024)

Annual Giving:

2024: $1,082,840
2023: $688,736

Revenue (2024):

Total revenues: $1,854,116
Investment income and dividends: $454,268
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $1,399,848

Expenses (2024):

Total expenses: $1,274,384

Investment Portfolio: The foundation's assets are invested primarily in:

Corporate stocks: $12.7 million
Government obligations: $3.2 million
Short-term investments

The foundation receives no external contributions and generates its income entirely from investments.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$19,927,359	$17,129,189	$16,998,418
Revenue	$1,854,116	$621,210	$719,714
Expenses	$1,274,384	$837,898	$374,299
Qualifying Distributions	$1,117,069	$718,804	$294,227
Net Investment Income	$1,718,123	$502,116	$654,642
Distributable Amount	$943,020	$866,304	$905,554

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

85 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Home for Little Wanderers ($246,100), Boston Children's Hospital ($98,440), Boston Fatherless & Widows Society ($49,220).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
Boston Children's Hospital Boston, MA	General	$98,440
Boston Fatherless & Widows Society Boston, MA	General	$49,220
Boston Pilot's Relief Society East Boston, MA	General	$49,220
Boston Seaman's Friend Society Inc Chelsea, MA	General	$49,220
Dimock Community Health Center Roxbury, MA	General	$49,220
Goddard House Brookline, MA	General	$49,220
Managers of Boston Port & Seamen's Aid Society Salem, MA	General	$49,220
Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary Boston, MA	General	$49,220
Massachusetts Medical Benevolent Society Waltham, MA	General	$49,220
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Boston, MA	General	$49,220

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Richard K Nichols	Trustee	1	$31,429
Kristin T Abati	Trustee	1	—

Contact Information

Administrator: Choate Hall & Stewart LLP
Phone: (617) 248-4760
Address: Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Elisha V Ashton Trust UW fund?

The trust focuses its grantmaking on established Massachusetts-based organizations in the following areas: • Education • Human Services • Philanthropy and Voluntarism The foundation makes general operating grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications.

How do I apply for a grant from Elisha V Ashton Trust UW?

**Application Process:** Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. **Grant Activity:** • Approximately 17 grants awarded annually (consistent 2020-2023) • Grant range: $30,459 to $152,295 • Standard grants typically fall between $30,459 and $79,556 • Larger grants can reach up to $152,295 **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • The Home for Little Wanderers: $246,100 • Boston Fatherless and Widows Society: $49,220 • Boston Seamans Friend Society: $49,220 **Recent G…

Where does Elisha V Ashton Trust UW make grants?

The foundation primarily focuses on Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the Boston area.

What size grants does Elisha V Ashton Trust UW award?

In 2024, Elisha V Ashton Trust UW awarded 17 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $64K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Elisha V Ashton Trust UW required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Elisha V Ashton Trust UW reported a distributable amount of $943K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.