Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust
The Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust is a private foundation based in Wilton, Connecticut. Established in 1998 by Elizabeth Raymond Ambler’s will, it supports two purposes: scholarships for students and project-based community grants to eligible organizations.
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust at a glance
In short: Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust gave $320K across 70 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Connecticut. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $319,995
- -7.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 70
- -22.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,571
- +18.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,269
- Total assets
- $4,680,376
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (11 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (88% 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 Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust
- How to Apply
-
The Trust’s website describes separate processes for scholarships and community grants. For new scholarships, the filing says applicants must submit a scholarship application with required attachments, including the FAFSA and a parent or guardian’s federal income tax return. For renewals, the website requests a continuation request, information about awards or honors, a current transcript, an updated FAFSA, and a parent or guardian’s current-year federal income tax return. Scholarship payments are made directly to the student’s school according to its billing schedule. The filing states that individual scholarships range from $1,000 to $10,000; however, the 2025 itemized filing lists a $12,000 scholarship. Community grants are project-based, and the website says applications are for eligible organizations.
- Review Cycle
- For community grants, the website says the 2027 application will be available beginning February 1, 2027, and completed applications are due March 26, 2027, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For scholarships for Fall 2027 through Spring 2028, the application period is April 5 to May 7, 2027, ending at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Renewal materials for Fall 2027 are due May 28, 2027, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
- Deadline
- For community grants, the website says the 2027 application will be available beginning February 1, 2027, and…
- Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust
Mailing address: PO Box 7266, Wilton, CT 06897
Phone: (203) 761-1150
Website: https://amblertrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust
Who Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Prospector ($7K). Together the top 10 received $52K.
Organizations only. It also paid 36 grants to individuals ($187,695), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
389 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 389 grants of 389 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust is based in Wilton, Connecticut. Its website gives first preference for scholarships to Wilton residents and second preference to residents of surrounding towns. In 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 6% to New York, 3% to New Jersey, and 3% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 70 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 35 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $235K (2019) to $463K (2020). In 2025 it made 70 grants totaling $320K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 25 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $169,180 |
| The Prospector Ridgefield, CT | Improving the quality of life for people with disabilities through meaningful employment | $7,000 |
| Wilton Historical Society Wilton, CT | To preserve Wilton's history | $5,300 |
| Domus Kids Inc Stamford, CT | Transforming youth life trajectories through love | $5,000 |
| Wilton Youth Council Wilton, CT | Youth to youth programs | $5,000 |
| Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse Bridgeport, CT | Youth lacrosse "Sports for Peace" | $5,000 |
| Weston Historical Society Inc Weston, CT | To discover, collect and preserve Weston's heritage | $5,000 |
| Kids in Crisis Cos Cob, CT | Teen talk program | $5,000 |
| Pacific House Stamford, CT | Homelessness | $5,000 |
| Keystone House Norwalk, CT | Offers housing and helps clients live independently in the community | $5,000 |
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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 | $4,680,376 | $451,077 | $489,872 | $319,995 | 70 | $387,939 | $356,386 | $358,549 |
| 2024 | $4,719,171 | $372,911 | $523,528 | $346,068 | 90 | $426,673 | $279,269 | $360,119 |
| 2023 | $4,869,788 | $327,972 | $593,327 | $421,168 | 79 | $499,317 | $233,961 | $324,101 |
| 2022 | $5,135,143 | $274,101 | $608,904 | $412,252 | 71 | $495,044 | $168,732 | $343,795 |
| 2021 | $5,469,946 | $519,756 | $636,686 | $429,377 | 79 | $521,631 | $409,346 | $377,611 |
| 2020 | $5,586,876 | $331,200 | $698,148 | $462,831 | 69 | — | $207,891 | $354,427 |
| 2019 | $5,953,824 | $305,334 | $460,098 | $234,964 | 49 | — | $199,110 | $361,711 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust reported a distributable amount of $359K 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 Trust was established to provide scholarships and community grants. Its website says high school graduates who are considered deserving and in need of financial assistance may apply for support for college or specialized technical education. It gives first preference to Wilton residents and second preference to residents of surrounding towns.
For community grants, the website identifies municipal, religious, charitable, benevolent, and educational organizations or corporations as eligible, as determined by the trustees. In 2025, recipients included organizations serving a range of purposes. For example, the Wilton Historical Society describes its work as caring for historic buildings and collections and providing history education; Kids in Crisis describes its work as prevention, counseling, and crisis services for children and families; and Earthplace describes its work as nature discovery and environmental learning.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Trust reported 70 grants totaling $319,995. Itemized awards ranged from $1,000 to $12,000, with a median of $4,269. The largest listed award was a $12,000 scholarship for Lafayette College. Other listed scholarships included $10,000 for Temple University, the University of Hartford, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Connecticut. The filing also lists a $7,000 grant to The Prospector to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through meaningful employment.
Among organizational grants in 2025, the Wilton Historical Society received $5,300, and Woodcock Nature Center, Kids in Crisis, Pacific House, Domus Kids, Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse, Wilton Youth Council, and Earthplace each received $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The trustees listed on the 2025 filing are Reverend William L Sachs, Dr David F Clune, and David K Clune.
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David K Clune
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$54K (2019) → $42K (2025)
Reverend William L Sachs
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$54K (2019) → $42K (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 $42K, to Reverend William L Sachs (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust
How much does Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust give each year?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust gave $320K across 70 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $346K across 90 grants.
What is Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's typical grant size?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's median grant in 2025 was $4,269, and its average grant was $4,571, across 70 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust that year got $4K on average.
Where does Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust give grants?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust gives mostly in Connecticut: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wilton, CT (6 grants), Stamford, CT (6 grants), Norwalk, CT (5 grants) and Ridgefield, CT (4 grants).
Does Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 70 grants with a stated purpose on Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship - University of Connecticut" (7 grants).
Who are Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's largest grantees?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's largest 2025 grantees include The Prospector ($7,000), Wilton Historical Society ($5,300) and Domus Kids Inc ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 36 grants to individuals ($187,695), which are not listed by name. Together they received 5% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $388K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $359K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust fund?
The Trust was established to provide scholarships and community grants. Its website says high school graduates who are considered deserving and in need of financial assistance may apply for support for college or specialized technical education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust?
The Trust’s website describes separate processes for scholarships and community grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's EIN?
Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6473263. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 30, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/elizabeth-raymond-ambler-trust-morg_4a0fa062e5994596b9d01a5290f6ac8e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_066473263_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/elizabeth-raymond-ambler-trust-morg_4a0fa062e5994596b9d01a5290f6ac8e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Elizabeth Raymond Ambler 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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