Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family is a private foundation based in Red Hook, New York. Its 2025 filing reports 58 grants totaling $89,594, with listed recipients including conservation, preservation, education, community, and public media organizations.
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family at a glance
In short: Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family gave $90K across 58 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state New York. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $89,594
- +10.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 58
- -1.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,545
- +12.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $780
- Total assets
- $1,269,497
- -1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (10 of 58, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (35% 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 Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 137 Read Rd, Red Hook, NY 12571
Phone: (518) 537-5200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Winnakee Land Trust ($9K). Together the top 10 received $49K.
Grant Size Distribution
249 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 249 grants of 249 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in New York (35%), Massachusetts (29%), Minnesota (11%), Virginia (10%), and the District of Columbia (5%). Listed recipients include organizations in Red Hook and Rhinebeck, New York; Nantucket and Marion, Massachusetts; and Duluth, Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 58 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $723; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 73% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 87% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2021) to $90K (2025). In 2025 it made 58 grants totaling $90K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Winnakee Land Trust Rhinebeck, NY | General Purpose | $9,459 |
| Tabor Academy Marion, MA | General Purpose | $5,100 |
| Historic Red Hook Red Hook, NY | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Nantucket Conservation Foundation Nantucket, MA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Nantucket Preservation Trust Nantucket, MA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Summer Search Boston Jamaica Plain, MA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Damiano Center Duluth, MN | General Purpose | $4,000 |
| University of Minnesota Duluth Minneapolis, MN | General Purpose | $4,000 |
| Nativity Catholic Church Lane Burke, VA | General Purpose | $3,500 |
| Fairfax County Park Foundation Fairfax, VA | General Purpose | $3,000 |
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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 | $1,269,497 | $86,512 | $99,373 | $89,594 | 58 | $89,594 | $79,490 | $102,798 |
| 2024 | $1,282,358 | $243,463 | $89,357 | $80,866 | 59 | $80,866 | $53,510 | $89,693 |
| 2023 | $1,217,124 | $49,162 | $81,095 | $71,805 | 51 | $71,805 | $43,246 | $80,661 |
| 2022 | $1,249,057 | $149,400 | $62,153 | $51,890 | 46 | $51,890 | $44,783 | $78,618 |
| 2021 | $1,226,782 | $120,666 | $51,845 | $40,590 | 35 | $40,590 | $116,333 | $79,791 |
| 2020 | $1,157,961 | $126,176 | $59,901 | $47,245 | 37 | — | $122,340 | $64,420 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family reported a distributable amount of $103K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support a range of charitable organizations. For example, Winnakee Land Trust describes its work as protecting natural, agricultural, and scenic lands, while Historic Red Hook says it collects and preserves local history and maintains a community center. Tabor Academy describes its focus as academic programs and student learning. Other supported organizations include the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket Preservation Trust, Summer Search Boston, and public media organizations.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 58 grants totaling $89,594. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $9,459, with a median of $780. The largest listed grants included $9,459 to Winnakee Land Trust, $5,100 to Tabor Academy, $5,000 each to Historic Red Hook, Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket Preservation Trust, and Summer Search Boston, and $4,000 each to Damiano Center and the University of Minnesota Duluth. The listed grants were for general purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ellen C. Phelan as president and director; Samuel P. Phelan as director; Michael J. Del Vecchio as treasurer, secretary, and director; and Sally Phelan Del Vecchio and John C. Phelan as directors.
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family is led by Ellen C. Phelan, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen C. Phelan
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael J. Del Vecchio
Treasurer, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$750 (2020) → $2K (2025)
John C. Phelan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sally Phelan Del Vecchio
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samuel P. Phelan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Michael J Del Vecchio (Treasurer/Secretary/Director).
Frequently asked questions about Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family
How much does Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family give each year?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family gave $90K across 58 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $81K across 59 grants.
What is Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's typical grant size?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's median grant in 2025 was $780, and its average grant was $1,545, across 58 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family that year got $723 on average.
Where does Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family give grants?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's top state is New York, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (29%) and Minnesota (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), Nantucket, MA (4 grants), Red Hook, NY (4 grants) and Duluth, MN (3 grants).
Does Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (58 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's largest grantees?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's largest 2025 grantees include Winnakee Land Trust ($9,459), Tabor Academy ($5,100) and Historic Red Hook ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $90K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $103K (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 Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family?
The foundation 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 Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's EIN?
Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0026536. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ellen-and-samuel-phelan-family-morg_58e24f900a3e426da849556a66fcc61d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_800026536_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ellen-and-samuel-phelan-family-morg_58e24f900a3e426da849556a66fcc61d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Ellen and Samuel Phelan Family'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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