Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust
The Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Its stated primary purpose is to support public charities exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) through contributions.
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust gave $465K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), top state Massachusetts. 88% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $465,300
- +239.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +128.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,081
- +48.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $21,375
- Total assets
- $4,536,347
- +10.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 88% first-time grantees (14 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (30% 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 Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable 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: 195 Worcester St 301, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 489-1040
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Heifer International ($52K). Together the top 10 received $362K.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 66 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Massachusetts (30%), New York (19%), Arkansas (11%), Iowa (11%), and Virginia (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
88%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 16 grantees (88%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $35K. How we count
Medians: $21K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 242% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 168% 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 $104K (2019) to $465K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $465K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Heifer International Little Rock, AR | Unrestricated | $51,750 |
| Perkins School for the Blind Watertown, MA | Unrestricated | $51,750 |
| American Red Cross Boone, IA | Unrestricated | $51,725 |
| Salvation Army Alexandria, VA | Unrestricated | $51,725 |
| Habitat for Humanity Americus, GA | Unrestricated | $43,100 |
| Amnesty International New York, NY | Unrestricated | $25,875 |
| Covenant House - New York New York, NY | Unrestricated | $25,875 |
| Foundation Fighting Blindness Columbia, MD | Unrestricated | $25,450 |
| Xavier Society for the Blind New York, NY | Unrestricated | $17,300 |
| Carmel of the Holy Family Cleveland Heights, OH | Unrestricated | $17,250 |
Ready to take the next step with Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust?
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 | $4,536,347 | $1,055,099 | $558,352 | $465,300 | 16 | $481,320 | $978,067 | $286,523 |
| 2024 | $4,092,287 | $251,940 | $260,536 | $137,000 | 7 | $188,000 | $179,404 | $281,744 |
| 2023 | $5,379,071 | $137,059 | $270,649 | $144,000 | 8 | $144,000 | $137,059 | $155,581 |
| 2022 | $5,937,413 | $-167,466 | $292,319 | $136,160 | 16 | $136,160 | $146,421 | $153,434 |
| 2021 | $6,024,093 | $568,061 | $262,014 | $141,500 | 19 | $141,500 | $568,061 | $56,317 |
| 2020 | $4,826,378 | $138,404 | $190,411 | $114,750 | 16 | — | $138,404 | $195,951 |
| 2019 | $4,679,320 | $127,860 | $147,877 | $103,700 | 16 | — | $83,582 | $244,586 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $287K 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 stated primary purpose is to support qualifying public charities through contributions. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions address services and education for people with disabilities, affordable housing, blindness-related research and reading materials, reproductive health care, and educational and cultural programming. These are the grantees’ missions, not a stated set of focus areas for the foundation.
For example, Perkins School for the Blind says it serves children and young adults with multiple disabilities, their families, educators, researchers, and professionals through education services, accessibility, professional development, and innovation. The Foundation Fighting Blindness says its mission is to accelerate the translation of retinal research into clinical trials and patient therapies. Island Housing Trust says it develops and maintains affordable housing on Martha’s Vineyard, and WGBH Educational Foundation says it provides programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $465,300. Grant amounts ranged from $17,250 to $51,750, with a median of $21,375.
Notable 2025 grants included $51,750 each to Heifer International and Perkins School for the Blind; $51,725 each to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army; and $43,100 to Habitat for Humanity. Other listed grants included $25,875 each to Amnesty International and Covenant House – New York, and $25,450 to the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The filing also lists grants of $17,250 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Island Housing Trust Corporation, and WGBH Educational Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lawrence Litwak as trustee.
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust is led by Lawrence Litwak, Trustee on every filing since 2024 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lawrence Litwak
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Samuel Denbo (2019–2024) — Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust
How much does Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust give each year?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust gave $465K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $137K across 7 grants.
What is Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $21,375, and its average grant was $29,081, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust that year got $28K on average.
Where does Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust give grants?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (19%) and Arkansas (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and Vineyard Haven, MA (3 grants).
Does Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Unrestricated" (16 grants).
Who are Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Heifer International ($51,750), Perkins School for the Blind ($51,750) and American Red Cross ($51,725), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $481K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $287K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation’s stated primary purpose is to support qualifying public charities through contributions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable 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 Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's EIN?
Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4164102. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Erik & Dorrit Pfau 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 29, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/erik-and-dorrit-pfau-charitable-trust-morg_cc1f4207c6744006afc44b97b6e47fb0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464164102_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Erik \& Dorrit Pfau Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/erik-and-dorrit-pfau-charitable-trust-morg_cc1f4207c6744006afc44b97b6e47fb0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Erik & Dorrit Pfau Charitable 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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