Gerson Family Charitable Trust
Gerson Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and states that eligible organizations must be Jewish charitable organizations or organizations supported by the Jewish community.
Gerson Family Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Gerson Family Charitable Trust gave $196K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $195,550
- -6.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- +61.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,751
- -42.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $877,296
- +36.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Ohio (69% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Gerson Family 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. Its stated restriction is that organizations must be Jewish charitable organizations or organizations supported by the Jewish community.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3028 Burning Tree Lane, Cincinnati, OH 45237
Phone: (513) 335-7667
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gerson Family Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Friday Night Shabbat ($30K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $125K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 82 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 17% to recipients in New York, 5% to recipients in Massachusetts, 3% to recipients in Washington, D.C., and 3% to recipients in Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
Cities
How Gerson Family Charitable Trust gives
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 66% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2023 it paid out 519% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $118K (2021) to $209K (2023). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $196K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friday Night Chabad Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $20,000 |
| Friday Night Shabbat Cincinnati, OH | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Adath Israel Congragation Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $15,000 |
| Chabad at Uc Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $10,000 |
| Black Swamp Conservancy Oak Harbor, OH | Gereral Fund | $10,000 |
| Black Swamp Bird Observatory Oak Harbor, OH | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Friday Night Shabbat Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $10,000 |
| Hillel Jewish Student Center Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $6,000 |
| Jewish Federation Fo Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | General Support | $6,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | General Fund | $6,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $877,296 | $438,882 | $10,893 | $195,550 | 34 | — | $425,497 | $83,726 |
| 2023 | $644,857 | $475,687 | $213,789 | $208,584 | 21 | $417,168 | $470,482 | $80,324 |
| 2022 | $1,445,744 | $53,924 | $7,971 | $124,200 | 22 | $126,900 | $45,953 | $82,663 |
| 2021 | $2,042,114 | $2,117,285 | $119,459 | $118,000 | 5 | $118,000 | $131,157 | $32,979 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gerson Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $84K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including Jewish community life, Israel-related causes, nature conservation, and the arts.
Among its grantees, Black Swamp Conservancy describes its mission as preserving and enhancing natural habitats and family farms in Northwest Ohio. Black Swamp Bird Observatory says it works to inspire appreciation, enjoyment, and conservation of birds and their habitats through research, education, and outreach. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park describes itself as a national theater committed to bringing diverse, engaging works to the community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust made 34 grants totaling $195,550. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $5,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $20,000 each to Friday Night Chabad and Friday Night Shabbat in Cincinnati, and $15,000 to Adath Israel Congregation in Cincinnati. Other grants included $10,000 each to Chabad at UC, Black Swamp Conservancy, and Black Swamp Bird Observatory; $6,000 each to Hillel Jewish Student Center and Jewish Federation of Cincinnati; and $5,000 to Hadassah Medical Relief and UC Foundation.
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati says it works to build an inclusive Jewish community, help people in need, support Israel, and assure a vibrant Jewish future. Jewish National Fund describes its work as building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. Black Swamp Conservancy and Black Swamp Bird Observatory describe the conservation missions noted above.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Shelly Shor Gerson is listed as trustee on the 2024 filing.
Gerson Family Charitable Trust is led by Shelly Shor Gerson, Trustee on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Shelly Shor Gerson
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Gerson Family Charitable Trust
How much does Gerson Family Charitable Trust give each year?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust gave $196K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $209K across 21 grants.
What is Gerson Family Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,751, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gerson Family Charitable Trust give grants?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust gives mostly in Ohio: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Massachusetts (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (14 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), Oak Harbor, OH (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Gerson Family Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Gerson Family Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gerson Family Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Friday Night Shabbat ($30,000 across 2 grants), Friday Night Chabad ($20,000) and Adath Israel Congragation ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gerson Family Charitable Trust?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust reported $877K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $439K.
What does Gerson Family Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including Jewish community life, Israel-related causes, nature conservation, and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gerson Family 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 ↑
How much is Gerson Family Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gerson Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $84K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gerson Family Charitable Trust's EIN?
Gerson Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-2393101. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Gerson Family 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Gerson Family Charitable Trust funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gerson Family Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gerson-family-charitable-trust-morg_bcace146a4ff4b7999a81173231645df
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_872393101_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gerson Family Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gerson-family-charitable-trust-morg_bcace146a4ff4b7999a81173231645df},
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 Gerson Family 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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