Jack G and Viola M Bess

Private foundation · Grantmaker Saint Louis, MO EIN: 31-6639312

Jack G and Viola M Bess is a private foundation, based in Saint Louis, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $437K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $25K. Net investment income was $44K.

Jack G and Viola M Bess at a glance

In short: Jack G and Viola M Bess gave $25K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$25,250
+18.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
4
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$6,313
+18.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$8,000
Total assets
$437,498
+4.0% vs 2024
Primary geography
Virginia (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Jack G and Viola M Bess funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

Moose Charities: $8KMoose Charities$8KRoanoke Valley SPCA: $8KRoanoke Valley SPCA$8KTtees Hollins Rd Baptist Church: $8KTtees Hollins Rd BaptistChurch$8KRoanoke Moose Lodge No 284: $1KRoanoke Moose Lodge No 284$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was Moose Charities ($8K). Together the top 4 received $25K.

Grant Size Distribution

19 grants across all recorded years

19<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 19 grants of 19 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

Cities

RoanokeMooseheartSalem

How Jack G and Viola M Bess gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K3 grants2019 3 grants2020 3 grants2021 4 grants2022 4 grants2023 4 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21K (2024) to $27K (2022). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $25K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Moose Charities Mooseheart, ILGeneral Support$8,000
Roanoke Valley SPCA Roanoke, VAGeneral Support$8,000
Ttees Hollins Rd Baptist Church Roanoke, VAGeneral Support$8,000
Roanoke Moose Lodge No 284 Salem, VAGeneral Operating$1,250
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$437,498$53,636$38,860$25,2504$28,380$44,117$30,526
2024$420,772$53,260$33,517$21,2604$24,295$43,730$26,873
2023$400,778$21,635$35,219$24,0004$26,930$13,249$24,817
2022$414,872$21,299$38,282$27,0004$29,695$12,989$25,917
2021$431,788$36,038$37,050$24,8403$27,600$27,061$29,099
2020$432,952$33,625$35,396$25,0053—$25,542$25,027
2019$435,271$29,129$34,719$23,3643—$20,753$25,243

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jack G and Viola M Bess reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Jack G and Viola M Bess's only listed officer is Wells Fargo Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2019 (compensated).

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Wells Fargo Bank N A

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $8K (2019) → $10K (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

Wells Fargo Bank N a — Trustee: $10KWells Fargo Bank N aTrustee$10K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $10K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about Jack G and Viola M Bess

How much does Jack G and Viola M Bess give each year?

Jack G and Viola M Bess gave $25K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $21K across 4 grants.

What is Jack G and Viola M Bess's typical grant size?

Jack G and Viola M Bess's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $6,313, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Jack G and Viola M Bess give grants?

Jack G and Viola M Bess gives mostly in Virginia: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (32%). The most frequent recipient cities were Roanoke, VA (2 grants).

Does Jack G and Viola M Bess give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Jack G and Viola M Bess's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is Jack G and Viola M Bess?

Jack G and Viola M Bess reported $437K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $28K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (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 is Jack G and Viola M Bess's EIN?

Jack G and Viola M Bess's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6639312. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 3, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 19, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Jack G and Viola M Bess'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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