The James & Betty Jacobs Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1997 in Maine. Based in West Bath, Maine, the trust operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving through investment earnings distributed to exempt charitable, scientific, educational, and literary organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.9M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$325K
+30.0% YoY
Grant Count
72
+2.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+26.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James & Betty Jacobs Family reported a distributable amount of $214K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust's stated purpose is to use earnings from investments to make distributions to exempt organizations organized and operated for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Human services
- Environmental education
- Science education
Grantmaking
The trust made 60 grants in 2024, with total giving of $325,000.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
amount varies by year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily funds organizations in Maine, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $3,925,255
- Total revenues: $313,181
- Total expenses: $405,248
- Total liabilities: $0
- Number of employees: 0
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $4,020,000
- Total revenues: $139,000
- Total expenses: $332,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,925,255 | $4,017,322 | $4,210,545 |
| Revenue | $313,181 | $138,860 | $659,626 |
| Expenses | $405,248 | $332,083 | $306,556 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $380,684 | $303,771 | $266,718 |
| Net Investment Income | $290,721 | $120,670 | $629,605 |
| Distributable Amount | $214,394 | $205,721 | $218,269 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Habitat for Humanity ($16,000), Maine Public Broadcasting Network ($15,000), Brewer Area Food Pantry ($13,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALL SAINTS SCHOOL BANGOR, ME | SCHOLARSHIP | $6,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ELLSWORTH, ME | DONATION | $5,000 |
| ASNE NO NEW ENGLAND SECTION BATH, ME | DONATION | $1,200 |
| ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY WORCESTER, MA | DONATION | $5,000 |
| BANGOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BANGOR, ME | DONATION | $1,000 |
| BATH MUNICIPAL BAND BATH, ME | DONATION | $1,000 |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE BRUNSWICK, ME | DONATION | $5,000 |
| BREWER AREA FOOD PANTRY BREWER, ME | DONATION | $13,000 |
| BREWER HIGH SCHOOL BREWER, ME | DONATION | $2,000 |
| BRIDGEPORT RESCUE MISSION BRIDGEPORT, CT | DONATION | $1,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The trust is administered by Jeff Jacobs, listed as trustee.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN R JACOBS | TRUSTEE | 4 | $16,500 |
| JEFFERY A JACOBS | TRUSTEE | 4 | $16,500 |
| THOMAS M JACOBS | TRUSTEE | 4 | $16,500 |
Contact Information
Address: 300 Houghton Pond Rd, West Bath, ME 04530-6734
Telephone: 207-729-2252
EIN: 01-0511399
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does James & Betty Jacobs Family fund?
The trust's stated purpose is to use earnings from investments to make distributions to exempt organizations organized and operated for charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services • Environmental education • Science education
How do I apply for a grant from James & Betty Jacobs Family?
**Grant Activity:** The trust made 60 grants in 2024, with total giving of $325,000. **Grant Sizes:** • Typical awards range from $250 to $17,000 • Average grant amount varies by year • Median grant amount varies by year **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Habitat for Humanity - Greater Bangor: $16,000 • Maine Coast Heritage Trust: $13,000 • Sarah's House of Maine: $11,000 • Honor Flight Maine: $4,000 **Previous Grantees (2023):** • Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care: $3,000
Where does James & Betty Jacobs Family make grants?
The trust primarily funds organizations in Maine, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does James & Betty Jacobs Family award?
In 2024, James & Betty Jacobs Family awarded 72 grants totaling $325K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is James & Betty Jacobs Family required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, James & Betty Jacobs Family reported a distributable amount of $214K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is James & Betty Jacobs Family's EIN?
James & Betty Jacobs Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0511399. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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