James Frances McCandless Trust

Private foundation · Grantmaker Pittsburgh, PA EIN: 25-1347840

The James Frances McCandless Trust is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including sports for people with intellectual disabilities, food assistance, housing, community development, and education.

James Frances McCandless Trust at a glance

In short: James Frances McCandless Trust gave $262K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 61% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$261,720
+5.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
18
+28.6% vs 2024
Average grant
$14,540
-17.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$13,750
Total assets
$5,358,051
-0.1% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
61% first-time grantees (11 of 18, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Pennsylvania (89% 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 James Frances McCandless Trust

How to Apply

The filing lists PNC Bank Charitable Trust Grant Rev as the contact. It directs applicants to see footnotes for the application form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

Contact

Application contact: Pnc Bank Charitable Trust Grant Rev
Mailing address: Tower At Pnc Plaza 300 Fifth Ave M, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 442-3927

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who James Frances McCandless Trust funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Special Olympics Pennsylvania Inc: $25KSpecial Olympics PennsylvaniaInc$25KSouth Hills Interfaith Ministries: $23KSouth Hills InterfaithMinistries$23KUPMC Horizon Community Health: $20KUPMC Horizon Community Health$20KPrince of Peace Center: $20KPrince of Peace Center$20KNorth Hills Affordable Housing: $20KNorth Hills Affordable Housing$20KNational Council of Young Mens Christian: $15KNational Council of Young MensChristian$15K412 Food Rescue Inc: $15K412 Food Rescue Inc$15KAmerican National Red Cross: $15KAmerican National Red Cross$15K1HOOD Media Academy: $15K1HOOD Media Academy$15KCoraopolis Community Development Corp: $13KCoraopolis CommunityDevelopment Corp$13K

The largest 2025 recipient was Special Olympics Pennsylvania Inc ($25K). Together the top 10 received $181K.

Grant Size Distribution

84 grants across all recorded years

84<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 84 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 6% to Illinois, and 6% to Washington, D.C. The trust’s largest listed awards were primarily to Pennsylvania recipients.

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.

Cities

PittsburghSharonHermitageMercerFarrellBethel ParkBraddockAlexandriaChicagoDequesneMcKeesportMunhallNorristownWashingtonWexfordCoraopolisDallasDaytonDoverFranklin

Is James Frances McCandless Trust open to new grantees?

61%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 18 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $17K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $20K repeat.

  • 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 (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

$0$100K$200K$300K19 grants2019 14 grants2020 18 grants2021 18 grants2022 16 grants2023 14 grants2024 18 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $248K (2024) to $292K (2022). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $262K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Special Olympics Pennsylvania Inc Norristown, PAGeneral Support$25,000
South Hills Interfaith Ministries Bethel Park, PAGeneral Support$23,000
UPMC Horizon Community Health Pittsburgh, PAMerp Inventory Access$20,000
Prince of Peace Center Farrell, PAThe Dignity of Work$20,000
North Hills Affordable Housing Glenshaw, PAGeneral Support$20,000
National Council of Young Mens Christian Chicago, ILGeneral Support$15,000
412 Food Rescue Inc Pittsburgh, PAGeneral Support$15,000
American National Red Cross Washington, DCGeneral Support$15,000
1HOOD Media Academy Pittsburgh, PAGeneral Support$15,000
Coraopolis Community Development Corp Coraopolis, PAGeneral Support$12,500
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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$5,358,051$339,419$344,758$261,72018$291,663$288,813$305,205
2024$5,362,286$325,504$333,169$248,02214$276,693$277,046$290,391
2023$5,364,632$411,183$326,495$253,50616$277,318$357,813$271,834
2022$5,274,901$185,961$378,918$291,50318$319,990$135,644$281,993
2021$5,467,850$549,380$342,365$252,50518$280,821$493,770$319,819
2020$5,261,270$418,088$349,170$266,94614—$365,768$278,923
2019$5,200,596$479,808$349,380$276,09719—$423,385$290,942

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James Frances McCandless Trust reported a distributable amount of $305K 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 trust is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and activities. For example, Special Olympics Pennsylvania describes its mission as providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. South Hills Interfaith Ministries says it helps neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency, and build community. North Hills Affordable Housing describes providing supportive services and housing for survivors of domestic violence and promoting affordable housing.

Other 2025 recipients include Prince of Peace Center, whose stated work includes supporting people’s economic, emotional, and spiritual needs; 412 Food Rescue, which works to reduce hunger and food waste; and Mercer Area Library, which promotes literacy and educational support.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the trust awarded 18 grants totaling $261,720. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median of $13,750. Among the largest awards were $25,000 to Special Olympics Pennsylvania, $23,000 to South Hills Interfaith Ministries, and $20,000 each to UPMC Horizon Community Health, Prince of Peace Center, and North Hills Affordable Housing. The filing lists general support as the purpose for several awards; other stated purposes included MERP inventory access, The Dignity of Work, and multi-sensory environment equipment.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

PNC Bank N.A. is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.

James Frances McCandless Trust's only listed officer is PNC Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2019 (compensated).

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • PNC Bank N A

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $55K (2019) → $60K (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

PNC Bank N a — Trustee: $60KPNC Bank N aTrustee$60K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to PNC Bank N a (Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about James Frances McCandless Trust

How much does James Frances McCandless Trust give each year?

James Frances McCandless Trust gave $262K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $248K across 14 grants.

What is James Frances McCandless Trust's typical grant size?

James Frances McCandless Trust's median grant in 2025 was $13,750, and its average grant was $14,540, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James Frances McCandless Trust that year got $13K on average.

Where does James Frances McCandless Trust give grants?

James Frances McCandless Trust gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (6%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (6 grants) and Sharon, PA (2 grants).

Does James Frances McCandless Trust give general operating support?

Yes: 72% of James Frances McCandless Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are James Frances McCandless Trust's largest grantees?

James Frances McCandless Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Special Olympics Pennsylvania Inc ($25,000), South Hills Interfaith Ministries ($23,000) and UPMC Horizon Community Health ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is James Frances McCandless Trust?

James Frances McCandless Trust reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $292K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $305K (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 James Frances McCandless Trust fund?

No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and activities. For example, Special Olympics Pennsylvania describes its mission as providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from James Frances McCandless Trust?

The filing lists PNC Bank Charitable Trust Grant Rev as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is James Frances McCandless Trust's EIN?

James Frances McCandless Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1347840. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

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

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 16, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). James Frances McCandless Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-frances-mccandless-trust-morg_ff9bf12f66124b139b63771fc121bafc

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251347840_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{James Frances McCandless Trust funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-frances-mccandless-trust-morg_ff9bf12f66124b139b63771fc121bafc},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 James Frances McCandless 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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