Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation
The Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with all reported grant dollars going to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation at a glance
In short: Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation gave $119K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $119,000
- +44.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,950
- +44.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,712,501
- +4.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% 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 Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 403 Coal Street, Wilkesbarre, PA 18702
Phone: (570) 824-8264
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Weinburg Northeast Regional Food Ba ($20K). Together the top 10 received $89K.
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 103 grants of 103 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 20 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 58% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 118% 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 $50K (2019) to $119K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $119K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Weinburg Northeast Regional Food Ba Pittston, PA | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Back Mountain Memorial Library Assn Dallas, PA | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Northeast Sight Services Exeter, PA | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Fork Over Love Kingston, PA | Program Support | $10,000 |
| MOA Prescription Fund Kingston, PA | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Ruth's Place Wilkes-Barre, PA | Program Support | $7,500 |
| Dinners for Kids Edwardsville, PA | Program Support | $6,000 |
| CASA of Luzerne County Plains, PA | Program Support | $5,000 |
| Family Services Association Wilkes-Barre, PA | Program Support | $5,000 |
| Autism Foundation Allied Services Clarks Summit, PA | Program Support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,712,501 | $207,421 | $130,543 | $119,000 | 20 | $120,950 | $198,409 | $102,817 |
| 2024 | $1,635,623 | $87,249 | $92,813 | $82,470 | 20 | $84,420 | $78,856 | $98,027 |
| 2023 | $1,641,187 | $-54,675 | $102,455 | $92,500 | 24 | $94,450 | $36,919 | $87,101 |
| 2022 | $1,798,317 | $65,195 | $86,658 | $75,500 | 20 | $77,450 | $67,102 | $89,318 |
| 2021 | $1,819,780 | $185,617 | $119,789 | $100,000 | 19 | $101,952 | $177,125 | $97,630 |
| 2020 | $1,753,952 | $1,339,821 | $59,073 | $52,000 | 16 | — | $334,853 | $57,073 |
| 2019 | $473,204 | $56,602 | $57,501 | $50,100 | 21 | — | $51,167 | $46,250 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation reported a distributable amount of $103K 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 foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support for organizations working in areas such as food access, health services, libraries, and youth services.
Among its grantees, Fork Over Love describes its mission as bridging the gap between independent restaurants and neighbors experiencing food insecurity by purchasing and distributing nutritious, chef-made meals. Dinners for Kids says it provides prepared, nutritious dinners to children in need. Volunteers in Medicine describes its work as providing free primary and preventive health services to working uninsured and underinsured people in Luzerne County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $119,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The listed grant purposes were program support.
Among the larger 2025 grants were $20,000 to Weinburg Northeast Regional Food Bank; $10,000 each to Back Mountain Memorial Library Association, Northeast Sight Services, Fork Over Love, and MOA Prescription Fund; and $7,500 to Ruth’s Place. Other reported grants included $6,000 to Dinners for Kids and $4,000 to Volunteers in Medicine.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists J Christopher Banks, J Gregory Banks, and Jennifer Banks Santo as trustees, and Margaret L Banks as an advisory board member.
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
J. Gregory Banks
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jennifer Banks Santo
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Margaret L. Banks
Advis Board Member
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Lisa Banks (2019–2024) — Advis Board Member
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 Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation
How much does Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation give each year?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation gave $119K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $82K across 20 grants.
What is Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,950, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation give grants?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilkes-Barre, PA (6 grants), Dallas, PA (4 grants) and Kingston, PA (3 grants).
Does Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (20 grants).
Who are Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Weinburg Northeast Regional Food Ba ($20,000), Back Mountain Memorial Library Assn ($10,000) and Northeast Sight Services ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $121K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $103K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support for organizations working in areas such as food access, health services, libraries, and youth services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's EIN?
Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2953650. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
Live grants for the work Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-b-and-virginia-h-banks-foundation-morg_d99c2239db1443f7a3473f64e1626a7a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232953650_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-b-and-virginia-h-banks-foundation-morg_d99c2239db1443f7a3473f64e1626a7a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Joseph B and Virginia H Banks Foundation'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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