Julia Pierson Trust
Julia Pierson Trust is a private foundation based in Carrollton, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants for education to individuals and limits awards to individuals residing in the area presently known as Carrollton Community School District 1.
Julia Pierson Trust at a glance
In short: Julia Pierson Trust gave $137K across 73 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $136,963
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 73
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,876
- -3.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,927
- Total assets
- $2,653,054
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (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.
How to apply to Julia Pierson Trust
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says applicants should contact Julia Pierson Trust and submit a resume of academic qualifications. Awards are limited to individuals residing in the area presently known as Carrollton Community School District 1.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025 filing lists May 15 as the deadline but does not specify a year or a current application cycle.
- Deadline
- The 2025 filing lists May 15 as the deadline but does not specify a year or a current application cycle.
- Contact
Application contact: Julia Pierson Trust
Mailing address: PO Box 29, Carrollton, IL 62016
Phone: (217) 942-5244
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Julia Pierson Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carley Pyatt ($2K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $19K.
Grant Size Distribution
378 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 378 grants of 378 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing restricts awards to individuals residing in the area presently known as Carrollton Community School District 1. It reports that 100% of 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 73 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Julia Pierson Trust gives
- Giving fell 32% from 2022 to 2025. 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $67K (2021) to $200K (2022). In 2025 it made 73 grants totaling $137K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Avery Banghart Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Will Bland Eldred, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Madeline Brannan Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Megan Camden Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Jayla Campbell Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Dagan Cordes Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Sophie Cotner Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Harper Darr Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Calie Field Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
| Abby Flowers Carrollton, IL | Education | $1,927 |
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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 | $2,653,054 | $172,466 | $171,933 | $136,963 | 73 | $138,463 | $149,117 | $148,938 |
| 2024 | $2,652,521 | $318,414 | $155,135 | $128,425 | 66 | $131,735 | $295,029 | $136,937 |
| 2023 | $2,489,242 | $39,775 | $172,142 | $144,523 | 77 | $150,664 | $47,201 | $130,417 |
| 2022 | $2,621,609 | $-80,076 | $253,699 | $199,956 | 96 | $231,553 | $35,099 | $142,466 |
| 2021 | $2,955,384 | $1,615,185 | $94,842 | $66,500 | 66 | $67,025 | $1,587,004 | $131,418 |
| 2020 | $1,435,041 | $101,368 | $155,249 | $127,286 | 64 | — | $73,855 | $138,812 |
| 2019 | $1,488,922 | $88,954 | $107,159 | $80,101 | 86 | — | $84,332 | $127,213 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Julia Pierson Trust reported a distributable amount of $149K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The 2025 filing lists education as the purpose of the reported grants. It does not state a mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the trust reported 73 grants totaling $136,963. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,927, with a median of $1,927. The largest listed awards were $1,927 each, for education. The filing reports that all grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Pamela Painter, Stanley Roberts, and Patrick Copley as trustees.
Julia Pierson Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Stanley Roberts
Trustee
On filings since 2019
$150 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Pamela Painter
Trustee
On filings since 2021
$225 (2021) → $0 (2025)
Patrick Copley
Trustee
On filings since 2023
$75 (2023) → $0 (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: E. Neal Gillingham (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Margaert A. Schnelt (2019–2020) — Trustee
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 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $150, to Pamela Painter (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Julia Pierson Trust
How much does Julia Pierson Trust give each year?
Julia Pierson Trust gave $137K across 73 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $128K across 66 grants.
What is Julia Pierson Trust's typical grant size?
Julia Pierson Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,927, and its average grant was $1,876, across 73 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Julia Pierson Trust give grants?
Julia Pierson Trust gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Carrollton, IL (64 grants) and Eldred, IL (8 grants).
Does Julia Pierson Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 73 grants with a stated purpose on Julia Pierson Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (73 grants).
Who are Julia Pierson Trust's largest grantees?
Julia Pierson Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Carley Pyatt ($2,000 across 2 grants), Ava Uhles ($2,000 across 2 grants) and Avery Banghart ($1,927), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 4% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Julia Pierson Trust?
Julia Pierson Trust reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $138K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $149K (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 Julia Pierson Trust fund?
The 2025 filing lists education as the purpose of the reported grants. It does not state a mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Julia Pierson Trust?
The 2025 filing says applicants should contact Julia Pierson Trust and submit a resume of academic qualifications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Julia Pierson Trust's EIN?
Julia Pierson Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6321165. 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 12, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Julia Pierson Trust funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Julia Pierson Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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