Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main
The Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Saint Louis, Missouri, established in 1993 through a testamentary bequest. The trust operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting qualified charitable, religious, scientific, literary, and educational activities through grantmaking to nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
-5.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$308K
+25.3% YoY
Grant Count
40
+42.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-12.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main reported a distributable amount of $188K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust honors Leo Niessen's philanthropic legacy and supports a diverse range of charitable causes. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education (elementary, secondary, and higher education)
- Arts and culture
- Human services
- Family services
- Child welfare
- Religion
- Women and girls
Grantmaking
The Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Trust provides grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Typical grant awards range from $1,500 to $25,000. The trust does not support endowment requests.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust provides funding across multiple states including California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, with particular preference for Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $2,326,195
- Total Revenue: $203,439
- Total Expenses: $297,232
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $307,500
The trust maintains a stable financial position with assets exceeding $2.3 million and generates sufficient revenue to support its annual grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,199,232 | $2,326,195 | $2,419,526 |
| Revenue | $236,939 | $203,439 | $126,622 |
| Expenses | $368,446 | $297,232 | $275,440 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $327,724 | $262,016 | $240,791 |
| Net Investment Income | $199,619 | $168,501 | $92,408 |
| Distributable Amount | $188,248 | $171,484 | $165,588 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
156 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include National Constitution Center ($25,000), A Meaningful Purpose ($25,000), American Jewish Committee ($18,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACADEMY IN MANAYUNK INC CONSHOHOCKEN, PA | GENERAL OPERATING | $7,500 |
| WISSAHICKON CHARTER SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL OPERATING | $1,500 |
| MARCH OF DIMES INC ARLINGTON, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING | $18,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INC DALLAS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING | $2,500 |
| FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE DELAWARE VALLEY NEWTOWN, PA | GENERAL OPERATING | $10,000 |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION OF PHILLY BLUE BELL, PA | GENERAL OPERATING | $10,000 |
| INSURANCE SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA MOUNT LAUREL, NJ | GENERAL OPERATING | $3,000 |
| LA SALLE UNIVERSITY PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| HEIGHTS PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL OPERATING | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- William R. Sasso, Esq. – Co-trustee (serves without compensation)
- Wells Fargo Bank N.A. – Trustee (compensation of $45,962)
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM R SASSO ESQ | CO-TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WELLS FARGO BANK N A | TRUSTEE | 1 | $48,617 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main fund?
The trust honors Leo Niessen's philanthropic legacy and supports a diverse range of charitable causes. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education (elementary, secondary, and higher education) • Arts and culture • Human services • Family services • Child welfare • Religion • Women and girls
How do I apply for a grant from Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main?
The Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Trust provides grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Typical grant awards range from $1,500 to $25,000. The trust does not support endowment requests. While there are no strict geographic restrictions on funding, preference is given to organizations located in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. The foundation has historically supported organizations including Holy Redeemer Hospital and Red Cloud Indian School.
Where does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main make grants?
The trust provides funding across multiple states including California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, with particular preference for Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.
What size grants does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main award?
In 2025, Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main awarded 40 grants totaling $308K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main reported a distributable amount of $188K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main's EIN?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-7723097. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-main's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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