Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main is a private foundation based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Established from a testamentary bequest in 1993, it makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational activities.
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main at a glance
In short: Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main gave $308K across 40 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $307,500
- +25.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- +42.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,688
- -12.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,199,232
- -5.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (14 of 38, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (75% 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 Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main
- How to Apply
-
Apply online using the application form and materials specified by the trust. Contact Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services.
- Review Cycle
- January 31 annually.
- Deadline
- January 31 annually.
- Contact
Application contact: Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services
Mailing address: 1 W 4Th St 4T Floor, Winston Salem, NC 27101
Phone: (888) 234-1999
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main
Who Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Constitution Center ($25K). Together the top 10 received $138K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
156 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 156 grants of 156 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust states that its grants have no geographic limitations, while noting a practice of supporting organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. In 2025, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 9% to New Jersey, 6% to New York, 3% to Washington, D.C., and 2% to South Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 38 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 32% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 174% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $205K (2021) to $308K (2025). In 2025 it made 40 grants totaling $308K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Constitution Center Philadelphia, PA | General Operating | $25,000 |
| A Meaningful Purpose Egg Harbor Township, NJ | General Operating | $25,000 |
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | General Operating | $18,000 |
| Friendship Circle Delaware Valley Newtown, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Make a Wish Foundation of Philly Blue Bell, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
| La Salle University Philadelphia, PA | General Operating Purposes | $10,000 |
| Holy Family University Philadelphia, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Drueding Center Philadelphia, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Holy Redeemer Health System Meadowbrook, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Project Home Philadelphia, PA | General Operating | $10,000 |
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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 | $2,199,232 | $236,939 | $368,446 | $307,500 | 40 | $327,724 | $199,619 | $188,248 |
| 2024 | $2,326,195 | $203,439 | $297,232 | $245,500 | 28 | $262,016 | $168,501 | $171,484 |
| 2023 | $2,419,526 | $126,622 | $275,440 | $224,113 | 28 | $240,791 | $92,408 | $165,588 |
| 2022 | $2,568,707 | $205,723 | $298,437 | $230,500 | 29 | $250,676 | $164,661 | $207,807 |
| 2021 | $2,654,093 | $336,715 | $261,425 | $204,500 | 31 | — | $297,953 | $192,567 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust’s stated mission is to provide grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations supporting charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of work: the National Constitution Center describes its mission as constitutional education and civil dialogue; Project HOME works to address homelessness and poverty; and the Drueding Center partners with families to build skills to heal from trauma and end homelessness. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the trust.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust reported 40 grants totaling $307,500. Individual grants ranged from $1,500 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest were $25,000 to the National Constitution Center and $25,000 to A Meaningful Purpose; $18,000 to the American Jewish Committee; and $10,000 each to Friendship Circle Delaware Valley, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philly, La Salle University, Holy Family University, Drueding Center, Holy Redeemer Health System, Project HOME, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Urban Affairs Coalition.
The trust’s application policy states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligible applicants are qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. The application is online, and the filing lists no geographic limitations while noting a practice of supporting organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The trust does not support endowment requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William R. Sasso, Esq., as co-trustee and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. as trustee.
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wells Fargo Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$51K (2021) → $49K (2025)
William R. Sasso Esq.
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $49K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main
How much does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main give each year?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main gave $308K across 40 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $246K across 28 grants.
What is Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's typical grant size?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,688, across 40 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main that year got $7K on average.
Where does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main give grants?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (9%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (20 grants), Conshohocken, PA (2 grants), Blue Bell, PA (2 grants) and Jenkintown, PA (2 grants).
Does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's largest grantees?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main's largest 2025 grantees include National Constitution Center ($25,000), A Meaningful Purpose ($25,000) and American Jewish Committee ($18,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main?
Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $328K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $188K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main fund?
The trust’s stated mission is to provide grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations supporting charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main?
Apply online using the application form and materials specified by the trust. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leo-niessen-jr-charitable-tr-main-morg_144a3243b04d42faa61add1032a54e8f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_227723097_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leo-niessen-jr-charitable-tr-main-morg_144a3243b04d42faa61add1032a54e8f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Leo Niessen Jr Charitable Tr-Main'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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