Leon Wells Trust
Leon Wells Trust is a private foundation based in Muncie, Indiana. Its 2026 filing reports grants to individual recipients for scholarships at colleges and universities in Michigan and nearby states.
Leon Wells Trust at a glance
In short: Leon Wells Trust gave $14K across 13 grants in 2026 (avg $1K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $14,000
- +27.3% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 13
- -31.6% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $1,077
- +86.0% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $254,915
- +0.4% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Leon Wells Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists First Merchants Bank as the contact and says to see the attachment for application materials and award restrictions. It also directs applicants to the attachment for deadline information.
- Contact
Application contact: First Merchants Bank
Mailing address: 10 Washington St, Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: (734) 242-2734
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leon Wells Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 93 grants of 93 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2026 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Leon Wells Trust gives
- Giving fell 24% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2021) to $19K (2023). In 2026 it made 13 grants totaling $14K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 13 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $14,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $254,915 | $20,100 | $19,144 | $14,000 | 13 | $16,043 | $17,369 | $12,290 |
| 2025 | $253,959 | $18,510 | $16,238 | $11,000 | 19 | $13,576 | $15,848 | $16,369 |
| 2024 | $251,687 | $6,182 | $16,353 | $11,600 | 18 | $13,892 | $6,219 | $15,448 |
| 2023 | $261,858 | $7,051 | $23,588 | $18,520 | 25 | $19,020 | $5,051 | $15,229 |
| 2022 | $278,395 | $34,401 | $19,983 | $15,850 | 18 | $17,667 | $32,085 | $17,170 |
| 2021 | $263,977 | $13,162 | $15,143 | $10,374 | 17 | — | $10,799 | $16,783 |
| 2020 | $265,958 | $3,175 | $19,896 | $15,000 | 17 | — | $4,930 | $14,439 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leon Wells Trust reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. The 2026 grants listed are scholarships for individual recipients attending colleges and universities, including the University of Toledo, University of Michigan, Kettering University, and Michigan State University.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the trust reported 13 grants totaling $14,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,750, with a median of $1,000. Examples include four $1,750 scholarships for individual recipients attending the University of Toledo, University of Michigan, Kettering University, and Michigan State University.
The trust’s 2025 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
First Merchants Bank is listed as trustee on the 2026 filing.
Leon Wells Trust's only listed officer is First Merchants Bank, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2026 filing
First Merchants Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$3K (2020) → $4K (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $4K, to First Merchants Bank (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Leon Wells Trust
How much does Leon Wells Trust give each year?
Leon Wells Trust gave $14K across 13 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $11K across 19 grants.
What is Leon Wells Trust's typical grant size?
Leon Wells Trust's median grant in 2026 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,077, across 13 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Leon Wells Trust give grants?
Leon Wells Trust gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Leon Wells Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Leon Wells Trust's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship University of Toledo" (3 grants) and "Scholarship Michigan State University" (3 grants).
How large is Leon Wells Trust?
Leon Wells Trust reported $255K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $16K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Leon Wells Trust fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2026 grants listed are scholarships for individual recipients attending colleges and universities, including the University of Toledo, University of Michigan, Kettering University, and Michigan State University. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leon Wells Trust?
The filing lists First Merchants Bank as the contact and says to see the attachment for application materials and award restrictions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Leon Wells Trust's EIN?
Leon Wells Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6146348. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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