M J Surgala Tr

Foundation · Grantmaker ERIE, PA EIN: 11-6556638

M J Surgala Trust is a private foundation based in Erie, Pennsylvania, established in 2003. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a focus on grantmaking in education, human services, and cultural preservation.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$23.1M

+20.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$829K

+16.3% YoY

Grant Count

+45.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$16K

-20.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, M J Surgala Tr reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily funds works to promote preservation of the flagship Niagara. Beyond this core focus, the trust supports:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Historic preservation and historic buildings
Arts and culture through courses, seminars, and educational opportunities

Grantmaking

Mary Lincoln

Review Cycle

- No stated restrictions on applications

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas, with a strong emphasis on the Erie, Pennsylvania area.

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $3.0M (94%)

Florida $61K (2%)

New York $58K (2%)

New Jersey $25K (1%)

Maryland $24K (1%)

Ohio $10K (0%)

Texas $10K (0%)

California $2K (0%)

+2 more states

States

California Florida Illinois Massachusetts Maryland New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Texas

Cities

Boca RatonCambridgeChicagoDallasErieFairviewFort LauderdaleGirardHagerstownHarborcreekHighland BeachJacksnovilleLindaleLos AngelesNew YorkPatersonPhiladelphiaTallahasseeToledoWest Palm Beach

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Metric	Amount	Year
Total Assets	$23,051,169	2024
Total Assets	$19,150,904	2023
Total Giving	$828,850	2024
Total Revenues	$406,592	2023
Total Expenses	$816,226	2023
Investment Income	$545,299	2023

The foundation's assets place it in the top 10% of foundations nationally (ranked #7,448 of 159,550).

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$23,051,169	$19,150,904	$16,742,130
Revenue	$648,982	$406,592	$692,727
Expenses	$926,810	$816,226	$911,574
Qualifying Distributions	$908,850	$792,711	$888,540
Net Investment Income	$646,216	$540,485	$690,398
Distributable Amount	$1,051,796	$870,325	$839,227

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

235 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jefferson Educational Society ($100,000), United Way of Erie County ($55,000), Erie City Mission ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX	GENERAL FUNDS	$1,000
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION TALLAHASSEE, FL	GENERAL FUNDS	$1,000
ASBURY WOODS ERIE, PA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000
BAYFRONT MARITIME CENTER ERIE, PA	GENERAL FUND	$11,000
BOCA RATON MUSEUM OF ART BOCA RATON, FL	GENERAL FUNDS	$17,600
BOCA RATON REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION BOCA RATON, FL	GENERAL FUNDS	$2,500
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ERIE INC ERIE, PA	GENERAL FUNDS	$15,000
CRIME VICTIM CENTER ERIE, PA	GENERAL FUNDS	$5,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HAGERSTOWN, MD	GENERAL FUNDS	$2,000
DR GERTRUDE BARBER FOUNDATION ERIE, PA	GENERAL FUNDS	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Mary Lincoln - Executive Director (10 hours per week, $80,000 annual compensation)

The foundation operates with limited staffing, consisting of one employee.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARY LINCOLN	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	10	$80,000

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does M J Surgala Tr fund?

The foundation primarily funds works to promote preservation of the flagship Niagara. Beyond this core focus, the trust supports: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Historic preservation and historic buildings • Arts and culture through courses, seminars, and educational opportunities

How do I apply for a grant from M J Surgala Tr?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 51-55 grants in recent years • Typical grant awards range from $250 to $411,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 **Recent Grantees Include:** • Jefferson Educational Society of Erie ($411,000) • ExpERIEnce Children's Museum ($30,000) • Mercy Center for Women ($30,000) • Penn State Erie - The Behrend College **Application Process:** • No formal deadlines • No stated restrictions on applications • Applicants should contact the trustee for information on submitting applica…

Where does M J Surgala Tr make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas, with a strong emphasis on the Erie, Pennsylvania area.

What size grants does M J Surgala Tr award?

In 2024, M J Surgala Tr awarded 51 grants totaling $829K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is M J Surgala Tr required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, M J Surgala Tr reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.