M J Surgala Tr
M J Surgala Tr is a private foundation based in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2024, it made 51 grants totaling $828,850, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Pennsylvania.
M J Surgala Tr at a glance
In short: M J Surgala Tr gave $829K across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $828,850
- +16.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- +45.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,252
- -20.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $23,051,169
- +20.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (11 of 51, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to M J Surgala Tr
- How to Apply
-
Contact Mary Lincoln for information on submitting applications. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations, and the filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Lincoln
Mailing address: 5966 Wyndemere Drive, Erie, PA 16505
Phone: (814) 838-4921
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who M J Surgala Tr funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jefferson Educational Society ($100K). Together the top 10 received $485K.
Grant Size Distribution
258 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 242 grants of 258 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The remaining shares went to New York (3%), Florida (3%), New Jersey (2%), and Ohio (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
Cities
Is M J Surgala Tr open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 51 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $625K (2021) to $829K (2024). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $829K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Educational Society Erie, PA | General Funds | $100,000 |
| United Way of Erie County Erie, PA | General Funds | $55,000 |
| Erie City Mission Erie, PA | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Erie Homes for Children & Adults Erie, PA | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Mount St Benedict Monastery Erie, PA | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Erie, PA | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Unitarian Universalist Church of Girard Girard, PA | General Funds | $50,000 |
| Emmaus Ministries Erie, PA | General Funds | $30,000 |
| Family Services of NW PA Erie, PA | General Funds | $25,000 |
| Inner City Neighborhood Art House Erie, PA | General Funds | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with M J Surgala Tr?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $23,051,169 | $648,982 | $926,810 | $828,850 | 51 | $908,850 | $646,216 | $1,051,796 |
| 2023 | $19,150,904 | $406,592 | $816,226 | $712,711 | 35 | $792,711 | $540,485 | $870,325 |
| 2022 | $16,742,130 | $692,727 | $911,574 | $728,540 | 58 | $888,540 | $690,398 | $839,227 |
| 2021 | $18,809,282 | $540,581 | $712,717 | $625,160 | 55 | $711,160 | $534,928 | $858,664 |
| 2020 | $16,532,282 | $545,118 | $736,068 | $646,900 | 59 | — | $455,950 | $742,858 |
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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, United Way of Erie County says its mission is to mobilize resources to break the cycle of poverty and improve the community; Family Services of NW PA says it strengthens families through counseling, education, and advocacy; and ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum says it provides children with an educational, creative, interactive, and safe environment for learning and fun.
Other 2024 grantees include Erie Homes for Children & Adults, which says it provides programs for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, and Erie Philharmonic, which says it provides live orchestra concerts and programs to enrich, entertain, and educate people of all ages.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 51 grants totaling $828,850. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $100,000, and the median grant was $10,000. The largest awards included $100,000 to Jefferson Educational Society; $55,000 to United Way of Erie County; and $50,000 each to Erie City Mission, Erie Homes for Children & Adults, Mount St Benedict Monastery, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Girard. These grants were listed for general funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Mary Lincoln is listed as executive director on the 2024 filing.
M J Surgala Tr is led by Mary Lincoln, Executive Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary Lincoln
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$80K (2020) → $80K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $80K, to Mary Lincoln (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about M J Surgala Tr
How much does M J Surgala Tr give each year?
M J Surgala Tr gave $829K across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $713K across 35 grants.
What is M J Surgala Tr's typical grant size?
M J Surgala Tr's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,252, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from M J Surgala Tr that year got $10K on average.
Where does M J Surgala Tr give grants?
M J Surgala Tr gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Erie, PA (39 grants) and Boca Raton, FL (2 grants).
Does M J Surgala Tr give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of M J Surgala Tr's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (51 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are M J Surgala Tr's largest grantees?
M J Surgala Tr's largest 2024 grantees include Jefferson Educational Society ($100,000), United Way of Erie County ($55,000) and Erie City Mission ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is M J Surgala Tr?
M J Surgala Tr reported $23.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $909K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (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 M J Surgala Tr fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from M J Surgala Tr?
Contact Mary Lincoln for information on submitting applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is M J Surgala Tr's EIN?
M J Surgala Tr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-6556638. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). M J Surgala Tr funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/m-j-surgala-tr-morg_cab8dc7bbe704fd2919d19458244cd16
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_116556638_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{M J Surgala Tr funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/m-j-surgala-tr-morg_cab8dc7bbe704fd2919d19458244cd16},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 M J Surgala Tr'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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