Mary Garner Esary Trust
The Mary Garner Esary Trust was a private foundation based in Walla Walla, Washington. Its 2024 filing states that the trust terminated after donating all remaining assets to Blue Mountain Community Foundation.
Mary Garner Esary Trust at a glance
In short: Mary Garner Esary Trust gave $3.4M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $155K), mostly in Washington. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,400,589
- +2158.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $154,572
- +1747.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (3 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (100% 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 Mary Garner Esary Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Robert Zagelow as the contact and requires the application materials described above. The trust has terminated, according to its 2024 filing.
- Review Cycle
- No set deadlines.
- Deadline
- No set deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert Zagelow
Mailing address: 1391 Country Club Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: (509) 520-2227
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mary Garner Esary Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Blue Mountain Community Foundation ($3.3M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 142 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing states that awards were restricted to the Walla Walla and Eastern Washington geographic area. All 2024 grant dollars are reported as going to recipients in Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mary Garner Esary Trust open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 19 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1.1M; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 2278% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $126K (2020) to $3.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $3.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Community Foundation Walla Walla, WA | Endowment | $3,303,881 |
| Blue Mountain Community Foundation Walla Walla, WA | Endowment | $19,043 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $20,500 |
| Walla Walla Catholic Schools Walla Walla, WA | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Fort Walla Walla Museum Walla Walla, WA | General Operations | $4,500 |
| Page Ahead Seattle, WA | Children's Literacy | $4,500 |
| City of Walla Walla Walla Walla, WA | Parks & Recreation | $4,000 |
| St Francis Cabrini Walla Walla, WA | General Operations | $3,665 |
| Campfire Walla Walla, WA | General Operations | $3,500 |
| Community Council Walla Walla, WA | General Operations | $3,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | $33,089 | $3,429,750 | $3,400,589 | 22 | $3,404,589 | $7,928 | $161,388 |
| 2023 | $3,308,243 | $59,489 | $199,417 | $150,575 | 18 | $150,575 | $51,204 | $148,489 |
| 2022 | $3,448,171 | $459,468 | $211,368 | $169,150 | 15 | $169,150 | $417,250 | $150,359 |
| 2021 | $3,205,205 | $847,831 | $199,946 | $143,015 | 47 | $149,015 | $209,761 | $172,231 |
| 2020 | $2,560,520 | $80,274 | $185,706 | $125,600 | 40 | — | $27,776 | $158,506 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Garner Esary Trust reported a distributable amount of $161K 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 trust is provided. Its grants included support for scholarships and educational organizations, community services, recovery support, literacy, arts, and local recreation. For example, Blue Mountain Community Foundation describes its mission as connecting people, charitable causes, and community needs in the Blue Mountain region. Community Council says it fosters dialogue, inquiry, and advocacy to build a vibrant region; Trilogy Recovery Community describes its work as supporting youth, adults, and families in recovery from addiction or substance misuse.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust reported 22 grants totaling $3,400,589. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $3,303,881, with a median of $3,500. The largest grant was $3,303,881 to Blue Mountain Community Foundation for an endowment; the trust also gave that foundation $19,043 for an endowment. Other notable grants included $17,500 to Walla Walla Public School for scholarships, $5,000 to Walla Walla Catholic Schools for general operations, and $4,500 each to Fort Walla Walla Museum for general operations and Page Ahead for children’s literacy.
The filing states that the foundation did not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It required a letter stating the proposed use of funds, a copy of the applicant’s 501(c)(3) exemption letter, and a proposed budget. Awards were restricted to the Walla Walla and Eastern Washington geographic area.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Robert L. Zagelow was listed as trustee on the 2024 filing.
Mary Garner Esary Trust is led by Robert L. Zagelow, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert L. Zagelow
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $8K (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 $8K, to Robert L Zagelow (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Mary Garner Esary Trust
How much does Mary Garner Esary Trust give each year?
Mary Garner Esary Trust gave $3.4M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $151K across 18 grants.
What is Mary Garner Esary Trust's typical grant size?
Mary Garner Esary Trust's median grant in 2024 was $3,500, and its average grant was $154,572, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mary Garner Esary Trust that year got $1.1M on average.
Where does Mary Garner Esary Trust give grants?
Mary Garner Esary Trust gives mostly in Washington: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Walla Walla, WA (16 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does Mary Garner Esary Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of Mary Garner Esary Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mary Garner Esary Trust's largest grantees?
Mary Garner Esary Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Blue Mountain Community Foundation ($3,322,924 across 2 grants), Walla Walla Catholic Schools ($5,500 across 2 grants) and Fort Walla Walla Museum ($4,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($20,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Mary Garner Esary Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its grants included support for scholarships and educational organizations, community services, recovery support, literacy, arts, and local recreation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Garner Esary Trust?
The filing lists Robert Zagelow as the contact and requires the application materials described above. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Mary Garner Esary Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mary Garner Esary Trust reported a distributable amount of $161K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mary Garner Esary Trust's EIN?
Mary Garner Esary Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1901307. 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
Live grants for the work Mary Garner Esary Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mary Garner Esary Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Clara and Art Bald Trust
Walla Walla, WA
The trust’s 2024 grants supported Washington organizations working in community services, education, culture, and recreation, including endowments, school programs, literacy, scholarships, and general operations. Grants ranged from $500 to $2,629,629, with a median of $3,500. It did not limit giving to preselected organizations, and no application form was required; however, the trust terminated in 2024 after donating its remaining assets to Blue Mountain Community Foundation.
Assets
—
Grants
23
Total Given
$2.7M
Blue Mountain Community Foundation
Walla Walla, WA
Blue Mountain Community Foundation supports nonprofits and higher-education scholarships across community needs including basic needs, health, education, arts, and the environment, primarily in southeastern Washington’s Blue Mountain region and Umatilla County, Oregon. Its 2025 grants had a median of $16,285; community grant programs offer up to $20,000 in Walla Walla County and up to $10,000 in Milton-Freewater, Athena, and Weston.
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$112.6M
Grants
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Total Given
$5.5M
Sherwood Trust
Walla Walla, WA
Sherwood Trust funds community-building, organizational capacity, and capital projects that strengthen belonging and well-being in the Walla Walla Valley, including Walla Walla and Columbia counties in Washington and Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Its 2024 grants ranged from $200 to $160,000, with a median of $5,000. It uses a competitive Core Grant process beginning with a Letter of Interest; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests outside that process.
Assets
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Total Given
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Estate of Joseph L Stubblefield
Walla Walla, WA
The foundation supported community, parks and recreation, health, education, human services, and animal welfare organizations, with all 2025 grants going to recipients in Walla Walla, Washington. Grants ranged from $500 to $2,814,784, with a median of $10,000. It does not restrict giving to preselected organizations; the filing gives no specific application form or deadline and asks applicants to include financial information and the reason for need.
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Total Given
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Yancey P Winans Testamentary Trust
Walla Walla, WA
The trust primarily funds youth programs, especially summer programs for children and young people, with other charitable purposes considered secondarily. It generally awards up to $5,000 per grant to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations in the Walla Walla, Washington, area. Organizations can request an application from Baker Boyer Bank Wealth Management; the filing does not say whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$771K
Grants
14
Total Given
$65K
George T Welch Testamentary Trust
Walla Walla, WA
The trust funds scholarships for students and nonprofit projects that enrich Walla Walla County, Washington. Its 2025 grants ranged from $54 to $5,000, with a median of $1,500; community grants offer eligible nonprofits up to $4,000. It accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.2M
Grants
82
Total Given
$171K
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mary Garner Esary Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mary-garner-esary-trust-morg_7cd9c155a97748a99af4519ec7e46530
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911901307_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mary Garner Esary Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mary-garner-esary-trust-morg_7cd9c155a97748a99af4519ec7e46530},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Mary Garner Esary Trust'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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