May Foundation Trust
May Foundation Trust is a private foundation located in Oakland, California, designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation has been tax-exempt since October 1989. It operates as an investment-focused foundation whose primary purpose is to generate funds from investment income and appreciate holdings that will ultimately contribute to charitable causes.
Key facts about May Foundation Trust
- EIN
- 11-2978693
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $77,525
- Grants made (2024)
- 49
- Average grant
- $1,582
- Median grant
- $1,645
- Total assets
- $930,468
- Primary geography
- New York (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who May Foundation Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for May Foundation Trust's 49 itemized 2024 grants were New York (38%), California (17%) and District of Columbia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants). None of its 49 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$930K
+18.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$78K
+10.4% YoY
Grant Count
49
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-5.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, May Foundation Trust reported a distributable amount of $61K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is solely to generate funds from investment income and holding investments that will appreciate, with contributions paid to qualifying charitable organizations.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education (including tuition-free education for low-income families)
- Environmental education and watershed preservation
- Science and garden-related grants
- Support for indigenous individuals, families, and communities in healing
- Support for victims of sexual abuse
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$1,000–$2,600
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on:
- California
- New York
- District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 49 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2023-2024):
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $786,842–$930,000 |
| Total Revenues | $41,378–$224,000 |
| Total Expenses | $78,645–$80,400 |
| Total Liabilities | $0 |
| Annual Giving Rate | 8.6% of assets |
Financial Trend: The foundation maintains modest but stable assets with annual giving representing approximately 8-9% of total assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $930,468 | $786,842 | $824,109 |
| Revenue | $224,049 | $41,378 | $137,339 |
| Expenses | $80,423 | $78,645 | $70,861 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $73,839 | $72,471 | $63,493 |
| Net Investment Income | $204,507 | $32,968 | $25,805 |
| Distributable Amount | $61,464 | $58,151 | $55,214 |
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
224 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Unbound ($1,645), National Housing Trust ($1,645), Anera ($1,645).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNBOUND KANSAS CITY, KS | LIFTS PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY | $1,645 |
| NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST WASHINGTON, DC | LOANS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN US | $1,645 |
| ANERA WASHINGTON, DC | REFUGEE AID IN THE NEAR EAST | $1,645 |
| SPRING LAKE RANCH SHREWSBURY, VT | MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE ABUSE SUPP | $1,645 |
| RAINN WASHINGTON, DC | SUPPORTS SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENC | $1,645 |
| UCF FOUNDATION ORLANDO, FL | SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WOMEN IN JOURNALISM | $1,645 |
| AMERICA'S CHARITY-HUMAN RIGHTS CAM CHANTILLY, VA | EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LGBTQ+ | $1,645 |
| CITY HARVEST BROOKLYN, NY | PROVIDES FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED | $1,645 |
| SOUL FIRE FARM INSTITUTE PETERSBURG, NY | FARM COMMITTED TO UPROOTING RACISM | $1,645 |
| UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS CAMBRIDGE, MA | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR SAFER WORLD | $1,645 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT MAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARILYN MAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOAN E MAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MELISSA M STROBEL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does May Foundation Trust fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is solely to generate funds from investment income and holding investments that will appreciate, with contributions paid to qualifying charitable organizations. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education (including tuition-free education for low-income families) • Environmental education and watershed preservation • Science and garden-related grants • Support for indigenous individuals, families, and communities in healing • Support for victims of sexual ab…
How do I apply for a grant from May Foundation Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 40-42 grants in 2023 • Typical grant range: $1,000–$2,600 • Median grant size: $2,000 • Total giving in 2023: $68,000–$70,234 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Berea College ($1,743 for tuition-free education to low-income students) • Multiplier ($1,743 for renewable energy promotion) • Peconic Land Trust ($1,743 for watershed preservation) • 350org and 29 additional organizations **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates…
Where does May Foundation Trust make grants?
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on: • California • New York • District of Columbia
What size grants does May Foundation Trust award?
In 2024, May Foundation Trust awarded 49 grants totaling $78K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is May Foundation Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, May Foundation Trust reported a distributable amount of $61K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is May Foundation Trust's EIN?
May Foundation Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-2978693. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does May Foundation Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in May Foundation Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.