Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. It reported making charitable grants to organizations in 2025 and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn at a glance
In short: Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn gave $48K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $47,953
- +35.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,425
- +45.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $484
- Total assets
- $934,885
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (74% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 32760, Louisville, KY 40232-2760
Phone: (502) 588-9133
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Jude Children's Hospital ($35K). Together the top 10 received $46K.
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 30 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 74% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee and 24% to recipients in Kentucky; 1% each went to California and Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
How Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn gives
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% 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 (2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2021) to $48K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $48K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Jude Children's Hospital Memphis, TN | Charitable | $34,878 |
| New Harmony General Baptist Church Lewisburg, KY | Charitable | $5,813 |
| Salvation Army of Hopkinsivlle Hopkinsville, KY | Charitable | $1,938 |
| Sanctuary Inc Hopkinsville, KY | Charitable | $484 |
| Habitat for Humanity Hopkinsville Hopkinsville, KY | Charitable | $484 |
| Pennyroyal Regional Veterans Hopkinsville, KY | Charitable | $484 |
| Western Kentucky Veterans Center Hanson, KY | Charitable | $484 |
| Grace and Mercy Lodi, CA | Charitable | $484 |
| Lewisburg Fire Department Lewisburg, TN | Charitable | $484 |
| Todd Co Senior Citizens Center Elkton, KY | Charitable | $484 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $934,885 | $82,032 | $60,801 | $47,953 | 14 | $50,981 | $72,409 | $56,377 |
| 2024 | $914,144 | $26,304 | $47,043 | $35,439 | 15 | $38,196 | $12,811 | $51,193 |
| 2023 | $934,890 | $22,702 | $8,501 | — | — | $2,040 | $11,293 | $42,753 |
| 2022 | $920,689 | $720,909 | $36,128 | — | — | $5,347 | $713,878 | $30,078 |
| 2021 | $151,940 | $283,361 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 1 | $30,000 | $131,421 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn reported a distributable amount of $56K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants went to organizations including St Jude Children's Hospital and local charities. Among the smaller recipients, Sanctuary Inc says its mission is to provide services for victims of domestic violence and rape, while Pennyroyal Hospice Inc says it provides hospice care and support to terminally ill patients and their families. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $47,953. Grants ranged from $484 to $34,878, with a median of $484. Its largest grants included $34,878 to St Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee; $5,813 to New Harmony General Baptist Church in Lewisburg, Kentucky; and $1,938 to the Salvation Army of Hopkinsville in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Sanctuary Inc and Pennyroyal Hospice each received $484.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Baird Trust Company is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's only listed officer is Baird Trust Company, Trustee on every filing since 2021 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Baird Trust Company
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$8K (2022) → $11K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $11K, to Baird Trust Company (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn
How much does Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn give each year?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn gave $48K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $35K across 15 grants.
What is Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's typical grant size?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's median grant in 2025 was $484, and its average grant was $3,425, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn give grants?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn gives mostly in Tennessee: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hopkinsville, KY (5 grants).
Does Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (14 grants).
Who are Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's largest grantees?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's largest 2025 grantees include St Jude Children's Hospital ($34,878), New Harmony General Baptist Church ($5,813) and Salvation Army of Hopkinsivlle ($1,938), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn reported $935K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $51K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $56K (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 Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including St Jude Children's Hospital and local charities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's EIN?
Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-6892445. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Melrow and Barbara Wells Fdn accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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