Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust is a private independent foundation established in 1997 upon the death of Nina Mason Pulliam, a prominent journalist, businesswoman, and humanitarian. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, the trust is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization and operates as a grantmaking foundation supporting charitable causes in Arizona and Indiana.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$441.1M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$22.7M
+1.2% YoY
Grant Count
328
+7.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-6.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $20.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust seeks to help people in need, especially women, children, and families; to protect animals and nature; and to enrich community life in the metropolitan areas of Indianapolis and Phoenix.
The trust's primary giving areas include:
- Helping People in Need — supporting work, economic opportunity, and housing initiatives
- Protecting Animals and Nature — conservation and animal welfare efforts
- Enriching Community Life — educational and community development programs
The trust also operates the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars program, established in 2001, which supports nontraditional students with physical disabilities, significant financial hardships, dependents, or foster care backgrounds at participating institutions.
Grantmaking
Typical grant awards range from $100,000 to $1,500,000. The trust runs two grant cycles annually, with application deadlines in January and June.
Grant Range
s and Frequency**
Review Cycle
annually, with application deadlines in January and June.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily funds charitable organizations in:
- Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis metropolitan area)
- Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix metropolitan area)
Environmental requests are considered from organizations throughout Arizona and Indiana. The trust occasionally supports organizations in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (2024)
- Total Assets: $441,084,433
- Total Giving: $22,690,217
- Total Revenues: $9,475,912
- Total Expenses: $29,339,032
Historical Impact Over 25 years of grantmaking (1998-2023), the trust has distributed over $380 million in grants, exceeding the amount with which it was initially established.
Staffing The trust employs 18 staff members.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $441,084,433 | $427,643,046 | $423,869,792 |
| Revenue | $9,475,912 | $8,473,111 | $-455,517 |
| Expenses | $29,339,032 | $28,487,458 | $24,838,128 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $27,021,890 | $26,716,967 | $21,973,832 |
| Net Investment Income | $39,991,928 | $29,344,722 | $4,463,564 |
| Distributable Amount | $20,678,479 | $20,538,849 | $22,702,149 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Grants (Environmental Requests)
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Grants (Non-Environment Requests)
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Amount
Up to US $250,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Journalism Project ($1,000,000), Arizona State University Foundation for New American University ($725,769), Alliance for Companion Animals ($600,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Black Men of Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | Create the Education and Career Planning Initiative, which would provide career-readiness curriculum for students who want to join the competitive workforce upon high school graduation. | $75,000 |
| 91 Place Indianapolis, IN | Support to provide safe, stable shelter/housing and services for homeless and disconnected youth. | $50,000 |
| A New Leaf Mesa, AZ | Support to provide safe emergency housing, basic needs and support services for 90 families a year in Mesa and Surprise. | $75,000 |
| A New Leaf Mesa, AZ | General operating support to continue providing services to families living on Homeward Bound's transitional housing campus. | $75,000 |
| Advance Community Phoenix, AZ | Support to provide low-income families with six months of healthy food boxes. | $35,000 |
| Advocacy31nine DBA Arizona 127 Gilbert, AZ | Support to enhance the educational success of 400 students affected by foster care, kinship care and adoption. | $45,000 |
| All Faith Community Services Buckeye, AZ | Support for the grantee's general operating expenses. | $7,000 |
| Alliance for Companion Animals Phoenix, AZ | Provide no-cost spay/neuter and wellness services to approximately 6,800 animals through veterinary clinics, including mobile veterinary units, across Maricopa County. | $600,000 |
| Altered Tails Phoenix, AZ | General operating support to provide accessible and affordable, high-quality spay and neuter surgeries to pet owners facing financial hardship. | $100,000 |
| American Journalism Project Washington, DC | Support to build a new model for local news in Central Indiana that utilizes a community reporting model and acts as a trusted source of information resulting in a more informed and engaged public. | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees
- Carol Peden Schilling, Chair
- Kent E. Agness, Trustee
- Lisa Shover Kackley, Trustee
Executive Team
- Gene D'Adamo, President and CEO
- Jeff Small, Vice President of Programs
- Ryan Hammons, Chief Financial Officer
- Kristina Perez, Director of Communications and External Relations
Program Staff
- David Hillman, Senior Program Officer
- Joshua Abel, Director of Grants Administration
- Laura McBride, Senior Program Officer
- Sherri Hoy, Senior Program Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust celebrated a significant milestone in 2023, marking 25 years of grantmaking and the halfway point of the trust's 50-year lifespan.
House of Refuge receives $90K grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust -**Legacy Scholars Program Achievements**
Since its establishment in 2001, the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars program has supported 396 students who graduated from four participating institutions: IU Indianapolis, Ivy Tech State College–Indianapolis Campus, Arizona State University, and Maricopa Community Colleges.
House of Refuge receives $90K grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust -**Strategic Partnerships**
The trust has developed long-term partnerships with major nonprofits in Indianapolis and Phoenix, including the Indianapolis and Phoenix zoos, the Heard and Eiteljorg museums, Foundation for Blind Children, Keys to Change, The Villages of Indiana, and Brightlane Learning.
**Recent Grants**
Recent grant announcements include support to House of Refuge, Pilgrim Rest Foundation for emergency housing initiatives, and major capital grants to animal welfare and family services organizations.
House of Refuge receives $90K grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust -Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust fund?
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust seeks to help people in need, especially women, children, and families; to protect animals and nature; and to enrich community life in the metropolitan areas of Indianapolis and Phoenix. The trust's primary giving areas include: • **Helping People in Need** — supporting work, economic opportunity, and housing initiatives • **Protecting Animals and Nature** — conservation and animal welfare efforts • **Enriching Community Life** — educational and community…
How do I apply for a grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust?
**Grant Sizes and Frequency** Typical grant awards range from $100,000 to $1,500,000. The trust runs two grant cycles annually, with application deadlines in January and June. **Recent Grant Activity** Recent grants include: • $1,500,000 to UMOM New Day Centers for capital and programmatic support to renovate emergency shelter units for large families at risk of homelessness • $1,000,000 to Friends of Indy Animals for capital support to construct a modern facility for Indianapolis Animal Care S…
Where does Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust primarily funds charitable organizations in: • Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis metropolitan area) • Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix metropolitan area) Environmental requests are considered from organizations throughout Arizona and Indiana. The trust occasionally supports organizations in other states.
What size grants does Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust awarded 328 grants totaling $22.7M — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $20.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust's EIN?
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6644088. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable 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.
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