Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation

PHILADELPHIA, PA EIN: 23-6802696

The Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in 1985, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees and focuses on philanthropic giving primarily through annual drives and direct charitable contributions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.7M

+13.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$100K

+1.7% YoY

Grant Count

-2.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

+3.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

The foundation supports educational nonprofits and science education initiatives, with particular emphasis on STEM education grants.

Grantmaking

The foundation primarily funds annual drives and makes contributions to charitable organizations.

Average Grant

amount and median grant amount data not specified in available records

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in:

Pennsylvania
New York
New Jersey

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $354K (81%)

New York $53K (12%)

District of Columbia $13K (3%)

Massachusetts $5K (1%)

California $3K (1%)

New Jersey $3K (1%)

Alabama $2K (0%)

Texas $2K (0%)

+1 more states

States

Alabama California District of Columbia Louisiana Massachusetts New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Texas

Cities

AustinBala CynwydBrooklynBryn MawrCamdenCovingtonGladwyneHarvey CedarsHaverfordKing Of PrussiaLong Beach TownshipLos AngelesMaplewoodMontgomeryNew YorkPhiladelphiaRadnorSouth HadleyWashingtonWest Hollywood

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total assets: $2,688,372
Total revenues: $444,737
Total expenses: $125,669
Investment income and dividends: $70,219
Number of employees: 0

The foundation's revenue is primarily generated through investment income and dividends rather than external contributions.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,688,372	$2,373,752	$2,196,230
Revenue	$444,737	$304,365	$162,775
Expenses	$125,669	$124,843	$133,502
Qualifying Distributions	$122,621	$119,592	$130,528
Net Investment Income	$441,689	$299,114	$159,801
Distributable Amount	$130,967	$122,368	$124,031

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

247 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($12,850), Phila Chamber Music Society ($11,000), 1616 Latimer Fund ($9,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
1616 LATIMER FUND PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$9,000
AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE INC NEW YORK, NY	ANNUAL DRIVES	$1,000
AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$1,000
ANTHENAEUM OF PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$100
BALLET X PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$5,000
CENTER CITY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$100
CENTER FOR FAMILY SERVICES CAMDEN, NJ	ANNUAL DRIVES	$200
CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$5,000
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$5,000
FRIENDS IN THE CITY PHILADELPHIA, PA	ANNUAL DRIVES	$75

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Ellis G. Wachs (deceased August 9, 2017) was a founder of the foundation. He was married to Peggy (née Brenner) and had three children: Elizabeth, Marjorie, and Esther.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
PEGGY B WACHS	OFFICER	2	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation supports educational nonprofits and science education initiatives, with particular emphasis on STEM education grants.

How do I apply for a grant from Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 55 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $100,285 • Typical award range: $45–$29,350 • Average grant amount and median grant amount data not specified in available records **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Retiree Medical and Death Benefits Trust ($12,850) • 1616 Latimer Fund ($9,000) • National Multiple Sclerosis Society ($5,500) • Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ($100) The foundation primarily funds annual drives and m…

Where does Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in: • Pennsylvania • New York • New Jersey

What size grants does Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation award?

In 2024, Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $100K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation's EIN?

Peggy & Ellis Wachs Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6802696. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.