Poor Richard's Charitable Trust
Poor Richard's Charitable Trust is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1997 and based in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania. The organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and operates as an independent foundation focused on philanthropic giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$51.0M
+0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
-3.6% YoY
Grant Count
35
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$87K
+15.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust gives primarily for the arts—particularly museums—and for education. The foundation's grantmaking also encompasses philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking activities, with some support for human services.
Grantmaking
Poor Richard's Charitable Trust distributes between $2.7 million and $3.4 million annually. According to available records, the foundation has made 161 grants totaling $12.6 million, with individual grants ranging from $3,000 to $1.2 million. The median grant size is $30,000, with an average award of $78,000.
Grant Range
is $30,000, with an average award of $78,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts, which account for 99% of all grants. The foundation has supported 79 unique organizations across these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $51.0 million (2023-2024)
Annual Giving: $3.055 million (most recent filing)
Revenue: $6.2 million (annual income)
Liabilities: $0 (2023)
The foundation's total assets have grown significantly from $11.4 million in 2011 to $51 million by 2024. The organization is governed by 2 officers and trustees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $51,020,253 | $50,612,645 | $52,404,114 |
| Revenue | $3,432,923 | $2,216,564 | $175,992 |
| Expenses | $3,199,562 | $3,330,598 | $3,519,571 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,055,250 | $3,170,050 | $3,326,900 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,306,916 | $2,077,302 | $750,157 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,256,517 | $3,050,330 | $3,193,469 |
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
196 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David Seltzer serves as trustee. The principal officer is listed as Fairman Group LLC.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LISA S ROBERTS | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| DAVID SELTZER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation awarded $8,800 to Leadership Philadelphia in 2023 to fund the organization's operational budgets.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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