Robert E Black Memorial Trust
The Robert E Black Memorial Trust is a public charity based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Formed in 1991, it supports the charitable and educational purposes and programs of charitable organizations identified in its trust document.
Robert E Black Memorial Trust at a glance
In short: Robert E Black Memorial Trust gave $2.8M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $250K), mostly in Hawaii. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,750,012
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $250,001
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $49,500
- Total assets
- $50,138,973
- +5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert E Black Memorial Trust
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3170 Dept 715, Honolulu, HI 96802-3170
Phone: (808) 694-4399
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert E Black Memorial Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hawaii Community Foundation ($1.9M). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 55 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert E Black Memorial Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 11 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2020) to $3.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $2.8M.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Community Foundation Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $1,925,000 |
| Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $338,252 |
| Bishop Museum Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $132,000 |
| Hawaii Symphony Orchestra Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $49,500 |
| American Red Cross Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $49,500 |
| Diamond Head Theatre Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $49,500 |
| Alzheimer's Association Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $41,252 |
| Iolani School Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $41,252 |
| Punahou School Honolulu, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $41,252 |
| Hawaii Preparatory Academy Kamuela, HI | Unrestricted Gift | $41,252 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,138,973 | $5,874,068 | $3,191,366 | $2,750,012 | 11 | $5,874,068 |
| 2024 | $47,461,940 | $5,990,827 | $3,073,447 | $2,650,012 | 11 | $5,990,827 |
| 2023 | $44,468,203 | $2,290,671 | $3,372,721 | $3,000,000 | 11 | $2,290,671 |
| 2022 | $45,613,099 | $1,419,841 | $3,276,522 | $2,602,012 | 11 | $1,419,841 |
| 2021 | $47,344,288 | $5,116,085 | $3,015,996 | $2,602,012 | 11 | $5,116,085 |
| 2020 | $45,263,085 | $3,391,143 | $2,615,155 | $2,280,000 | Total only | $3,391,143 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust’s stated mission is to “provide support for the charitable & educational purposes & programs of the charitable organizations.” Its filing says grants go solely to charitable beneficiaries named in the trust document; it does not specify the uses for which grants may be made.
Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. Hawaii Pacific University describes itself as an international learning community offering undergraduate and graduate education. Bishop Museum says it explores, celebrates, and perpetuates the history, culture, and environment of Hawaii and the Pacific. Hawaii Symphony Orchestra describes its work as presenting music performances and educating audiences, while Diamond Head Theatre says it produces community theatre and advances theatre arts through education. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust gave 11 grants totaling $2,750,012. Grant amounts ranged from $41,252 to $1,925,000, with a median of $49,500. The largest grants were $1,925,000 to Hawaii Community Foundation, $338,252 to Hawaii Pacific University, and $132,000 to Bishop Museum. Each was reported as an unrestricted gift.
The filing states that beneficiaries are identified in the trust document and that grants are unrestricted because the document does not specify grant uses. It says beneficiaries have discretion over grant timing, and monitoring is not required. The filing also describes periodic investment-performance reports and meetings with supported organizations to discuss investment performance and grants.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Robert E Black Memorial Trust's only listed officer is Bank Of Hawaii, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bank Of Hawaii
Trustee
On filings since 2020
$330K (2020) → $287K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $287K, to Bank of Hawaii (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Robert E Black Memorial Trust
How much does Robert E Black Memorial Trust give each year?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust gave $2.8M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 11 grants.
What is Robert E Black Memorial Trust's typical grant size?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust's median grant in 2025 was $49,500, and its average grant was $250,001, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Robert E Black Memorial Trust give grants?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust gives mostly in Hawaii: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Honolulu, HI (10 grants).
Does Robert E Black Memorial Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert E Black Memorial Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Robert E Black Memorial Trust's largest grantees?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Hawaii Community Foundation ($1,925,000), Hawaii Pacific University ($338,252) and Bishop Museum ($132,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert E Black Memorial Trust?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust reported $50.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.9M.
What does Robert E Black Memorial Trust fund?
The trust’s stated mission is to “provide support for the charitable & educational purposes & programs of the charitable organizations.” Its filing says grants go solely to charitable beneficiaries named in the trust document; it does not specify the uses for which grants may be made. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert E Black Memorial Trust?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Robert E Black Memorial Trust's EIN?
Robert E Black Memorial Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 99-6062458. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Robert E Black Memorial Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert E Black Memorial Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-e-black-memorial-trust-morg_1ff9ce391275405bac107b645d9a0e8a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_996062458_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert E Black Memorial Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-e-black-memorial-trust-morg_1ff9ce391275405bac107b645d9a0e8a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Robert E Black Memorial Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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