Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports 37 grants totaling $99,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in conservation, intercultural education, the arts, public broadcasting, and human services.
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust at a glance
In short: Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust gave $99K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Massachusetts. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $99,000
- +14.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- +15.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,676
- -1.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $293,445
- -10.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (10 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust
- 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: PO Box 961209, Boston, MA 02196
Phone: (617) 227-7940
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Trustees of Tufts College ($10K). Together the top 10 received $58K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 160 grants of 160 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (34%), Maine (24%), New York (21%), Virginia (10%), and Washington, DC (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 37 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2020–2025). 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 $69K (2021) to $99K (2025). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $99K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of Tufts College Medford, MA | A gift to the principal of the robert w. And gladys s. Meserve scholarship fund. | $10,000 |
| Appalachian Mountain Club Charlestown, MA | Contribution is for the Maine woods initiative for land acquisition and/or to support trail construction and maintenance and other projects in the Maine woods. | $7,000 |
| AFS-USA Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $6,000 |
| AFS Intercultural Programs Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| American Academy of Arts & Sciences Cambridge, MA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Creative Cauldron Inc Falls Church, VA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Friends of Casco Bay Portland, ME | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Natural Resources Council Inc Augusta, ME | For General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Razom Inc New York, NY | To purchase medical & humanitarian supplies & to support volunteers in ukraine. | $5,000 |
| PBS Foundation Arlington, VA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
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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 | $293,445 | $94,643 | $130,371 | $99,000 | 37 | $100,502 | $66,704 | $108,158 |
| 2024 | $329,499 | $116,058 | $111,217 | $86,500 | 32 | $87,751 | $92,796 | $96,215 |
| 2023 | $324,657 | $69,554 | $119,498 | $93,500 | 29 | $94,753 | $46,352 | $87,165 |
| 2022 | $374,601 | $101,680 | $107,218 | $83,000 | 32 | $84,203 | $79,368 | $94,399 |
| 2021 | $380,344 | $67,999 | $91,113 | $69,000 | 30 | — | $47,729 | $90,410 |
| 2020 | $403,519 | $79,880 | $103,543 | $84,000 | 28 | — | $61,338 | $75,836 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust reported a distributable amount of $108K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with a range of activities. For example, Appalachian Mountain Club describes its work as protecting and helping people enjoy and understand the Appalachian region’s mountains, forests, waters, and trails. AFS-USA describes its work as providing international and intercultural learning experiences, while Creative Cauldron says it produces theater and music performances and offers arts education. Other 2025 recipients included environmental organizations, a public broadcasting foundation, and organizations providing food and homelessness programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the trust reported 37 grants totaling $99,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest award was $10,000 to Trustees of Tufts College for the Robert W. and Gladys S. Meserve Scholarship Fund.
Other notable 2025 grants included $7,000 to Appalachian Mountain Club for work in the Maine Woods; $6,000 to AFS-USA Inc; and $5,000 each to AFS Intercultural Programs Inc, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Creative Cauldron Inc, Friends of Casco Bay, Natural Resources Council Inc, Razom Inc, and PBS Foundation. The filing lists general operating support as the purpose for several of these grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Roberta M Weil, William G Meserve, Richard A Meserve, Charles R Platt, and Ryan P McManus as co-trustees.
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles R. Platt
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
$7K (2025)
Ryan P. McManus
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
$7K (2025)
Richard A. Meserve
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roberta M. Weil
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William G. Meserve
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Arthur B. Page (2020–2024) — Co-Trustee
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 $7K, to Charles R Platt (Co-Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust
How much does Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust give each year?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust gave $99K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $87K across 32 grants.
What is Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's typical grant size?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $2,676, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust that year got $1K on average.
Where does Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust give grants?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maine (24%) and New York (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Portland, ME (3 grants) and Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 78% of Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's largest grantees?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Trustees of Tufts College ($10,000), Appalachian Mountain Club ($7,000) and AFS-USA Inc ($6,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust reported $293K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $101K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $108K (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 Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with a range of activities. For example, Appalachian Mountain Club describes its work as protecting and helping people enjoy and understand the Appalachian region’s mountains, forests, waters, and trails. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust?
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 Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's EIN?
Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3363695. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert W & Gladys S Meserve Char Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-w-and-gladys-s-meserve-char-trust-morg_a9ea0b0ef594430c82ececf64eb620b0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043363695_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert W \& Gladys S Meserve Char Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-w-and-gladys-s-meserve-char-trust-morg_a9ea0b0ef594430c82ececf64eb620b0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 W & Gladys S Meserve Char 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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