The Ben May Charitable Trust
The Ben May Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1971 and based in Mobile, Alabama. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the trust manages substantial assets to support philanthropic initiatives across multiple states and focus areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.7M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-1.3% YoY
Grant Count
49
-19.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+22.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust gives primarily for education, along with support for the arts, human services, and religion. Specific funding interests include:
- Arts and Culture — Museums and cultural projects
- Education — Elementary, secondary, and higher education
- Religion — Christianity, Protestantism, and Judaism
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The trust accepts applications from prospective grantees.
Grant Range
$3,000 to $250,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust supports projects across multiple states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $31.7 million
- Total Revenue: $1.15 million
- Total Expenses: $1.75 million
- Net Income: -$597,268
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Annual Giving Rate: 4.1% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,688,196 | $31,167,859 | $30,524,569 |
| Revenue | $1,149,004 | $916,500 | $943,998 |
| Expenses | $1,746,272 | $1,735,116 | $1,848,869 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,508,244 | $1,579,306 | $1,650,808 |
| Net Investment Income | $918,020 | $760,906 | $751,863 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,553,102 | $1,504,755 | $1,574,230 |
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Ben May Charitable Trust
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Lynette P. Koppel
- John D. Peebles
- Steven Koppel
- Vivian G. Johnston III
- William B. Peebles
- Vivian G. Johnston V
- Ken Niemeyer
- Hancock Whitney Bank (Successor Trustee)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYNETTE P KOPPEL | DIST. COMMITTEE MEMBER | 2.3 | — |
| JOHN D PEEBLES | DIST. COMMITTEE MEMBER | 2 | $25,000 |
| STEVEN KOPPEL | DIST. COMMITTEE MEMBER | 2 | — |
| VIVIAN G JOHNSTON III | DIST. COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN | 1 | $25,000 |
| WILLIAM B PEEBLES | DIST. COMMITTEE MEMBER | 1.7 | $8,333 |
| VIVIAN G JOHNSTON V | DIST. COMMITTEE MEMBER | 2.7 | $8,333 |
| KEN NIEMEYER | SECRETARY | 2.4 | $10,000 |
| HANCOCK WHITNEY BANK | TRUSTEE | 5 | $55,335 |
Contact Information
- Address: 25 W I65 Service Rd N, Mobile, AL 36608-1201
- Website: benmaycharitable.org
- Telephone: 228-822-4365
- EIN: 23-7145009
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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