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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ben May Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science ($250,000), The University of Chicago ($250,000), Jewish Theological Seminary ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE NEW YORK, NY | BEN MAY CENTER FOR CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE PERES INSTITUTE FOR PEACE CORAL GABLES, FL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| AZALEA CENTER FOR THE ARTS MOBILE, AL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $17,500 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF ALABAMA MOBILE, AL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $15,000 |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA MOBILE, AL | MOBILE AREA COUNCIL | $5,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB MOBILE, AL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| CAHABA FOUNDATION SELMA, AL | ELECTRICAL RENOVATIONS ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, ORRVILLE, AL | $20,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVACY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER MOBILE, AL | GENERAL PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| CHILDREN OF THE WORLD FAIRHOPE, AL | DOMESTIC ADOPTION PROGRAM | $25,000 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ben May Charitable Trust fund?
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**
How do I apply for a grant from The Ben May Charitable Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual grants total approximately $1.3 million to $1.5 million • Typical grant range: $3,000 to $250,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Distributed through approximately 47 grants annually **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • American Committee and the Weizmann Institute of Science (Ben May Center for Chemical Theory and Computation): $250,000 • The University of Chicago (Cancer Research Funding): $250,000 • American Friends of the Peres Institute for Peace (General Purpose…
Where does The Ben May Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust supports projects across multiple states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia.
What size grants does The Ben May Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, The Ben May Charitable Trust awarded 49 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ben May Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Ben May Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ben May Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Ben May Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7145009. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ben May Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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