The Driesman Charitable Trust
The Driesman Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Fairfield, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including religious congregations, a medical center, community organizations, and cultural and educational institutions.
The Driesman Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Driesman Charitable Trust gave $31K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Connecticut. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $31,242
- +16.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -21.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,083
- +47.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $530
- Total assets
- $687,338
- +0.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (60% 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 The Driesman Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 240 Mine Hill Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
Phone: (203) 222-7790
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Driesman Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Temple Israel ($12K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
108 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 108 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut (60%), Rhode Island (24%), New York (15%), and California (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Driesman Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $174; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $100 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 67% 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 $24K (2023) to $37K (2022). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $31K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temple Israel Westport, CT | Unrestricted | $11,925 |
| Block Island Medical Center New Shoreham, RI | Unrestricted | $6,600 |
| Temple Emanu-El New York, NY | Unrestricted | $4,371 |
| Temple Shalom Greenwich, CT | Unrestricted | $4,055 |
| Homes with Hope Westport, CT | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Kolbe Cathedral Bridgeport, CT | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Congregation Sons and Daughters of Ruth New Shoreham, RI | Unrestricted | $540 |
| Wakeman Boys & Girls Club Bridgeport, CT | Unrestricted | $530 |
| Wikimedia Foundation San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted | $500 |
| Block Island Historical Society New Shoreham, RI | Unrestricted | $250 |
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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 | $687,338 | $44,273 | $42,076 | $31,242 | 15 | $31,242 | $39,971 | $46,616 |
| 2024 | $685,141 | $245,829 | $30,367 | $26,880 | 19 | $26,880 | $226,039 | $31,696 |
| 2023 | $469,679 | $31,721 | $27,805 | $23,965 | 26 | $23,965 | $27,653 | $29,466 |
| 2022 | $465,763 | $41,040 | $39,740 | $36,725 | 26 | $36,725 | $40,867 | $29,752 |
| 2021 | $462,475 | $59,140 | $33,189 | $30,201 | 22 | $30,201 | $56,302 | $32,737 |
| 2020 | $438,398 | $37,257 | $27,254 | $24,715 | 21 | — | $34,852 | $27,988 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Driesman Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $47K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several areas. For example, Homes with Hope describes its mission as preventing and ending homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County. The Block Island Historical Society says it works to preserve objects and records relating to Block Island history and to promote study of that history. The New York Botanical Garden describes itself as a plant museum and scientific research center that works to improve public understanding of the natural world and expand knowledge of plants.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust gave $31,242 across 15 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $11,925, with a median grant of $530. The largest grants included:
The filing lists the purposes of these grants as unrestricted. Other reported 2025 grants included $530 to Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, $500 to Wikimedia Foundation, $250 to Block Island Historical Society, $160 to New York Botanical Garden, $60 to Special Olympics Connecticut, and $50 to Southeast Lighthouse Foundation. Special Olympics describes its mission as providing year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Southeast Lighthouse Foundation says it works to restore, preserve, and protect the Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists these trustees:
- Mitchell H Driesman
- Shelley K Driesman
- Emily C Driesman
- Alison K Driesman
The Driesman Charitable Trust's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alison K. Driesman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Emily C. Driesman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mitchell H. Driesman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shelley K. Driesman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Driesman Charitable Trust
How much does The Driesman Charitable Trust give each year?
The Driesman Charitable Trust gave $31K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $27K across 19 grants.
What is The Driesman Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Driesman Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $530, and its average grant was $2,083, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Driesman Charitable Trust that year got $174 on average.
Where does The Driesman Charitable Trust give grants?
The Driesman Charitable Trust gives mostly in Connecticut: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Rhode Island (24%) and New York (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New Shoreham, RI (3 grants), Westport, CT (2 grants) and Bridgeport, CT (2 grants).
Does The Driesman Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Driesman Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Driesman Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Driesman Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Temple Israel ($11,925), Block Island Medical Center ($6,600) and Temple Emanu-El ($4,371), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Driesman Charitable Trust?
The Driesman Charitable Trust reported $687K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $31K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47K (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 The Driesman Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several areas. For example, Homes with Hope describes its mission as preventing and ending homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Driesman Charitable Trust?
The foundation 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 The Driesman Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Driesman Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1916056. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Driesman Charitable 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Driesman Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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