The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis
The Estelle S and Robert A Long Ellis is a private foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. It reported 22 grants totaling $337,500 in 2025, with awards listed for organizations in Missouri and Kansas.
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis at a glance
In short: The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis gave $338K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Missouri. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $337,500
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,341
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,089,342
- -2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (4 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (90% 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 Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists James H Bernard Jr as the contact and requests a letter with a 501(c)(3) exemption certificate, financial statements, and a current budget. The filing lists no restrictions on awards and says there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: James H Bernard Jr
Mailing address: 4600 Madison Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64112-3031
Phone: (816) 410-4600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National WWI Museum and Memorial ($100K). Together the top 10 received $265K.
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 97 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars were reported as 90% to Missouri recipients and 10% to Kansas recipients. Listed grantees include organizations in Kansas City and other Missouri and Kansas communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 22 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−12%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 $291K (2021) to $383K (2022). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $338K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National WWI Museum and Memorial Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Kansas City Ballet Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $50,000 |
| National Toy and Miniature Museum Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Spencer Museum of Art-Ku Endowment Kingsville, MO | Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Kansas School of Classical Ballet Overland Park, KS | Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Intersect KS Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Kansas City Young Audiences Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Lyric Opera Kansas City, MO | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Park University Parkville, MO | Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Powell Gardens Kingsville, MO | Operating Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis?
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 | $5,089,342 | $279,458 | $388,371 | $337,500 | 22 | $337,500 | $241,359 | $360,315 |
| 2024 | $5,198,255 | $430,331 | $392,235 | $345,000 | 22 | $345,000 | $396,735 | $336,167 |
| 2023 | $5,160,159 | $272,390 | $436,209 | $356,000 | 16 | $356,000 | $229,065 | $305,370 |
| 2022 | $5,323,978 | $544,596 | $461,838 | $382,500 | 22 | $382,500 | $483,261 | $320,076 |
| 2021 | $5,241,220 | $738,680 | $370,098 | $291,000 | 15 | $291,000 | $685,381 | $356,582 |
| 2020 | $4,872,638 | $306,900 | $425,004 | $355,000 | 14 | — | $236,896 | $319,509 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis reported a distributable amount of $360K 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 show support for organizations including museums, performing arts groups, a botanical garden, and a university.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms: the National WWI Museum and Memorial says it is dedicated to remembering, interpreting, and understanding the Great War and its impact; the Kansas School of Classical Ballet says it serves students ages 3 to 20 from diverse backgrounds; and Unicorn Theatre says it produces contemporary theater to enhance Kansas City’s cultural life. Powell Gardens describes its work as operating a botanical garden and promoting research, education, and appreciation of plants. Park University says its mission is to transform lives through accessible, student-centered higher education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $337,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median award of $10,000. The largest listed awards were $100,000 to the National WWI Museum and Memorial and $50,000 to Kansas City Ballet, both for operating support. Other notable grants included $25,000 each to the National Toy and Miniature Museum and Spencer Museum of Art-KU Endowment, and $15,000 to Kansas School of Classical Ballet.
The filing also lists $10,000 grants to Intersect KS, Kansas City Young Audiences, Lyric Opera, Park University, Powell Gardens, Starlight, and Unicorn Theatre. Additional grantees described in their own materials include Spinning Tree Theatre, which says it brings young artists with and without disabilities together with professional artists to create and perform, and Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, which says it promotes Kansas City’s culture through performance and education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jonathan N Dilly as vice president, treasurer, assistant secretary, and director; James H Bernard Jr as president, secretary, and director; and Anastasia M Bernard as vice president and director.
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis is led by James H. Bernard Jr., President, Secretary & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James H. Bernard Jr.
President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Anastasia M. Bernard
Vice President & Director
Director → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jonathan N. Dilly
Vice President, Treasurer, Assis. Secretary & Director
Vice President & Treasurer → Vice President, Treasurer, Assis. Secretary & Director, 2024
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 Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis
How much does The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis give each year?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis gave $338K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $345K across 22 grants.
What is The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's typical grant size?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $15,341, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis give grants?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis gives mostly in Missouri: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kansas (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (15 grants), Overland Park, KS (3 grants) and Kingsville, MO (2 grants).
Does The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's largest grantees?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's largest 2025 grantees include National WWI Museum and Memorial ($100,000), Kansas City Ballet ($50,000) and National Toy and Miniature Museum ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $338K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $360K (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 Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations including museums, performing arts groups, a botanical garden, and a university. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis?
The filing lists James H Bernard Jr as the contact and requests a letter with a 501(c)(3) exemption certificate, financial statements, and a current budget. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's EIN?
The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1034910. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-estelle-s-and-robert-a-long-ellis-morg_807cc54ade274301acbbf706ecb92908
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201034910_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-estelle-s-and-robert-a-long-ellis-morg_807cc54ade274301acbbf706ecb92908},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Estelle S and Robert a Long Ellis'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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