The Ezrah Charitable Trust
The Ezrah Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its 2024 filing describes activities promoting economic growth in Africa through investments in technology, alongside grants to charitable organizations.
The Ezrah Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Ezrah Charitable Trust gave $18.9M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $1.0M), top state Pennsylvania. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $18,863,437
- +125.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +38.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,047,969
- +62.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500,000
- Total assets
- $498,336,397
- +3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ezrah 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: 5970 Fairview Road 705, Charlotte, NC 28210
Phone: (980) 701-0934
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ezrah Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($7.2M). Together the top 10 received $18.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 17 grants of 67 (25%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Pennsylvania (38%), Illinois (28%), New York (14%), and Massachusetts (6%); a further 6% was listed with the state unspecified. The trust’s filing also describes its investment activities as focused on economic growth in Africa through technology.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ezrah Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $486K; repeat grants $2.1M. How we count
Medians: $500K first-time, $875K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 88% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $8.4M (2023) to $18.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $18.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Southeastern, PA | Contribution to The Ezrah Charitable DAF for charitable distributions. | $7,150,000 |
| One Acre Fund US Highland Park, IL | General support to One Acre Fund's mission to supply and support smallholder farmers. | $3,000,000 |
| One Acre Fund US Highland Park, IL | Support for One Acre Fund's digital transformation | $2,000,000 |
| American Jewish World Service Inc New York, NY | General support to American Jewish World Service's mission to build a more just and equitable world. | $1,050,000 |
| Root Capital Inc Cambridge, MA | General support to Root Capital's work with small and growing agricultural businesses around the world | $1,000,000 |
| Friends of Parivaar Scarsdale, NY | General support for Parivaar's care for children in India who are highly vulnerable to exploitation, victimization and trafficking. | $750,000 |
| The Rhodes Trust | Contribution to Rhodes Trust legal costs related to South African schools scholarships. | $660,322 |
| Digital Green Foundation San Francisco, CA | General support to Digital Green's mission to create a world where farmers use technology and data to build prosperous communities. | $500,000 |
| Myagro Farms New York, NY | General support to myAgro's tech-enabled savings model that empowers smallholder farm families to grow their way out of hunger and poverty. | $500,000 |
| Partners in Food Solutions Edina, MN | General support to Partners in Food Solutions' mission to enable the transfer of knowledge and expertise to small and growing food companies in Africa. | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ezrah Charitable Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $498,336,397 | $37,813,223 | $20,388,388 | $18,863,437 | 18 | $21,570,378 | $27,073,791 | $24,402,344 |
| 2023 | $483,681,336 | $29,342,147 | $9,527,094 | $8,375,348 | 13 | $11,127,477 | $28,495,374 | $21,255,688 |
| 2022 | $463,851,090 | $59,394,348 | $17,115,772 | $14,395,717 | 12 | $20,339,504 | $28,308,019 | $21,163,242 |
| 2021 | $449,425,515 | $316,101,045 | $19,711,443 | $15,926,044 | 11 | $19,405,364 | $163,643,957 | $18,830,624 |
| 2020 | $259,414,844 | $89,054,665 | $12,283,763 | $9,639,273 | 13 | — | $44,622,394 | $11,372,456 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ezrah Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $24.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust’s filing describes Enza Capital LP as promoting economic growth in Africa through technology investments, and Enza Growth Capital LP as promoting economic growth by investing in early-stage technology companies in sub-Saharan Africa. It also lists investments in Enza Capital II LP and Enza Growth Capital LP as direct charitable activities.
Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including agriculture, food systems, children’s health, human rights, and scholarships. For example, One Acre Fund describes its work as supplying and supporting smallholder farmers; Root Capital says it supports agricultural businesses to increase farmer incomes and stabilize employment; and Digital Green describes its mission as helping farmers use technology and data to build prosperous communities. American Jewish World Service says it works to realize human rights and end poverty across several regions, while Keep a Child Alive describes its work as improving the health and well-being of vulnerable people, with a focus on HIV/AIDS.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust reported 18 grants totaling $18,863,437. Grants ranged from $113,900 to $7,150,000, with a median grant of $500,000.
Notable 2024 grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Ezrah Charitable Trust is led by Charlene Chen, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charlene Chen
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$288K (2023) → $252K (2024)
David I Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $252K, to Charlene Chen (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Ezrah Charitable Trust
How much does The Ezrah Charitable Trust give each year?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust gave $18.9M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.4M across 13 grants.
What is The Ezrah Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $500,000, and its average grant was $1,047,969, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ezrah Charitable Trust that year got $486K on average.
Where does The Ezrah Charitable Trust give grants?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust's top state is Pennsylvania, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (28%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highland Park, IL (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Santa Monica, CA (2 grants).
Does The Ezrah Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of The Ezrah Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ezrah Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($7,150,000), One Acre Fund US ($5,290,234 across 3 grants) and The Rhodes Trust ($1,107,555 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ezrah Charitable Trust?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust reported $498.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $21.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $24.4M (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 Ezrah Charitable Trust fund?
The trust’s filing describes Enza Capital LP as promoting economic growth in Africa through technology investments, and Enza Growth Capital LP as promoting economic growth by investing in early-stage technology companies in sub-Saharan Africa. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ezrah 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 Ezrah Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Ezrah Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2608588. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ezrah 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ezrah Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ezrah Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ezrah-charitable-trust-morg_dadfe48479af47d18c6e6644c4027351
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_812608588_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ezrah Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ezrah-charitable-trust-morg_dadfe48479af47d18c6e6644c4027351},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Ezrah Charitable 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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