The George I Alden Trust
The George I. Alden Trust is a private foundation based in Worcester, Massachusetts, established by George Alden in 1912. It supports charitable and philanthropic work with an emphasis on education, including capital projects at eligible colleges and universities, educationally related Worcester nonprofits, Massachusetts YMCAs, and vocational and secondary education in the Worcester area.
The George I Alden Trust at a glance
In short: The George I Alden Trust gave $11.5M across 79 grants in 2024 (avg $145K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,478,000
- +4.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 79
- +3.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $145,291
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $214,398,299
- +5.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The George I Alden Trust
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing identifies the trustees as the contact for proposals. The website requires hard-copy proposals for the quarterly meetings; the filing says proposals are due by the 15th of the month before a meeting.
- Review Cycle
- The Trust’s filing and website specify quarterly meetings in March, June, September, and December, with proposals due by the 15th of the preceding month.
- Deadline
- The Trust’s filing and website specify quarterly meetings in March, June, September, and December, with proposals due…
- Contact
Application contact: Trustees Of The George I Alden Trus
Mailing address: C/O Fletcher Tilton Whipple - 370, Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: (508) 459-8005
Email: trustees@aldentrust.org
Website: https://aldentrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The George I Alden Trust
Educationally Related Worcester Nonprofit Organizations Grant
The George I Alden Trust
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
George I. Alden Trust: Higher Education Grant
The George I Alden Trust
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
George I. Alden Trust: Massachusetts YMCAs Grant
The George I Alden Trust
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The George I Alden Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Umass Memorial Health Care Inc ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
375 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 375 (41%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust supports eligible higher education institutions in the six New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with a few grandfathered institutions inside and outside that region. Its vocational and secondary school focus is the immediate Worcester area; it supports educationally related nonprofits in Worcester and YMCAs in Massachusetts. In 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to Massachusetts recipients, 14% to Pennsylvania, 8% to New York, and 2% each to New Hampshire and Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The George I Alden Trust gives
- 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% 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 (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 $10.7M (2020) to $11.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 79 grants totaling $11.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Umass Memorial Health Care Inc Worcester, MA | To Further Education | $1,000,000 |
| Ecotarium Worcester, MA | To Further Education | $750,000 |
| Saint John's High School Shrewsbury, MA | To Further Education | $750,000 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA | To Further Education | $600,000 |
| Assumption University Worcester, MA | To Further Education | $500,000 |
| New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill Boylston, MA | To Further Education | $500,000 |
| Anna Maria College Paxton, MA | To Further Education | $475,000 |
| United Way of Central Massachusetts Worcester, MA | To Further Education | $300,000 |
| Williamson College of the Trades Media, PA | To Further Education | $300,000 |
| Franklin County YMCA Greenfield, MA | To Further Education | $250,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $214,398,299 | $24,510,938 | $14,187,415 | $11,478,000 | 79 | $11,781,783 | $22,425,306 | $12,192,356 |
| 2023 | $203,372,681 | $11,284,418 | $13,482,495 | $11,023,000 | 76 | $11,330,208 | $9,262,131 | $11,071,098 |
| 2022 | $204,621,748 | $6,944,899 | $13,962,308 | $11,482,000 | 94 | $11,788,333 | $5,030,966 | $11,345,143 |
| 2021 | $212,050,748 | $45,527,501 | $14,157,716 | $11,285,000 | 125 | $11,596,562 | $43,266,347 | $12,811,693 |
| 2020 | $179,938,376 | $12,263,196 | $12,880,871 | $10,675,000 | 1 | — | $10,356,239 | $10,484,900 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The George I Alden Trust reported a distributable amount of $12.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated purpose is to support charitable and philanthropic enterprises, with particular interest in promoting education in schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. Its focus areas include independent higher education, educationally related nonprofits in Worcester, Massachusetts YMCAs, and vocational and independent secondary schools in the immediate Worcester area. The Trust also lists an unsolicited year-end grant category on its website.
For higher education, the Trust focuses on capital projects that directly support undergraduate academic offerings. Eligible institutions generally must be independent colleges or universities in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, with at least 1,000 full-time undergraduate students and no more than 5,000 total undergraduate and graduate students on a full-time-equivalent basis. The Trust also supports occasional capital projects for YMCAs and educationally related Worcester organizations, and capital needs at vocational and independent secondary schools in the Worcester area.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of recipients. WPI describes its mission as transforming lives and advancing STEM through education, projects, and research. Assumption University describes itself as a Catholic liberal arts institution focused on students’ intellectual development and contribution to the common good. Williamson College of the Trades says it prepares young men to be leaders and productive members of society. These are the grantees’ own descriptions, not statements of the Trust’s mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Trust reported 79 grants totaling $11,478,000. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $100,000. Examples of larger awards include $1,000,000 to UMass Memorial Health Care, $750,000 each to Ecotarium and Saint John’s High School, and $600,000 to Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The filing lists each of these grants as being “to further education.”
The Trust’s 2024 filing says applicants may submit proposals in any letter form and that awards have no stated restrictions. Its website specifies complete hard-copy proposals for quarterly distribution meetings; higher education and vocational and secondary applicants are directed to submit one complete proposal. The Trust does not ordinarily make multi-year grants and occasionally makes challenge grants, typically requiring three matching dollars for each Trust dollar, with the match ordinarily due in full within 18 months.
A program listing last updated March 29, 2026, describes the Higher Education Grant as active at that time and says first-time applicants may receive grants of up to $100,000. The Trust’s website also says higher education and vocational and secondary applicants generally may not reapply until three years after the last grant or one year after the last payment, whichever is later; applicants whose proposals are rejected are normally eligible to apply again after one year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Warner S. Fletcher, James E. Collins, Gail T. Randall, and Douglas Meystre as trustees.
The George I Alden Trust's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Douglas Meystre
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $150K (2024)
Gail T. Randall
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $150K (2024)
James E. Collins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $150K (2024)
Warner S. Fletcher
Trustee
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $150K (2024)
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 $150K, to Warner S Fletcher (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The George I Alden Trust
How much does The George I Alden Trust give each year?
The George I Alden Trust gave $11.5M across 79 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $11.0M across 76 grants.
What is The George I Alden Trust's typical grant size?
The George I Alden Trust's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $145,291, across 79 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The George I Alden Trust give grants?
The George I Alden Trust gives mostly in Massachusetts: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (14%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Worcester, MA (40 grants) and Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does The George I Alden Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 79 grants with a stated purpose on The George I Alden Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further Education" (79 grants).
Who are The George I Alden Trust's largest grantees?
The George I Alden Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Umass Memorial Health Care Inc ($1,000,000), Ecotarium ($750,000) and Saint John's High School ($750,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The George I Alden Trust?
The George I Alden Trust reported $214.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.2M (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 George I Alden Trust fund?
The Trust’s stated purpose is to support charitable and philanthropic enterprises, with particular interest in promoting education in schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The George I Alden Trust?
The 2024 filing identifies the trustees as the contact for proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The George I Alden Trust's EIN?
The George I Alden Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6023784. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The George I Alden Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-george-i-alden-trust-morg_c078fb431e9c4367aee9d06238fe1c7a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046023784_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The George I Alden Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-george-i-alden-trust-morg_c078fb431e9c4367aee9d06238fe1c7a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 George I Alden 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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