The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund is a private foundation based in Suamico, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing describes scholarships for graduating seniors of Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund gave $38K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $38,250
- +9.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +41.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,250
- -22.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $601,338
- +21.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund
- How to Apply
-
The filing says to contact Ward Bacon and provide a verbal recommendation from the Neshaminy High School principal, a teacher, or a counselor. Applicants must be graduating seniors from Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, demonstrate commendable character, effort, and academic achievement throughout high school, have been accepted by an accredited four-year college, and have modest financial resources.
- Review Cycle
- None stated on the filing.
- Deadline
- None stated on the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Ward Bacon
Mailing address: 2068 Norfield Road, Suamico, WI 54173
Phone: (920) 370-2831
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 67 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 5% went to recipients in Florida. The filing’s eligibility criteria specify graduating seniors of Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+20%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2020) to $38K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 17 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $38,250 |
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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 | $601,338 | $157,150 | $52,307 | $38,250 | 17 | $35,750 | $141,494 | $32,499 |
| 2024 | $496,495 | $110,456 | $82,400 | $34,875 | 12 | $34,875 | $64,805 | $25,277 |
| 2023 | $468,439 | $168,801 | $68,165 | $32,625 | 11 | $32,625 | $134,804 | $27,399 |
| 2022 | $367,803 | $169,000 | $90,261 | $32,000 | 14 | $32,000 | $110,974 | $23,751 |
| 2021 | $289,064 | $69,339 | $83,222 | $30,500 | 13 | $30,500 | $16,889 | $25,295 |
| 2020 | $302,947 | $65,321 | $75,679 | $29,500 | 10 | — | $19,596 | $16,169 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund reported a distributable amount of $32K for 2025 — 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 fund’s filing describes scholarship payments on behalf of students; it does not state a broader mission. Its stated award criteria identify eligible applicants as graduating Neshaminy High School seniors who meet the academic, character, college-acceptance, and financial-resource requirements.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund reported 17 grants totaling $38,250. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $5,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest reported awards included two grants of $5,000 and two of $3,750, all to individual recipients in Pennsylvania. Other listed awards included one $2,000 grant to an individual recipient in Florida.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ward Bacon is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund is led by Ward Bacon, Trustee since 2024 (on filings since 2020) — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ward Bacon
Trustee
Co-Trustee → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Esther Wenrich (2020–2023) — Co-Trustee
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 Helen Bates Scholarship Fund
How much does The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund give each year?
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund gave $38K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $35K across 12 grants.
What is The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,250, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund give grants?
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (5%).
Does The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship Paid" (17 grants).
How large is The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund?
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund reported $601K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $36K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $32K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund fund?
The fund’s filing describes scholarship payments on behalf of students; it does not state a broader mission. Its stated award criteria identify eligible applicants as graduating Neshaminy High School seniors who meet the academic, character, college-acceptance, and financial-resource requirements. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund?
The filing says to contact Ward Bacon and provide a verbal recommendation from the Neshaminy High School principal, a teacher, or a counselor. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund's EIN?
The Helen Bates Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-7117967. 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 October 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 February 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 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 12, 2026)
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