The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found

Private foundation · Grantmaker Catskill, NY EIN: 36-4112851

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found is a private foundation, based in Catskill, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. In 2024, it awarded 4 grants totaling $350K. Net investment income was $4K.

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found at a glance

In short: The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found gave $350K across 4 grants in 2024 (avg $88K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$350,390
Grants made (2024)
4
Average grant
$87,598
Median grant
$100,000
Primary geography
New York (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.

Who The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2024

Thomas Cole National Historic Site: $100KThomas Cole National HistoricSite$100KColumbia Greene Community College Foundation: $100KColumbia Greene CommunityCollege Foundation$100KVassar College: $100KVassar College$100KUniversity of Dayton: $50KUniversity of Dayton$50K

The largest 2024 recipient was Thomas Cole National Historic Site ($100K). Together the top 4 received $350K.

Grant Size Distribution

13 grants across all recorded years

8<$50K1$50–100K4$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 13 (62%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

Cities

CatskillDaytonPoughkeepsieAlbanyGreat BarringtonHudsonTroy

How The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found gives

  • Giving grew 82% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K7 grants2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 0 grants2023 4 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2022) to $350K (2024). In 2024 it made 4 grants totaling $350K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Thomas Cole National Historic Site Catskill, NYTo Assist with Charitable Purpose of Recipient$100,000
Columbia Greene Community College Foundation Hudson, NYTo Assist with Charitable Purpose of Recipient$100,000
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NYTo Assist with Charitable Purpose of Recipient$100,000
University of Dayton Dayton, OHTo Assist with Charitable Purpose of Recipient$50,390
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024—$2,210$351,390$350,3904$700,780$4,006$1,072
2023$349,180$19,899$3,347———$17,194$16,698
2022$332,628$3,613$8,244$5,0001$5,000$4,311$14,117
2021$337,259$20,942$196,594$192,9201$192,920$14,794$27,804
2020$471,266$-885$18,021$13,7507—$4,719$27,199

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found is led by Peter O'Hara, Trustee on the 2024 filing — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Peter O'Hara

    Trustee

    New on the 2024 filing

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Purcell Scheu Palmer (2020–2023) — Director

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.

Frequently asked questions about The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found

How much does The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found give each year?

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found gave $350K across 4 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

What is The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found's typical grant size?

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $87,598, across 4 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found give grants?

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found gives mostly in New York: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (14%).

How much is The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found reported a distributable amount of $1K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found's EIN?

The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4112851. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 22, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The James G and Purcell S Palmer Found'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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