The John M Gessell Charitable Trust

SEWANEE, TN EIN: 27-6906568

The John M Gessell Charitable Trust is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in SEWANEE, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. In 2024, it awarded 2 grants totaling $471K. Net investment income was $86K.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

-100.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$471K

+3151.2% YoY

Grant Count

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$236K

+3151.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John M Gessell Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $18K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

About The John M Gessell Charitable Trust

Based on IRS filings

Focus Areas

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Tennessee $639K (100%)

Illinois $2K (0%)

States

Illinois Tennessee

Cities

ChattanoogaChicagoCoalmontElizabethtonEstill SpringsNashvilleSewaneeWhitwell

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	$390,517	$398,445
Revenue	$92,196	$12,741	$6,917
Expenses	$482,713	$20,669	$21,351
Qualifying Distributions	$475,136	$15,537	$15,750
Net Investment Income	$85,817	$7,609	$1,316
Distributable Amount	$18,438	$20,187	$19,681

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

13 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga ($469,000), Episcopal Peace Fellowship ($2,423).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
EPISCOPAL PEACE FELLOWSHIP CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL OPERATING ACCOUNT	$2,423
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHATTANOOGA CHATTANOOGA, TN	GENERAL OPERATING ACCOUNT	$469,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ANNE C DEUTSCH	TRUSTEE	—	—
HENRY HAMMAN	TRUSTEE	—	—
SPIKE HOSCH	TRUSTEE	—	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The John M Gessell Charitable Trust?

The John M Gessell Charitable Trust is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in SEWANEE, TN. It holds — in total assets as of 2024.

Where does The John M Gessell Charitable Trust operate?

The John M Gessell Charitable Trust has awarded grants in Illinois, Tennessee.

What size grants does The John M Gessell Charitable Trust award?

In 2024, The John M Gessell Charitable Trust awarded 2 grants totaling $471K — an average of about $236K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The John M Gessell Charitable Trust required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The John M Gessell Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $18K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The John M Gessell Charitable Trust's EIN?

The John M Gessell Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6906568. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.