The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust
THE MICHELSON FOUNDATION CHARITABLE is a private foundation based in Akron, Ohio. In filing year 2025, it gave $24,000 through 16 grants to organizations with charitable, educational, and other community-related purposes.
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust gave $24K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Ohio. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $24,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,500
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $465,090
- +2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing says to submit a letter stating the organization’s purpose, the intended use of the funds, and the projected date for commitment of the funds. Awards are limited to religious, educational, community, and charitable programs. The filing lists no deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: Richard A Michelson Jr
Mailing address: 705 Merriman Road, Akron, OH 44303
Phone: (330) 864-2198
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Summit County Ohio ($10K). Together the top 10 received $21K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 87 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Akron, Ohio. In filing year 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 4% to recipients in Tennessee, and 2% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 16 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $24K (2024) to $27K (2020). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $24K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Summit County Ohio Akron, OH | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Educational | $5,000 |
| Akron Art Museum Akron, OH | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Akron Community Foundation Akron, OH | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Ducks Unlimited Memphis, TN | Charitable | $1,000 |
| The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Columbus, OH | Educational | $1,000 |
| Akron Zoological Park Akron, OH | Charitable | $500 |
| Bluecoats Incorporated Clinton, OH | Charitable | $500 |
| Boy Scouts of America Irving, TX | Charitable | $500 |
| Childrens Concert Society Akron, OH | Charitable | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Michelson Foundation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $465,090 | $30,014 | $32,369 | $24,000 | 16 | $26,966 | $23,589 | $22,271 |
| 2024 | $453,724 | $32,259 | $31,283 | $24,000 | 16 | $26,856 | $26,255 | $21,132 |
| 2023 | $415,186 | $17,143 | $30,959 | $24,200 | 18 | $26,900 | $11,716 | $18,724 |
| 2022 | $369,380 | $19,743 | $32,774 | $25,700 | 18 | $28,075 | $14,990 | $19,781 |
| 2021 | $455,396 | $23,606 | $32,904 | $26,200 | 19 | $28,710 | $18,636 | $20,573 |
| 2020 | $369,746 | $4,273 | $35,361 | $27,200 | 18 | — | $3,281 | $16,422 |
| 2019 | $385,494 | $26,805 | $32,866 | $26,450 | 22 | — | $21,864 | $17,843 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $22K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included charitable and educational awards, as well as support for organizations whose work spans community philanthropy, arts and education, wildlife conservation, environmental improvement, services for immigrant communities, family support, and Scouting.
These descriptions come from the grantees: Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy says its endowment supports educational programs and tuition-assistance scholarships; the Childrens Concert Society describes school-based educational programs, symphonies, and a composers contest; and the Akron Zoological Park says it connects people with wildlife and promotes learning and conservation. The Akron Community Foundation says it works to support philanthropy and improve quality of life in its community. Other 2025 recipients describe work in areas including immigrant integration (International Institute of Akron), family support (Bluecoats), environmental management (Keep Akron Beautiful), and youth character-building (Boy Scouts of America).
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $24,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $500. The largest awards included $10,000 to United Way of Summit County Ohio and $5,000 to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to the Akron Art Museum, Akron Community Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard A. Michelson Jr. as trustee.
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust is led by Richard A. Michelson Jr., Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard A. Michelson Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust
How much does The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust give each year?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust gave $24K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $24K across 16 grants.
What is The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,500, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust give grants?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust gives mostly in Ohio: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Akron, OH (9 grants) and Cuyahoga Falls, OH (2 grants).
Does The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (12 grants) and "Educational" (4 grants).
Who are The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Summit County Ohio ($10,000), Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy ($5,000) and Akron Art Museum ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust reported $465K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust?
The filing says to submit a letter stating the organization’s purpose, the intended use of the funds, and the projected date for commitment of the funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6616858. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Other open foundation grants in Ohio
Ohio Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Glenn R & Alice V Boggess Memorial
Columbus, OH
The foundation supports a range of charitable organizations, including children’s, family-services, hospice, and community groups; its 2025 grants typically were $1,000–$8,000, with a median of $2,000. It is based in Columbus, Ohio, and lists Summit County, Ohio, as a restriction, though recent grants also went to Virginia; the filing says to request a distribution by letter to Brenda Moubray, but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
40
Total Given
$90K
Gar Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA
GAR Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations benefiting Akron residents, with funding for education, community and workforce development, arts and culture, and basic needs. Its filings report one grant per year, totaling about $7.2–$7.5 million in 2022–2024, but don’t establish a typical award size. Application materials are available on its website; the profile does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$152.8M
Grants
1
Total Given
$7.5M
Lloyd L & Louise K Smith Foundation
Columbus, OH
The foundation supports a broad range of organizations, including education, hospitals, religious groups, food assistance, arts, human services, youth, and wildlife organizations. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $3,000, and 90% of funding went to Ohio recipients. It accepts written applications from public educational institutions, hospitals, and religious organizations; no specific form or deadline is listed.
Assets
$5.3M
Grants
70
Total Given
$293K
L R Moffitt & L W Moffitt Foundation
Columbus, OH
The L R Moffitt & L W Moffitt Foundation supports a range of charitable services, including food assistance, health and human services, legal aid, and animal welfare; its 2024 filing restricts awards to the Akron and Summit County area. In 2025, it made 52 grants, typically around $1,000 (median), with awards ranging from $500 to $6,000. It accepts written requests in any format; no deadline is listed.
Assets
$1.4M
Grants
52
Total Given
$72K
The Patricia & J Harvey Graves Family Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$402K
Grants
18
Total Given
$15K
Nemeth Julius L PFDN
Brooklyn, OH
The foundation supports organizations in arts and culture, youth development, public media, immigrant services, hospice care, and ecology, primarily in Ohio, with some grants in Texas and Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $6,000, with a median of $1,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$546K
Grants
18
Total Given
$30K
More similar funders
More Funders in Ohio
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Michelson Foundation 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.
The Michelson Foundation Charitable Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?