The Nichols Trust
The Nichols Trust is a private foundation based in Hollis, New Hampshire. Its 2026 filing reports 29 grants totaling $71,400 to charitable organizations, including schools, conservation organizations, and public media organizations.
The Nichols Trust at a glance
In short: The Nichols Trust gave $71K across 29 grants in 2026 (avg $2K), top state Massachusetts. 0% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $71,400
- -3.5% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 29
- -9.4% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $2,462
- +6.5% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $250
- Total assets
- $1,458,894
- -2.5% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 29, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (45% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Nichols Trust
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says to submit a letter from an authorized charity. Awards are restricted to authorized 501(c)(3) charities.
- Contact
Application contact: Richard R Husk
Mailing address: 11 Merrill Lane, Hollis, NH 03049
Phone: (603) 465-3137
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Nichols Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Beaver Brook Association ($20K). Together the top 10 received $67K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 160 grants of 160 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, recipients in Massachusetts received 45% of grant dollars, and recipients in New Hampshire received 39%. Recipients in Georgia received 14%, while Vermont received 1% and Virginia less than 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Nichols Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 0 of 29 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−6%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 93% 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 (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $71K (2026) to $93K (2021). In 2026 it made 29 grants totaling $71K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Brook Association Hollis, NH | Annual Fund/General | $20,000 |
| Berry College Berry, GA | Annual Fund/Scholarship | $10,000 |
| Brimmer & May School Chestnut Hill, MA | Annual Fund/Scholarship | $10,000 |
| Lawrence Academy Groton, MA | Annual Fund/General | $10,000 |
| Boston University's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Boston, MA | Annual Fund/General | $4,500 |
| New Hampshire Public Television Durham, NH | Annual Fund/General | $3,000 |
| WGBH Boston, MA | Annual Fund/General | $3,000 |
| Applewild School Fitchburg, MA | Annual Fund/General | $2,850 |
| Society for the Protection of NH Forests Concord, NH | Annual Fund/General | $2,250 |
| Planned Parenthood of NNE Colchester, VT | Annual Fund/General | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1,458,894 | $59,108 | $89,996 | $71,400 | 29 | $74,200 | $44,108 | $80,147 |
| 2025 | $1,495,545 | $66,984 | $93,480 | $74,000 | 32 | $80,695 | $54,484 | $78,117 |
| 2024 | $1,528,134 | $64,944 | $89,088 | $73,250 | 36 | $73,337 | $49,944 | $74,865 |
| 2023 | $1,558,127 | $48,189 | $95,750 | $76,000 | 31 | $79,837 | $33,189 | $77,658 |
| 2022 | $1,618,447 | $75,273 | $108,751 | $90,150 | 32 | $90,150 | $60,273 | $84,733 |
| 2021 | $1,651,925 | $24,595 | $108,067 | $92,650 | 32 | — | $56,370 | $87,211 |
| 2020 | $1,735,408 | $85,687 | $104,627 | $92,650 | 34 | — | $75,687 | $90,510 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Nichols Trust reported a distributable amount of $80K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations with varied missions. For example, Beaver Brook Association describes its work as promoting understanding of the natural world and conservation through education and stewardship. Berry College describes its approach as combining academics with work experience, spiritual and moral growth, and service. Brimmer and May School describes itself as a student-centered day school focused on academic standards and developing engaged, ethical citizens and leaders.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the trust reported 29 grants totaling $71,400. Grants ranged from $100 to $20,000, with a median of $250. The largest awards included $20,000 to Beaver Brook Association for its annual fund/general support, $10,000 to Berry College for its annual fund/scholarship, $10,000 to Brimmer & May School for its annual fund/scholarship, and $10,000 to Lawrence Academy for its annual fund/general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Richard R Husk, Charles J Husk, and Monique M Graves as trustees.
The Nichols Trust's 2026 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Richard R. Husk
Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles J. Husk
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monique M. Graves
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Frances F. Nichols (2020–2025) — Trustee
- Former: Jane M. Porter (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "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 Nichols Trust
How much does The Nichols Trust give each year?
The Nichols Trust gave $71K across 29 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $74K across 32 grants.
What is The Nichols Trust's typical grant size?
The Nichols Trust's median grant in 2026 was $250, and its average grant was $2,462, across 29 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Nichols Trust give grants?
The Nichols Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Hampshire (39%) and Georgia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hollis, NH (4 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Concord, NH (2 grants) and Merrimack, NH (2 grants).
Does The Nichols Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Nichols Trust's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Nichols Trust's largest grantees?
The Nichols Trust's largest 2026 grantees include Beaver Brook Association ($20,000), Berry College ($10,000) and Brimmer & May School ($10,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Nichols Trust?
The Nichols Trust reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $74K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $80K (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 Nichols Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations with varied missions. For example, Beaver Brook Association describes its work as promoting understanding of the natural world and conservation through education and stewardship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Nichols Trust?
The 2025 filing says to submit a letter from an authorized charity. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Nichols Trust's EIN?
The Nichols Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6026880. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Nichols Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-nichols-trust-morg_c949f3fc3de744e1a849d740f1023eec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046026880_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Nichols Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-nichols-trust-morg_c949f3fc3de744e1a849d740f1023eec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Nichols 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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