The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts is a public charity listed in Washington, D.C. It works to improve public policy, inform the public, and invigorate civic life through research and policy initiatives, public-information work, and support for civic life. Pew’s website says it was founded in 1948; its 2023 filing reports 2002 as the year formed.
The Pew Charitable Trusts at a glance
In short: The Pew Charitable Trusts gave $140.6M across 535 grants in 2025 (avg $263K), top state District of Columbia. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $140,624,110
- +1.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 535
- +36.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $262,849
- -26.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $1,463,583,948
- +8.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (173 of 425, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (37% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Pew Charitable Trusts
- Contact
Mailing address: 901 E Street Nw, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 552-2000
Website: https://www.pewtrusts.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The Pew Charitable Trusts
Pew Biomedical Scholars Grant
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Amount
US $75,000 - US $300,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Pew Center for Arts & Heritage: Capacity Building Grants - Research and Travel Grants
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Amount
US $2,000 - US $4,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Pew Center for Arts & Heritage: Capacity Building Grants- Technical Assistance grants
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Amount
US $500 - US $1,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Pew Charitable Trusts funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pew Research Center ($41.5M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $74.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($49,323), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 935 grants of 2,173 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The largest shares of Pew’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, D.C. (37%), Pennsylvania (26%), Massachusetts (7%), Virginia (6%), and New York (5%). Pew also states that it supports national civic-participation initiatives and, in Philadelphia, organizations serving arts and culture and community needs.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 535 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Pew Charitable Trusts open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 173 of 425 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $152K; repeat grants $454K. How we count
Medians: $90K first-time, $58K repeat.
- 41% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $132.3M (2020) to $162.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 535 grants totaling $140.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pew Research Center Washington, DC | Information | $38,100,000 |
| Conservation International Foundation Arlington, VA | Policy | $6,429,418 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Policy | $5,625,190 |
| Children's Crisis Treatment Center Philadelphia, PA | Civic Life | $3,500,000 |
| CP 2023 Philadelphia, PA | Policy | $3,250,000 |
| Esperanza Health Center Inc Philadelphia, PA | Civic Life | $3,200,000 |
| ProPublica New York, NY | DAF grant | $3,061,593 |
| Pew Research Center Washington, DC | Information | $2,500,000 |
| Heights Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Civic Life | $2,250,000 |
| Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Policy | $1,862,914 |
Ready to take the next step with The Pew Charitable Trusts?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts below are from filing data.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,463,583,948 | $467,971,224 | $392,066,052 | $140,624,110 | 535 | $85,676,610 |
| 2024 | $1,350,161,416 | $408,893,947 | $380,100,942 | $138,935,055 | 391 | $38,820,437 |
| 2023 | $1,291,194,460 | $415,231,323 | $361,371,516 | $138,312,664 | 401 | $34,966,437 |
| 2022 | $1,234,434,483 | $341,410,426 | $376,487,152 | $162,938,161 | 407 | $26,293,425 |
| 2021 | $1,399,134,993 | $343,505,223 | $347,830,439 | $136,935,578 | 439 | $42,561,216 |
| 2020 | $1,299,222,104 | $346,765,756 | $351,552,064 | $132,312,793 | 396 | $40,819,706 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Pew states its mission as “improving public policy, informing the public, and invigorating civic life.” Its filing describes policy work as studying and promoting nonpartisan solutions to pressing and emerging problems affecting the American public and the global community. It says Pew Research Center, a Washington, D.C.-based charitable subsidiary, conducts impartial public-opinion polling and other research to track issues and trends.
The organization’s stated civic-life work includes support for national civic-participation initiatives and, in Philadelphia, arts and culture organizations and institutions serving the region’s neediest citizens. Examples of 2025 grantees include Esperanza Health Center, which describes its work as providing holistic health care to Latino and underserved Philadelphia communities, and ProPublica, which describes itself as an independent nonprofit newsroom producing investigative journalism in the public interest. Other recipients include Conservation International Foundation, which says it works to secure nature’s benefits for humanity, and MIT, whose stated mission includes advancing knowledge and educating students.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Pew reported 535 grants totaling $140,624,110. Grant amounts ranged from $5,088 to $38.1 million, with a median of $75,000. The largest listed award was $38.1 million to Pew Research Center. Other large grants included $6,429,418 to Conservation International Foundation, $5,625,190 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $3.5 million to Children’s Crisis Treatment Center, and $3.2 million to Esperanza Health Center.
Pew’s Center for Arts & Heritage lists Capacity Building Research and Travel Grants for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations in the Philadelphia region. The grants support research, travel, or technical assistance related to proposal preparation in contemporary art and public history. Research and Travel Grants are listed at $2,000–$4,000; priority is given to organizations with operating budgets under $500,000 and first-time applicants. The program information describes capacity-building funds as available in 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher Jones as director and board chair and Susan K. Urahn as president and CEO. Directors listed include Clayton Rose, David Williams, Diana Farrell, Henry P. Becton Jr., J. Howard Pew II, Joseph N. Pew V, Mary Catharine Pew, and Raynard Kington.
The Pew Charitable Trusts is led by Susan K Urahn, President & CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 11 of 24 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan K Urahn
President & CEO
Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer → President & CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
49 hrs/week
$683K (2020) → $1.2M (2025)
Christopher Jones
Director & Board Chair
Director → Director & Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J Howard Pew II
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$18K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Joseph N Pew V
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$21K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Mary Catharine Pew MD
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$21K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Robert H Campbell
Director
Director & Board Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Sandy Ford Pew
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$22K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Susan W Catherwood
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Henry P Becton Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raynard Kington MD
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Willa Seldon
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clayton Rose PhD
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Williams
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diana Farrell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lester Baxter
Senior Vice President & Strategy
Vice President & Strategy → Senior Vice President & Strategy, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$290K (2020) → $361K (2025)
Melissa Skolfield
Executive Vice President & External Affairs
Senior Vice President & Communications → Executive Vice President & External Affairs, 2021
On filings since 2020
49.5 hrs/week
$432K (2020) → $564K (2025)
R James G McMillan
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corp Secretary → Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
48 hrs/week
$444K (2020) → $580K (2025)
Sarah Senno
Vice President, Finance & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
49.5 hrs/week
$227K (2020) → $298K (2025)
Thomas Dillon
Senior Vice President & Environment
Vice President & Head of Environment → Senior Vice President & Environment, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$333K (2020) → $477K (2025)
Michael Caudell-Feagan
Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer
Executive Vice President & Chief Prgm Officer → Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer, 2022
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$317K (2021) → $592K (2025)
Ralph R Leslie
Executive Vice President, COO & CFO
On filings since 2022
49.5 hrs/week
$49K (2022) → $609K (2025)
Priya Bery
Senior Vice President & Partnerships
On filings since 2023
49 hrs/week
$431K (2023) → $464K (2025)
Kil Huh
Senior Vice President & Government Performance
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$347K (2024) → $359K (2025)
Joel Wiginton
Senior Vice President & Government Relations
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$371K (2025)
Former officers (12)
- Former: Tamera Luzzatto (2020–2024) — Senior Vice President & Gov't Relations
- Former: Linda Bartlett (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President, Finance & CFO
- Former: Michael Thompson (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President & Gov't Performance
- Former: Rebecca W Rimel (2020–2023) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Thomas Wathen (2020–2023) — Vice President & Environment
- Former: R Anderson Pew (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Sally A O'Brien (2020–2022) — Senior Adv. Partnerships
- Former: Frazierita Klasen (2022) — Senior Vice President & Philadelphia Prgm
- Former: Janice Bogash (2020–2021) — Senior Vice President & Chief Admn Officer
- Former: Aristides W. Georgantas (2020) — Director
- Former: Doris Pew Scott (2020) — Director
- Former: James S. Pew (2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1.2M, to Susan K Urahn (President and CEO). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Pew Charitable Trusts
How much does The Pew Charitable Trusts give each year?
The Pew Charitable Trusts gave $140.6M across 535 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $138.9M across 391 grants.
What is The Pew Charitable Trusts's typical grant size?
The Pew Charitable Trusts's median grant in 2025 was $75,000, and its average grant was $262,849, across 535 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts that year got $152K on average.
Where does The Pew Charitable Trusts give grants?
The Pew Charitable Trusts's top state is District of Columbia, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (26%) and Massachusetts (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (118 grants), Washington, DC (62 grants), New York, NY (25 grants) and Boston, MA (19 grants).
Does The Pew Charitable Trusts give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 535 grants with a stated purpose on The Pew Charitable Trusts's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Policy" (258 grants), "Civic Life" (132 grants) and "Matching Gift" (89 grants).
Who are The Pew Charitable Trusts's largest grantees?
The Pew Charitable Trusts's largest 2025 grantees include Pew Research Center ($41,508,179 across 4 grants), Conservation International Foundation ($6,591,226 across 2 grants) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($5,864,700 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($49,323), which are not listed by name. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Pew Charitable Trusts?
The Pew Charitable Trusts reported $1.5B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $468.0M.
What does The Pew Charitable Trusts fund?
Pew states its mission as “improving public policy, informing the public, and invigorating civic life.” Its filing describes policy work as studying and promoting nonpartisan solutions to pressing and emerging problems affecting the American public and the global community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts?
The Pew Charitable Trusts has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check pewtrusts.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Pew Charitable Trusts's EIN?
The Pew Charitable Trusts's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2307147. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 26, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Pew Charitable Trusts's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Pew Charitable Trusts funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-pew-charitable-trusts-morg_52ad3a50e6394b24bea68fffdf5cad62
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_562307147_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Pew Charitable Trusts funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-pew-charitable-trusts-morg_52ad3a50e6394b24bea68fffdf5cad62},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 Pew Charitable Trusts'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 Pew Charitable Trusts down — hundreds of funders to go?