The Serr Charitable Action Trust
The Serr Charitable Action Trust is a private foundation, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $27.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $18.4M. Net investment income was $1.8M.
The Serr Charitable Action Trust at a glance
In short: The Serr Charitable Action Trust gave $18.4M across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $6.1M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $18,374,979
- +319.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -57.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,124,993
- +878.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $475,000
- Total assets
- $27,209,412
- -28.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Serr Charitable Action Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Orange County Community Foundation ($17.8M). Together the top 3 received $18.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
29 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 8 grants of 29 (28%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Serr Charitable Action Trust gives
- Giving grew 196% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 912% of 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $18.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $18.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County Community Foundation Irvine, CA | General Support | $17,849,979 |
| Salt Lake Film Society Salt Lake City, UT | General Support | $475,000 |
| Utah Symphony Utah Opera Salt Lake City, UT | General Support | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,209,412 | $2,023,822 | $18,799,114 | $18,374,979 | 3 | $18,475,715 | $1,775,589 | $2,025,510 |
| 2024 | $37,842,008 | $38,207,751 | $4,876,291 | $4,382,200 | 7 | $4,478,879 | $17,486,483 | $1,798,990 |
| 2023 | $20,541,830 | $1,680,471 | $13,598,457 | $13,323,568 | 5 | $13,402,036 | $1,484,772 | $1,526,121 |
| 2022 | $25,211,337 | $109,902 | $6,626,014 | $6,216,226 | 7 | $6,326,892 | $669,676 | $36,928 |
| 2021 | $31,727,447 | $22,306,049 | $2,301,242 | $1,901,074 | 7 | $1,989,049 | $7,025,524 | $1,823,775 |
| 2020 | $23,940,473 | $12,293,802 | $1,473,621 | $1,252,415 | 6 | — | $5,855,410 | $1,208,230 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Serr Charitable Action Trust reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Serr Charitable Action Trust's only listed officer is Northern Trust Company, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Northern Trust Company
Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$81K (2020) → $302K (2025)
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 $302K, to Northern Trust Company (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Serr Charitable Action Trust
How much does The Serr Charitable Action Trust give each year?
The Serr Charitable Action Trust gave $18.4M across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.4M across 7 grants.
What is The Serr Charitable Action Trust's typical grant size?
The Serr Charitable Action Trust's median grant in 2025 was $475,000, and its average grant was $6,124,993, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Serr Charitable Action Trust give grants?
The Serr Charitable Action Trust gives mostly in California: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (2 grants).
Does The Serr Charitable Action Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Serr Charitable Action Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is The Serr Charitable Action Trust?
The Serr Charitable Action Trust reported $27.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Serr Charitable Action Trust's EIN?
The Serr Charitable Action Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7391628. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Serr Charitable Action Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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