The William Gerald Willett

Private foundation · Grantmaker Dardenne Prairie, MO EIN: 26-0890463

The William Gerald Willett is a private foundation based in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports 18 grants totaling $665,010 to charitable organizations.

The William Gerald Willett at a glance

In short: The William Gerald Willett gave $665K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), top state Missouri. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$665,010
+11.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
18
+12.5% vs 2024
Average grant
$36,945
-1.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$25,000
Total assets
$3,927,290
-7.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
28% first-time grantees (5 of 18, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Missouri (43% 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 William Gerald Willett

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Contact

Mailing address: 205 Toussaint Landing Dr, Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368
Phone: (703) 400-5521

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The William Gerald Willett funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Lewy Body Dementia Association Inc: $100KLewy Body Dementia AssociationInc$100KOvarian Cancer Research Alliance: $100KOvarian Cancer ResearchAlliance$100KSt Louis Children's Hospital Foundation: $60KSt Louis Children's HospitalFoundation$60KChristine Willett Memorial Scholarship Program Saint Jerome Church: $50KChristine Willett MemorialScholarship Program Saint…$50KMake-a-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas: $50KMake-a-Wish Foundation ofMissouri and Kansas$50KHumane Society of Missouri: $45KHumane Society of Missouri$45KNo Kid Hungry - Share Our Strength: $30KNo Kid Hungry - Share OurStrength$30KChildren's National Medical Center: $25KChildren's National MedicalCenter$25KRonald McDonald House Charities of St Louis: $25KRonald McDonald HouseCharities of St Louis$25KStray Rescue of St Louis: $25KStray Rescue of St Louis$25K

The largest 2025 recipient was Lewy Body Dementia Association Inc ($100K). Together the top 10 received $510K.

Grant Size Distribution

76 grants across all recorded years

54<$50K17$50–100K5$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 76 (71%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the reported share of grant dollars by recipient state was Missouri, 43%; New York, 22%; Georgia, 15%; Kentucky, 8%; and Pennsylvania, 5%.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.

Cities

St. LouisWashingtonNew YorkBallwinFancy FarmLilburnWentzvilleMemphisDes PeresAlbanyFairfaxFalls ChurchLinn CreekNorthbrookOfallonPhiladelphiaPhoenixSilver SpringSt Peters

Is The William Gerald Willett open to new grantees?

28%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 18 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $43K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $30K repeat.

  • 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 54% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2025). 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

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K14 grants2020 16 grants2021 13 grants2022 13 grants2023 16 grants2024 18 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $430K (2021) to $665K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $665K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Lewy Body Dementia Association Inc Lilburn, GATo support those affected by lewy body dementia through outreach, education, and research$100,000
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance New York, NYTo promote, advocate, and support scientific research for the cure of ovarian cancer$100,000
St Louis Children's Hospital Foundation St. Louis, MOTo Provide Exceptional Care for Children$60,000
Christine Willett Memorial Scholarship Program Saint Jerome Church Fancy Farm, KYTo Provide Financial Assistance for Higher Education$50,000
Make-a-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas Ballwin, MOTo create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses$50,000
Humane Society of Missouri St. Louis, MOPrevention of Cruelty, Abuse and Neglect of Animals$45,000
No Kid Hungry - Share Our Strength Philadelphia, PATo end childhood hunger and poverty in the united states and abroad$30,000
Children's National Medical Center Washington, DCTo help find cures, fuel innovation and provide world-class care for every child$25,000
Ronald McDonald House Charities of St Louis St. Louis, MOTo provide the comforts of home and care to families of seriously ill children$25,000
Stray Rescue of St Louis St. Louis, MOTo rescue stray animals, provide them healthcare, and find adoptive homes$25,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$3,927,290$390,774$684,849$665,01018$668,134$387,442$691,206
2024$4,221,365$677,701$618,409$598,62716$601,722$674,606$710,491
2023$4,162,073$620,366$458,817$444,47113$448,888$615,365$618,564
2022$4,000,524$323,567$438,771$432,53513$432,535$323,363$611,944
2021$4,115,728$160,819$438,587$429,87616$430,351$177,906$649,607
2020$4,393,496$125,630$456,320$444,20314—$174,758$519,153

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William Gerald Willett reported a distributable amount of $691K 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 include support for organizations addressing Lewy body dementia, ovarian cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, pediatric care, animal welfare, and other needs.

Grantees describe their own work in varied terms. The Lewy Body Dementia Association says it supports people affected by Lewy body dementias through outreach, education, and research. The Humane Society of Missouri describes its mission as preventing cruelty, abuse, and neglect of animals; Stray Rescue of St. Louis says it rescues stray animals needing medical attention, restores them to health, and places them in homes. Lydia’s House says it provides domestic violence survivors and their children a safe place to heal, a voice for justice, and an opportunity for sustainable lives.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $665,010. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $25,000.

Among the largest reported grants were $100,000 each to the Lewy Body Dementia Association and the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance; $60,000 to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation; and $50,000 each to the Christine Willett Memorial Scholarship Program at Saint Jerome Church and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas. Other grants included $45,000 to the Humane Society of Missouri, $30,000 to No Kid Hungry – Share Our Strength, and $25,000 each to Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis, Stray Rescue of St. Louis, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The foundation also reported 2025 grants of $20,000 each to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Lydia’s House, and Duo Dogs.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Jennifer A. Willett as president, secretary, and treasurer; Jeffrey B. Willett as director; and William M. Willett as director.

The William Gerald Willett is led by Jennifer A. Willett, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jennifer A. Willett

    President, Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey B. Willett

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • William M. Willett

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about The William Gerald Willett

How much does The William Gerald Willett give each year?

The William Gerald Willett gave $665K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $599K across 16 grants.

What is The William Gerald Willett's typical grant size?

The William Gerald Willett's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $36,945, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William Gerald Willett that year got $21K on average.

Where does The William Gerald Willett give grants?

The William Gerald Willett's top state is Missouri, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (22%) and Georgia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (8 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).

Does The William Gerald Willett give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The William Gerald Willett's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are The William Gerald Willett's largest grantees?

The William Gerald Willett's largest 2025 grantees include Lewy Body Dementia Association Inc ($100,000), Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance ($100,000) and St Louis Children's Hospital Foundation ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The William Gerald Willett?

The William Gerald Willett reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $668K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $691K (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 William Gerald Willett fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations addressing Lewy body dementia, ovarian cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, pediatric care, animal welfare, and other needs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The William Gerald Willett?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The William Gerald Willett's EIN?

The William Gerald Willett's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0890463. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The William Gerald Willett accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The William Gerald Willett funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-gerald-willett-morg_3d72f398017e4d879633222162ae99ab

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260890463_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The William Gerald Willett funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-gerald-willett-morg_3d72f398017e4d879633222162ae99ab},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 William Gerald Willett'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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