The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Darien, Connecticut. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing lists 68 grants totaling $2,180,334.
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust gave $2.2M across 68 grants in 2025 (avg $32K), mostly in New York. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,180,334
- +33.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 68
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $32,064
- +0.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,476,790
- +3.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (24 of 68, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (60% 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 ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Trust makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Lmc 685 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820
Phone: (203) 655-2200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wesleyan University ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
291 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 247 grants of 291 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in New York received 60% of grant dollars, those in Connecticut received 24%, and those in Washington, DC, received 7%. Recipients in Tennessee received 3%, and those in California received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 68 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 24 of 68 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 44% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 45% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $867K (2021) to $2.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 68 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wesleyan University Middleton, CT | General Use | $500,000 |
| Caron Foundation New York, NY | General Use | $210,000 |
| Packer Collegiate Institute Brooklyn, NY | General Use | $166,666 |
| Neighbors Link Mount Kisco, NY | General Use | $150,000 |
| NYC Ballet New York, NY | General Use | $150,000 |
| Third Way Institute Washington, DC | General Use | $150,000 |
| Northern Westchester Hospital Mount Kisco, NY | General Use | $100,000 |
| Blue Path Service Dogs Hopewell Junction, NY | General Use | $75,000 |
| Porter's Call Franklin, TN | General Use | $66,667 |
| Project Heal Brooklyn, NY | General Use | $65,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The ZelnickBelzberg 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 | $1,476,790 | $4,498,911 | $2,238,054 | $2,180,334 | 68 | $2,184,664 | $2,250,851 | $74,795 |
| 2024 | $1,424,544 | $2,836,220 | $1,680,463 | $1,630,867 | 51 | $1,637,407 | $1,249,208 | $73,809 |
| 2023 | $1,492,020 | $318,233 | $1,288,209 | $1,273,388 | 61 | $1,273,638 | $40,720 | $109,295 |
| 2022 | $2,436,261 | $280,613 | $1,575,702 | $1,502,409 | 62 | $1,506,484 | $151,357 | $164,409 |
| 2021 | $3,952,035 | $5,825,041 | $888,892 | $867,262 | 49 | — | $2,885,371 | $116,433 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $75K 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 Trust is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. Wesleyan University describes its mission as providing a liberal arts education in a diverse community; Packer Collegiate Institute describes a focus on scholarship, relationships, and developing students’ talents and aspirations. Neighbors Link says it works to strengthen community integration of immigrants through services including English-language learning, workforce development, and legal services. Third Way Institute says it supports charitable and educational activities advancing centrist policy solutions, while Porters Call says it provides counsel and support for recording artists and their families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Trust made 68 grants totaling $2,180,334. Awards ranged from $150 to $500,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grants included $500,000 to Wesleyan University, $210,000 to Caron Foundation, $166,666 to Packer Collegiate Institute, and $150,000 each to Neighbors Link, NYC Ballet, and Third Way Institute. The listed purposes for these grants were “General Use.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Strauss Zelnick as Trustee/Chairman and Wendy Belzberg as Trustee/President/Secy.
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust is led by Wendy Belzberg, Trustee, President & Secretary on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wendy Belzberg
Trustee, President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Strauss Zelnick
Trustee & Chairman
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust
How much does The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust give each year?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust gave $2.2M across 68 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.6M across 51 grants.
What is The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $32,064, across 68 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust that year got $17K on average.
Where does The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust give grants?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust gives mostly in New York: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (24%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (29 grants), Mount Kisco, NY (2 grants), Brooklyn, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (68 of 68) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Wesleyan University ($500,000), Caron Foundation ($210,000) and Packer Collegiate Institute ($166,666), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $75K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the Trust is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust?
The Trust makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's EIN?
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7187853. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-zelnickbelzberg-charitable-trust-morg_df8f4609943e46ddaca9fd1e207f3dd5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137187853_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-zelnickbelzberg-charitable-trust-morg_df8f4609943e46ddaca9fd1e207f3dd5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 ZelnickBelzberg 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.
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