Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions

Private foundation · Grantmaker Pennington, NJ EIN: 81-6353323

TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHARITABLE is a private foundation based in Pennington, New Jersey. In 2025, it gave $50,500 in grants to 10 organizations, including arts and opera organizations, educational institutions, and organizations serving children and students.

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions at a glance

In short: Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions gave $51K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in New York. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$50,500
+14.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
10
+42.9% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,050
-19.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,750
Total assets
$937,583
+2.3% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
40% first-time grantees (4 of 10, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
New York (55% 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 Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions

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 for funds. No application process or required materials are stated.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 1532 Aft, Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (888) 866-3275

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

Who Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Metropolitan Opera Association: $16KMetropolitan Opera Association$16KYivo Institute for Jewish Research: $5KYivo Institute for JewishResearch$5KWagner Free Institute of Science: $5KWagner Free Institute ofScience$5KMusicopia: $5KMusicopia$5KStudent Partner Alliance: $4KStudent Partner Alliance$4KSesame Workshop: $4KSesame Workshop$4KGlimmerglas Opera: $4KGlimmerglas Opera$4KOpera Carolina: $4KOpera Carolina$4KPortland Opera Assoc Inc: $3KPortland Opera Assoc Inc$3KOpera Company of Philadelphia: $2KOpera Company of Philadelphia$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Metropolitan Opera Association ($16K). Together the top 10 received $51K.

Grant Size Distribution

37 grants across all recorded years

37<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 37 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grants went to organizations in New York (55% of grant dollars), Pennsylvania (24%), New Jersey (8%), North Carolina (7%), and Oregon (6%).

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkPhiladelphiaSummitPortlandBellevueCharlotteCooperstownNewarkOakland

Is Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions open to new grantees?

40%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 10 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 22% 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 (2019–2025). 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$20K$40K$60K7 grants2019 8 grants2020 6 grants2021 6 grants2022 8 grants2023 7 grants2024 10 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $42K (2022) to $51K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $51K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Metropolitan Opera Association New York, NYMet Opera HD Live Program$16,000
Yivo Institute for Jewish Research New York, NYUnrestricted General$5,000
Wagner Free Institute of Science Philadelphia, PAEducational Programs$5,000
Musicopia Philadelphia, PAUnrestricted General$5,000
Student Partner Alliance Summit, NJUnrestricted General$4,000
Sesame Workshop New York, NYUnrestricted General$3,500
Glimmerglas Opera Cooperstown, NYUnrestricted General$3,500
Opera Carolina Charlotte, NCUnrestricted General$3,500
Portland Opera Assoc Inc Portland, ORUnrestricted General$3,000
Opera Company of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PAUnrestricted General$2,000
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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$937,583$71,866$59,136$50,50010$54,242$58,629$55,848
2024$916,190$63,453$54,551$44,1007$50,314$50,412$54,237
2023$907,329$45,452$56,672$47,0008$53,029$33,084$50,189
2022$919,062$23,010$51,199$41,5006$46,373$15,056$51,793
2021$947,217$64,371$58,266$49,0006$54,101$54,330$55,996
2020$934,185$17,939$58,210$45,1288—$17,502$50,820
2019$981,059$33,954$62,545$49,9077—$22,208$52,169

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions reported a distributable amount of $56K 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

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research says its mission is to study Jewish life in Eastern Europe and Russia and preserve related archival and library materials. Musicopia says it provides equitable access to music education and enrichment for pre-K–12 students and their communities. Wagner Free Institute of Science says it provides free public science education and preserves its historic building and collections.

Other 2025 grantees describe their work as supporting New Jersey high school students through tuition assistance and mentoring (Student Partner Alliance), helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder (Sesame Workshop), and presenting opera and related educational and outreach programs (Opera Carolina).

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $50,500. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $16,000, with a median of $3,750.

Its largest 2025 grants were $16,000 to Metropolitan Opera Association for its Met Opera HD Live Program; $5,000 each to YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Wagner Free Institute of Science, and Musicopia; and $4,000 to Student Partner Alliance. Other grants included $3,500 each to Sesame Workshop, Glimmerglass Opera, and Opera Carolina; $3,000 to Portland Opera Association; and $2,000 to Opera Company of Philadelphia.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Lisa W Celona and Toby W Ruda as co-TTEE.

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Lisa W. Celona

    Co-Ttee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Toby W. Ruda

    Co-Ttee

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions

How much does Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions give each year?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions gave $51K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $44K across 7 grants.

What is Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's typical grant size?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's median grant in 2025 was $3,750, and its average grant was $5,050, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions that year got $3K on average.

Where does Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions give grants?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions gives mostly in New York: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (24%) and New Jersey (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (3 grants).

Does Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions give general operating support?

Yes: 80% of Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's largest grantees?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's largest 2025 grantees include Metropolitan Opera Association ($16,000), Yivo Institute for Jewish Research ($5,000) and Wagner Free Institute of Science ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions reported $938K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $54K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $56K (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 Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions fund?

The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions?

The foundation states that it 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 Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's EIN?

Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6353323. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions 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

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/trust-for-the-benefit-of-charitable-educational-institutions-morg_83a1748271b6463cae95e6bc07b8c2bf

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_816353323_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/trust-for-the-benefit-of-charitable-educational-institutions-morg_83a1748271b6463cae95e6bc07b8c2bf},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Trust for the Benefit of Charitable Educational Institutions'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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