Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust
The Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Glens Falls, New York. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations in New York, including cultural, religious, and community-service organizations.
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust gave $418K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $38K), mostly in New York. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $417,550
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $37,959
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $34,000
- Total assets
- $6,670,611
- -1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% 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 Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 2161, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Phone: (518) 415-4401
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Hyde Collection ($100K). Together the top 10 received $414K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 56 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $42K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $332K (2020) to $423K (2022). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $418K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Hyde Collection Glens Falls, NY | Unrestricted - General | $100,000 |
| The Salvation Army Glens Falls, NY | Unrestricted - General | $99,000 |
| Chapman Historical Museum Glens Falls, NY | Unrestricted - General | $48,000 |
| The Charles R Wood Theater Glens Falls, NY | Unrestricted - General | $48,000 |
| Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra Glens Falls, NY | Unrestricted - General | $42,000 |
| Harrisena Community Church Queensbury, NY | Unrestricted - General | $34,000 |
| Bay Road Presbyterian Church Lake George, NY | Unrestricted - General | $24,300 |
| Lake George Opera Festival Assoc Saratoga Springs, NY | Unrestricted - General | $8,000 |
| Lakeside Chapel Cleverdale, NY | Unrestricted - General | $6,250 |
| North Queensbury Firefighter Service Cleverdale, NY | Unrestricted - General | $4,000 |
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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 | $6,670,611 | $358,791 | $474,398 | $417,550 | 11 | $423,003 | $317,817 | $448,540 |
| 2024 | $6,785,347 | $603,732 | $415,560 | $366,737 | 11 | $371,655 | $564,955 | $420,013 |
| 2023 | $6,598,886 | $432,718 | $428,120 | $355,000 | 11 | $359,393 | $398,415 | $371,336 |
| 2022 | $6,587,473 | $2,367,087 | $466,522 | $423,375 | 12 | $427,641 | $2,333,349 | $359,158 |
| 2021 | $4,686,067 | $355,436 | $390,146 | $344,000 | 11 | $348,411 | $320,656 | $427,811 |
| 2020 | $4,713,844 | $330,987 | $367,307 | $331,972 | 11 | — | $289,305 | $348,008 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $449K 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 went to organizations including museums, a theater, a symphony orchestra, churches, emergency services, and the Salvation Army. The Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as providing “a live musical experience that is professional, educational, and entertaining.” North Queensbury Firefighter Service describes its mission as supporting members of the North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Co.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the trust reported 11 grants totaling $417,550. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $34,000. Its largest grants included $100,000 to The Hyde Collection, $99,000 to The Salvation Army, $48,000 each to Chapman Historical Museum and The Charles R Wood Theater, and $42,000 to the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Arrow Bank National Association, Robert Hafner, and Paul McPhillips as co-trustees.
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paul McPhillips
Co Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$463 (2020) → $720 (2025)
Robert Hafner
Co Trustee
Co-Ttee → Co Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$8K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Arrow Bank National Association
Co Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$32K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Glens Falls National Bank Trust (2023–2024) — Co Trustee
- Former: Glens Falls Natl Bank (2020–2022) — Co Trustee
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 $32K, to Arrow Bank National Association (Co Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust
How much does Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust give each year?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust gave $418K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $367K across 11 grants.
What is Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $34,000, and its average grant was $37,959, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust that year got $4K on average.
Where does Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust give grants?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Glens Falls, NY (5 grants), Queensbury, NY (2 grants) and Cleverdale, NY (2 grants).
Does Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include The Hyde Collection ($100,000), The Salvation Army ($99,000) and Chapman Historical Museum ($48,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $423K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $449K (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 Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including museums, a theater, a symphony orchestra, churches, emergency services, and the Salvation Army. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust?
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 Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's EIN?
Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6594166. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
Live grants for the work Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/waldo-t-ross-and-ruth-s-ross-charitable-trust-morg_9fde7f84a43c454b91976ef4ce6d3f23
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276594166_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/waldo-t-ross-and-ruth-s-ross-charitable-trust-morg_9fde7f84a43c454b91976ef4ce6d3f23},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. 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 Waldo T Ross and Ruth S Ross 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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