Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust
The Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its grant records show support for organizations serving communities in Ohio and elsewhere; a current grant program says it makes grants primarily in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust at a glance
In short: Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust gave $406K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Ohio. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $406,489
- +14.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,703
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $7,709,603
- +1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (10 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (85% 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 Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust
- How to Apply
-
The grant program says eligible organizations may apply annually. The 2025 filing refers applicants to a footnote for the required form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not provided here.
- Contact
Application contact: Charitable Trust Grant Review Commi
Mailing address: Tower At Pnc Plaza 300 Fifth Ave M, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 807-9211
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust
Who Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way Worldwide ($40K). Together the top 10 received $231K.
Grant Size Distribution
163 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 161 grants of 163 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The grant program says the foundation makes grants primarily in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. In 2025, 85% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 10% to Virginia, 2% to Delaware, and 2% to Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 32 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). 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 (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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $309K (2023) to $487K (2022). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $406K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way Worldwide Alexandria, VA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Mercy Health Fdn Youngstown, OH | General Support | $37,149 |
| Akron Children's Hospital Akron, OH | General Support | $37,149 |
| Coleman Professional Svcs Youngstown, OH | General Support | $25,000 |
| Autism Society of Mahoning Valley Canfield, OH | General Support | $19,060 |
| Akiva Academy Youngstown, OH | Well-Rounded Education | $15,000 |
| Youngstown Neighborhood Developm Youngstown, OH | General Support | $15,000 |
| Compass Family & Community Services Youngstown, OH | Sojourner House | $15,000 |
| Henry H Stambaugh Auditorium Association Youngstown, OH | General Support | $15,000 |
| Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley Warren, OH | General Support | $12,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Walter E & Caroline H Watson 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 | $7,709,603 | $601,191 | $474,764 | $406,489 | 32 | $428,681 | $560,642 | $454,019 |
| 2024 | $7,583,911 | $607,819 | $430,252 | $353,860 | 28 | $374,784 | $569,437 | $427,413 |
| 2023 | $7,410,290 | $769,663 | $363,623 | $308,614 | 31 | $332,054 | $728,202 | $377,300 |
| 2022 | $7,004,893 | $-26,889 | $568,634 | $486,678 | 39 | $511,614 | $144,290 | $400,100 |
| 2021 | $7,591,637 | $809,414 | $435,975 | $367,236 | 33 | $393,445 | $761,562 | $446,278 |
| 2020 | $7,225,240 | $-211,515 | $429,738 | $362,628 | 32 | — | $137,591 | $389,778 |
| 2019 | $7,873,269 | $676,062 | $440,287 | $356,176 | 40 | — | $642,144 | $385,630 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust reported a distributable amount of $454K 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. The grant program describes support for projects and programs that provide direct services, address demonstrated community needs, benefit underserved populations, measure and document results, and plan for long-term sustainability. It also prioritizes collaboration, diversified income, and effective financial accountability. The program says it does not fund general operating costs, for-profit organizations, or projects lacking prior evaluation reports.
The 2025 recipients illustrate a range of grantee activities. United Way Worldwide describes its work as bringing people and resources together to address community challenges through education, health, financial freedom, and disaster preparedness. Compass Family & Community Services says it helps individuals and families build better lives and a stronger community. Other recipients describe work in reentry support, youth arts education, art appreciation, services for children with autism and developmental delays, and support for women.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust reported 32 grants totaling $406,489. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $40,000 to United Way Worldwide, $37,149 each to Mercy Health Fdn and Akron Children’s Hospital, and $25,000 to Coleman Professional Svcs. Other notable grants included $19,060 to Autism Society of Mahoning Valley and $15,000 each to Akiva Academy, Youngstown Neighborhood Developm, Compass Family & Community Services, and Henry H Stambaugh Auditorium Association.
The 2025 filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It names the Charitable Trust Grant Review Committee as the contact for inquiries and refers to a footnote for application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions. The grant program says organizations may apply annually and that its committee meets twice each calendar year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
PNC Bank N.A. is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's only listed officer is PNC Bank N A, Trustee on the 2025 filing (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
PNC Bank N A
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$53K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: PNC Bank NA (2019–2024) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $53K, to PNC Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust
How much does Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust give each year?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust gave $406K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $354K across 28 grants.
What is Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's typical grant size?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,703, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust that year got $15K on average.
Where does Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust give grants?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust gives mostly in Ohio: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Youngstown, OH (19 grants), Canfield, OH (2 grants), Warren, OH (2 grants) and Columbus, OH (2 grants).
Does Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 75% of Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's largest grantees?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's largest 2025 grantees include United Way Worldwide ($40,000), Mercy Health Fdn ($37,149) and Akron Children's Hospital ($37,149), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust reported $7.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $429K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $454K (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 Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. The grant program describes support for projects and programs that provide direct services, address demonstrated community needs, benefit underserved populations, measure and document results, and plan for long-term sustainability. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust?
The grant program says eligible organizations may apply annually. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's EIN?
Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6547726. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/walter-e-and-caroline-h-watson-trust-morg_1b47c1dd5be948f2b394032df1121bf3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346547726_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Walter E \& Caroline H Watson Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/walter-e-and-caroline-h-watson-trust-morg_1b47c1dd5be948f2b394032df1121bf3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Walter E & Caroline H Watson 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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