William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust is a private foundation, based in Pennington, NJ. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $301K. Net investment income was $640K.
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust gave $301K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $100K), mostly in Connecticut. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $301,176
- +5.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $100,392
- +5.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,392
- Total assets
- $6,800,581
- +4.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Worcester Polytechnic Inst ($100K). Together the top 3 received $301K.
Grant Size Distribution
15 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 9 grants of 15 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $271K (2021) to $310K (2022). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $301K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester Polytechnic Inst Worcester, MA | General Operating | $100,392 |
| Mystic Seaport Inc Mystic, CT | General Operating | $100,392 |
| Mystic and Noank Library Mystic, CT | General Operating | $100,392 |
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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 | $6,800,581 | $710,398 | $425,489 | $301,176 | 3 | $345,555 | $639,570 | $389,854 |
| 2024 | $6,517,724 | $561,504 | $411,171 | $285,057 | 3 | $355,297 | $508,778 | $371,416 |
| 2023 | $6,370,539 | $369,916 | $403,567 | $297,330 | 3 | $355,610 | $319,572 | $343,336 |
| 2022 | $6,400,293 | $307,853 | $436,034 | $309,639 | 3 | $372,676 | $259,650 | $360,368 |
| 2021 | $6,532,223 | $984,942 | $393,874 | $270,843 | 3 | $338,925 | $934,849 | $377,720 |
| 2020 | $5,945,912 | $458,792 | $380,783 | $274,569 | 3 | — | $410,817 | $327,634 |
| 2019 | $5,871,687 | $572,014 | $374,706 | $273,393 | 3 | — | $527,180 | $329,744 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $390K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's only listed officer is Bank Of America N A, Trustee on every filing since 2019 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bank Of America N A
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$92K (2019) → $111K (2025)
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 $111K, to Bank of America N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust
How much does William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust give each year?
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust gave $301K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $285K across 3 grants.
What is William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $100,392, and its average grant was $100,392, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust give grants?
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust gives mostly in Connecticut: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Mystic, CT (2 grants).
Does William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust?
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $346K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $390K (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 is William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's EIN?
William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-6406252. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work William & Ellen E Ames Charitable Trust funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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