William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)
The William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Trust supports projects that directly promote the conservation, study, and appreciation of nature, with stated priorities including renewable-resource conservation, habitat management, bird and forestry research, and fostering appreciation of wildlife and natural systems.
Key facts about William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)
In short: William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) gave $178K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), top state Maine. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 04-6407797
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $177,502
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $12,679
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (6 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $3,843,408
- Primary geography
- Maine (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Trust describes a two-stage process. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The website lists preliminary-application deadlines of March 15 for the spring round and September 15 for the fall…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.8M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$178K
+39.8% YoY
Grant Count
14
+40.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
-0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) reported a distributable amount of $177K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 14 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 14% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+12%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated objectives, in order of priority, are conservation of renewable resources—primarily in Massachusetts and the Northeast—including land acquisition for conservation; management techniques to improve and preserve natural habitats; bird and forestry research and management, especially applied research; and materials or projects that foster appreciation of and concern for wildlife and natural systems.
The Trust says it awards grants to publicly supported charities and governmental units described in Section 509(a)(1) or (2) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its 2025 recipients included organizations whose own stated missions include protecting natural areas and farmland, conserving forests and riverways, preserving land for wildlife, and protecting waters and natural areas. For example, Sudbury Valley Trustees says it protects natural areas and farmland for wildlife and people, while Aton Forest describes its mission as scientific research and land preservation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Trust reported 14 grants totaling $177,502. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $15,000, with a median of $15,000. The Trust’s website says awards are usually one-time grants of up to $15,000; it also notes that larger, multi-year grants may be made for important land-conservation acquisitions. Its FAQ says it awards an average of 15–20 grants annually.
Notable 2025 grants included $15,000 each to 7 Lakes Alliance, Aton Forest, Kestrel Land Trust, Sudbury Valley Trustees, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy; $14,300 to Franklin Land Trust; and $12,237 to The Trust for Public Land. The listed grant purposes were general operating support.
Review Cycle
The website lists preliminary-application deadlines of March 15 for the spring round and September 15 for the fall round, with a Friday-before adjustment when a deadline falls on a weekend. Both 2026 dates have passed as of October 2, 2026. Final applications are by invitation only.
How to Apply
The Trust describes a two-stage process. Applicants first request access to and submit a preliminary application; the Trustees and Advisors then select applicants to invite to submit final applications. The preliminary application asks for a brief organizational description, project description, budget, and—where applicable—information about land preservation and property details and government funding. The website advises applicants to show how Trust funds would be used, list funding sources and request status in the project budget, and provide a detailed property map for land-conservation proposals. Applicants are encouraged to provide evidence that a project is likely to succeed. The Trust does not fund individuals or private foundations. Grant funds must be used for the described project and may not support overhead, fundraising, marketing, communications, maintenance, construction or improvement of man-made structures, investment or endowment funds, or transfers to other entities except in the ordinary course of business. Land-conservation grants must support the purchase price of land or a conservation easement or restriction, or relevant direct costs.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)
Ready to take the next step with William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust states that its conservation priorities are primarily in Massachusetts and the Northeast. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and California, as well as a recipient whose state is not identified in the available filing data.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $127K (2024) to $178K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $178K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was 7 Lakes Alliance ($15K). Together the top 10 received $147K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 63 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Lakes Alliance Belgrade, ME | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Aton Forest Norfolk, CT | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust Dartmouth, ME | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Kestrel Land Trust Amherst, MA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Nature Trust of New Brunswick | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Scarborough Land Trust Scarborough, ME | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Sudbury Valley Trustees Sudbury, MA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Pittsburgh, PA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Franklin Land Trust Shelburne Falls, MA | General Operating Support | $14,300 |
| Trust for Public Land San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $12,237 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,843,408 | $204,236 | $241,566 | $177,502 | 14 |
| 2024 | $3,697,523 | $202,538 | $184,954 | $127,000 | 10 |
| 2023 | $3,070,890 | $77,441 | $210,100 | $154,704 | 14 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,843,408 | $3,697,523 | $3,070,890 |
| Revenue | $204,236 | $202,538 | $77,441 |
| Expenses | $241,566 | $184,954 | $210,100 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $199,123 | $148,578 | $176,030 |
| Net Investment Income | $165,314 | $166,162 | $43,924 |
| Distributable Amount | $177,443 | $164,897 | $153,856 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John M Cornish and Thomas HP Whitney Jr as trustees. The Trust’s website says its Board of Advisors assists the Trustees with grantmaking and lists William Gette, Kathleen McGrath, Bernard J. McHugh, and Katheleen Sferra as current advisors.
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John M Cornish
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas HP Whitney Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: Choate Hall Stewart Llp
Mailing address: Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 248-4045
Email: williamwhartontrust@choate.com
Website: https://williamwharton.org
Frequently asked questions about William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)
How much does William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) give each year?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) gave $178K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $127K across 10 grants.
What is William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s typical grant size?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $12,679, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) that year got $13K on average.
Where does William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) give grants?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s top state is Maine, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (25%) and Connecticut (8%).
Does William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s largest grantees?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s largest 2025 grantees include 7 Lakes Alliance ($15,000), Aton Forest ($15,000) and Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $199K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $177K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) fund?
The Trust’s stated objectives, in order of priority, are conservation of renewable resources—primarily in Massachusetts and the Northeast—including land acquisition for conservation; management techniques to improve and preserve natural habitats; bird and forestry research and management, especially applied research; and materials or projects that foster appreciation of and concern for wildlife and natural systems. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)?
The Trust describes a two-stage process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s EIN?
William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6407797. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) by hand.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-p-wharton-trust-uw-art-2-d-morg_2172ff36ad694d269be577061c10e994
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046407797_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D) funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-p-wharton-trust-uw-art-2-d-morg_2172ff36ad694d269be577061c10e994},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 William P Wharton Trust UW Art 2(D)'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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