William V & Betty M Ellis Family
The William V & Betty M Ellis Family is a private foundation based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In its 2025 filing, it reported 15 grants totaling $170,000, all to recipients in Massachusetts.
William V & Betty M Ellis Family at a glance
In short: William V & Betty M Ellis Family gave $170K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Massachusetts. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $170,000
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,333
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,416,181
- -2.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (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 William V & Betty M Ellis Family
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Joan Ellis as the contact and says to apply in writing. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- N/A is listed on the filing.
- Deadline
- N/A is listed on the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Joan Ellis
Mailing address: 54 Mussel Point Road, Gloucester, MA 01930
Phone: (978) 283-4821
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William V & Betty M Ellis Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cape Ann Museum ($38K). Together the top 10 received $155K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 71 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William V & Betty M Ellis Family open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 133% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $135K (2021) to $170K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $170K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Ann Museum Gloucester, MA | General | $37,500 |
| The Sawyer Library Foundation Gloucester, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Addison Gilbert Hospital Gloucester, MA | General | $22,500 |
| The Trustees of Reservations Leominster, MA | General | $12,500 |
| Cape Ann YMCA Gloucester, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Greenbelt Essex, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Open Door Food Pantry Gloucester, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Pathways for Children Gloucester, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Rockport Music Rockport, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Cape Ann Art Haven Gloucester, MA | General | $7,500 |
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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 | $1,416,181 | $154,315 | $196,142 | $170,000 | 15 | $170,000 | $128,438 | $127,656 |
| 2024 | $1,458,175 | $245,193 | $189,813 | $160,000 | 15 | $160,000 | $220,105 | $130,690 |
| 2023 | $1,363,453 | $192,044 | $167,642 | $145,000 | 15 | $145,000 | $172,642 | $112,641 |
| 2022 | $1,397,844 | $99,826 | $170,637 | $145,000 | 13 | $145,000 | $77,826 | $116,879 |
| 2021 | $1,467,663 | $157,110 | $163,937 | $135,000 | 13 | $135,000 | $137,008 | $127,587 |
| 2020 | $1,474,827 | $98,719 | $168,217 | $150,000 | 13 | — | $80,537 | $110,518 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William V & Betty M Ellis Family reported a distributable amount of $128K 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 foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Cape Ann Museum says its mission is to foster appreciation of Cape Ann’s history, art, and quality of life; The Sawyer Library Foundation says it provides financial support to the Sawyer Free Library of Gloucester; and The Trustees of Reservations describes itself as a conservation and preservation nonprofit. Rockport Music says it inspires a love and understanding of music through performances and learning opportunities, while Pathways for Children says it supports children and families impacted by economic and social inequity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $170,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $37,500, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $37,500 to Cape Ann Museum, $25,000 to The Sawyer Library Foundation, $22,500 to Addison Gilbert Hospital, $12,500 to The Trustees of Reservations, and $10,000 each to Cape Ann YMCA, Greenbelt, Open Door Food Pantry, Pathways for Children, and Rockport Music. The listed purposes were “GENERAL.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joan Ellis, Thomas Ellis, John Ellis, and W Albert Ellis as directors.
William V & Betty M Ellis Family's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joan Ellis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Ellis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Ellis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
W. Albert Ellis
Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about William V & Betty M Ellis Family
How much does William V & Betty M Ellis Family give each year?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family gave $170K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $160K across 15 grants.
What is William V & Betty M Ellis Family's typical grant size?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,333, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William V & Betty M Ellis Family that year got $25K on average.
Where does William V & Betty M Ellis Family give grants?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family gives mostly in Massachusetts: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Gloucester, MA (12 grants).
Does William V & Betty M Ellis Family give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William V & Betty M Ellis Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William V & Betty M Ellis Family's largest grantees?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family's largest 2025 grantees include Cape Ann Museum ($37,500), The Sawyer Library Foundation ($25,000) and Addison Gilbert Hospital ($22,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William V & Betty M Ellis Family?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $170K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $128K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William V & Betty M Ellis Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William V & Betty M Ellis Family?
The filing lists Joan Ellis as the contact and says to apply in writing. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William V & Betty M Ellis Family's EIN?
William V & Betty M Ellis Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-6038996. 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work William V & Betty M Ellis Family funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William V & Betty M Ellis Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-v-and-betty-m-ellis-family-morg_ee76a1ed5a2c47e4ab481a297520d383
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_306038996_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William V \& Betty M Ellis Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-v-and-betty-m-ellis-family-morg_ee76a1ed5a2c47e4ab481a297520d383},
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 William V & Betty M Ellis Family'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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