Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr is a private foundation, based in Saint Louis, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $155K. Net investment income was $172K.
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr at a glance
In short: Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr gave $155K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $52K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $155,295
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $51,765
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $51,765
- Total assets
- $2,382,013
- +0.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% 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 Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was State University of Iowa Foundation ($52K). Together the top 3 received $155K.
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.
Cities
How Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $136K (2023) to $163K (2022). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $155K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| State University of Iowa Foundation Iowa City, IA | General Operating | $51,765 |
| Marshalltown Area United Way Marshalltown, IA | General Operating | $51,765 |
| Marshalltown Community College Fund Marshalltown, IA | General Operating | $51,765 |
Ready to take the next step with Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr?
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 | $2,382,013 | $207,495 | $195,100 | $155,295 | 3 | $160,705 | $172,446 | $150,173 |
| 2024 | $2,368,672 | $176,543 | $194,447 | $149,904 | 3 | $155,119 | $143,728 | $144,473 |
| 2023 | $2,386,722 | $342,523 | $162,965 | $136,197 | 3 | $139,787 | $312,274 | $130,448 |
| 2022 | $2,211,635 | $2,623 | $190,808 | $162,645 | 3 | $173,766 | $56,615 | $140,142 |
| 2021 | $2,399,820 | $202,125 | $188,920 | $162,645 | 3 | $174,800 | $188,915 | $158,691 |
| 2020 | $2,386,615 | $105,293 | $169,849 | $144,636 | 3 | — | $94,240 | $141,000 |
| 2019 | $2,451,171 | $183,135 | $172,008 | $147,915 | 3 | — | $171,944 | $119,848 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr reported a distributable amount of $150K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's only listed officer is Wells Fargo Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2023 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wells Fargo Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$23K (2023) → $33K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Wells Fargo Bank NA (2019–2022) — Custodian
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 $33K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr
How much does Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr give each year?
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr gave $155K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $150K across 3 grants.
What is Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's typical grant size?
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's median grant in 2025 was $51,765, and its average grant was $51,765, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr give grants?
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Marshalltown, IA (2 grants).
Does Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr'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 Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr?
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $161K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $150K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's EIN?
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6610647. 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Missouri
NFL Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The NFL Foundation funds youth football, athlete health and safety, education and youth services, sports-related medical research, and community initiatives, primarily in NFL club markets across the country, with a youth-services program for Hawaiian nonprofits. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000, though awards ranged widely. It does not describe a general unsolicited application process; for social justice funding, organizations can submit an idea form for possible invitation to apply, while some grants are limited to NFL clubs or team personnel.
Assets
$64.8M
Grants
324
Total Given
$97.6M
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
America's Charities
Chantilly, VA
AMERICA’S CHARITIES routes donor-directed workplace giving to member charities and provides emergency assistance to eligible employees and people affected by disasters; its reported grants are fiscal-agent disbursements, not awards selected through an application process. In 2025 it reported 808 grants totaling $16.4 million, ranging from $5,000 to $515,354 (median $9,664), to recipients across the United States, with the largest shares going to Pennsylvania, California, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Arizona. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$36.2M
Grants
808
Total Given
$16.4M
The Carter Chapman Shreve Family Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The foundation supports organizations working in areas including poverty relief, food assistance, education and research, public policy, and animal welfare, with 2024 grants ranging from $5,000 to $600,000 and a median of $50,000. It funds organizations in multiple states, with the largest shares going to Iowa and New York. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$19.8M
Grants
26
Total Given
$2.9M
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Missouri
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr'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.
Williams Lester & Frances Char Tr down — hundreds of funders to go?