Zafft Charitable Trust
Zafft Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in St. Louis, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports 14 grants totaling $4,226, all designated for general funding.
Zafft Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Zafft Charitable Trust gave $4K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $301.857), mostly in Missouri. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,226
- -42.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $302
- -34.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $104
- Total assets
- $16,556
- +12.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (88% 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 Zafft Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 36 Granada Way, St Louis, MO 63124
Phone: (314) 726-6868
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Zafft Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Temple Emanuel ($2K). Together the top 10 received $4K.
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
In 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri, 6% to New York, 4% to California, and 2% to the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Zafft Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) 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 $25; repeat grants $323. How we count
Medians: $25 first-time, $104 repeat.
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 296% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $4K (2023) to $7K (2024). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $4K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temple Emanuel St. Louis, MO | General Funding | $2,200 |
| Pathway to Independence St. Louis, MO | General Funding | $520 |
| Miriam St. Louis, MO | General Funding | $273 |
| Jewish Federation of St Louis St. Louis, MO | General Funding | $262 |
| The St Louis Zoo St. Louis, MO | General Funding | $245 |
| Simon Weistenthal Center Los Angeles, CA | General Funding | $154 |
| World Jewish Congress New York City, NY | General Funding | $104 |
| US Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC | General Funding | $103 |
| Woodhaven Columbia, MO | General Funding | $103 |
| Jewish National Fund New York City, NY | General Funding | $100 |
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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 | $16,556 | $6,158 | $5,220 | $4,226 | 14 | $4,714 | $650 | $1,594 |
| 2024 | $14,666 | $11,144 | $8,329 | $7,395 | 16 | $7,858 | $647 | $1,400 |
| 2023 | $11,545 | $4,097 | $4,388 | $3,505 | 11 | $3,943 | $644 | $1,293 |
| 2022 | $11,836 | $1,634 | $5,244 | $4,311 | 9 | $4,774 | $585 | $1,501 |
| 2021 | $15,446 | $3,948 | $6,149 | $5,316 | 21 | $5,729 | $556 | $1,843 |
| 2020 | $17,647 | $5,951 | $5,252 | $4,449 | 14 | — | $553 | $1,502 |
| 2019 | $16,948 | $4,906 | $5,292 | $4,406 | 18 | — | $473 | $1,830 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zafft Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $2K 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 went to organizations including a Jewish community federation, a zoo, a public television network, and Jewish and Holocaust-related organizations.
The Jewish Federation of St. Louis describes its mission as mobilizing the Jewish community and its human and financial resources to preserve and enhance Jewish life in St. Louis, Israel, and around the world. Jewish National Fund-USA describes work to build a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people, including programs in forestry and green innovations, water solutions, community building, Zionist education and advocacy, research and development, and heritage site preservation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 14 grants totaling $4,226. Grants ranged from $25 to $2,200, with a median grant of $104. The largest grants included $2,200 to Temple Emanuel, $520 to Pathway to Independence, $273 to Miriam, $262 to Jewish Federation of St. Louis, and $245 to the St. Louis Zoo. Each was designated for general funding.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Marlene Zafft is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Zafft Charitable Trust is led by Marlene Zafft, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marlene Zafft
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Zafft Charitable Trust
How much does Zafft Charitable Trust give each year?
Zafft Charitable Trust gave $4K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7K across 16 grants.
What is Zafft Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Zafft Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $104, and its average grant was $302, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zafft Charitable Trust that year got $25 on average.
Where does Zafft Charitable Trust give grants?
Zafft Charitable Trust gives mostly in Missouri: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (6 grants) and New York City, NY (3 grants).
Does Zafft Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Zafft Charitable Trust'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 Zafft Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Zafft Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Temple Emanuel ($2,200), Pathway to Independence ($520) and Miriam ($273), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Zafft Charitable Trust?
Zafft Charitable Trust reported $17K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Zafft Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including a Jewish community federation, a zoo, a public television network, and Jewish and Holocaust-related organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Zafft Charitable Trust?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Zafft Charitable Trust's EIN?
Zafft Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-6803922. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Zafft Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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