Ruth H & Warren A Ellsworth Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation is exempt under section 501(c)(3), based in the Worcester area, and works in health, education, culture or human services, the foundation's stated remit fits your work.
- Most of its grants fall between $1,500 and $32,500, with half at $10,000 or less, so a request near the $10,000 median is a realistic size, though its largest grant was about $100,000.
- Send a letter proposal that states your goals, objectives and plan, with a project budget and evidence of your 501(c)(3) status, before 1 June.
- Repeat giving is strong, as 79% of its grant dollars in the latest filing went to organisations it had also funded earlier, so check whether it already knows your organisation before you approach it.
Overview
Ruth H & Warren A Ellsworth Foundation is a US private foundation based in Worcester, MA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
It supports health, educational, cultural and human service organisations that are exempt under section 501(c)(3) and based in the Worcester area. These are the fields and eligibility terms it states for its grants. Its grant record includes universities and colleges, schools, healthcare and hospice providers, arts and cultural institutions, family and youth services, environmental organisations and community charities. The record therefore shows support reaching a broad mix of charitable organisations within the stated Worcester-area remit, not only one kind of service provider.
Themes
- Health
- Education
- Culture
- Human services
Geographic Focus
Worcester area.
How to apply
Submit a proposal in letter form stating the request’s goals and objectives and a plan for accomplishing them. Include a project budget and evidence of 501(c)(3) status.
Deadlines: Submissions must be made before 1 June.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 79% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 165 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Ruth H & Warren A Ellsworth Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 60 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Clark University · Charitable$97,5002025 tax year
- UMass Memorial Health Care · Charitable$77,5002025 tax year
- United Way of Central Massachusetts · Charitable$42,5002025 tax year
- Ecotarium · Charitable$32,5002025 tax year
- Worcester Art Museum · Charitable$31,2502025 tax year
- Nativity School of Worcester · Charitable$30,0002025 tax year
- Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts · Charitable$27,5002025 tax year
- Barton Center for Diabetes Education · Charitable$26,5002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Robert F Wetzel — Co-Trustee
- Mark R Wetzel — Co-Trustee
- Sumner B Tilton Jr — Co-Trustee
- Joyce W Hall — Co-Trustee
- Todd H Wetzel — Co-Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,137,300 | $819,400 | $20,869,429 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,243,484 | $923,000 | $22,032,572 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,298,946 | $980,500 | $23,759,262 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Ruth H & Warren A Ellsworth Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (508) 459-8000
- Worcester, MA
Applying to Ruth H & Warren A Ellsworth Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (508) 459-8000
- Worcester, MA