Margaret Voorhies Haggin Memorial Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,436,335 (2024)
• Total Assets: $26,918,354 (2024)
• Decision Time: N/A (predetermined beneficiaries)
• Grant Range: Not applicable
• Geographic Focus: Kentucky (primary beneficiaries)

Contact Details

• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Mailing Address: PO BOX 185, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0185
• Trustee: BNY Mellon N.A.

Overview

The Margaret Voorhies Haggin Memorial Trust is a private foundation established in 1940 in memory of James Ben Ali Haggin by his widow, Margaret Voorhies Haggin. With total assets of approximately $27 million, the trust operates as an inter vivos trust organized under New York State law. The foundation has been tax-exempt since March 1940 and makes charitable disbursements of over $1.4 million annually to predetermined beneficiaries, primarily in Kentucky. BNY Mellon serves as the institutional trustee managing the trust's operations and distributions.

Funding Priorities

Fixed Beneficiaries

The trust operates with predetermined beneficiaries established in the original trust document:

• Woodford County Memorial Hospital: Receives 20% of the trust's annual net income
• University of Kentucky: Long-standing beneficiary since 1939
• Frontier Nursing University: Has received over $500,000 in support since 1989 for scholarships, renovations, and capital campaigns

What They Fund

• Higher education institutions
• Healthcare facilities
• Nursing education
• Capital improvements and renovations
• Scholarship programs

What They Don't Fund

As a private trust with fixed beneficiaries, the foundation does not fund:

• Organizations outside the predetermined beneficiary list
• Individual requests
• New organizations not named in the trust document

Governance and Leadership

Trustee: BNY Mellon N.A. serves as the institutional trustee, receiving compensation of $187,099 (2024) for managing the trust's assets and distributions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Margaret Voorhies Haggin Memorial Trust operates as a private trust with predetermined beneficiaries specified in the original trust document from 1938. Grants are distributed according to fixed percentages and designations established by Margaret Voorhies Haggin, not through competitive applications.

Distribution Method

Distributions are made automatically to named beneficiaries according to the trust provisions, with BNY Mellon managing the disbursement process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a private trust with fixed beneficiaries, not an open grant-making foundation
• No public application process exists
• Beneficiaries were predetermined in 1938 when the trust was established
• Distributions follow specific percentages outlined in the trust document
• BNY Mellon manages all trust operations and distributions
• The trust primarily benefits institutions in Kentucky, particularly in healthcare and higher education

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Margaret Voorhies Haggin Memorial Trust Profile (accessed February 2026)
• GuideStar Profile for EIN 13-6078494 (accessed February 2026)
• Frontier Nursing University - "FNU Honors Alumni with Service Awards"
• Historical Marker Database - "Haggin Hall Historical Marker"
• Cause IQ - Margaret Voorhies Haggin Memorial Trust Profile