Poor Richard's Charitable Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Poor Richard's Charitable Trust accepts no unsolicited requests and contributes only to organisations it has preselected, so a cold proposal is unlikely to be considered, and the filing does not explain how organisations are selected.
- Most of its grants to organisations are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $8,800 and $150,000, and half are $25,000 or less, so a request in the low tens of thousands fits its typical pattern, although its largest grant was about $1,150,000.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 88% of its grant dollars in its latest filing going to organisations it had also funded in one of the two filings before, so newcomers receive only a small share and a first approach should be built on an existing connection rather than a written request.
- The filing states no geographic focus, though grants are mainly in Pennsylvania, and it gives no wider funding priorities or eligibility criteria.
- Organisations without a route to the trust should not expect to be considered, while those with a credible connection to it can reasonably aim for a gift near its median of $25,000.
Overview
Poor Richard's Charitable Trust is a US private foundation based in Chesterbrook, PA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) 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
The filings describe the grants as funding recipients’ operational budgets. The grant rows show a varied group of organisations, including museums and cultural institutions, universities, journalism organisations, youth sports bodies, food programmes, civic and neighbourhood organisations, and religious institutions. By grant value, recipients in Pennsylvania account for the clear majority; smaller shares go to organisations in New York, Colorado and Massachusetts. The trust states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The material reviewed does not set out wider funding priorities or general eligibility criteria.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Pennsylvania.
How to apply
The trust contributes only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filing does not describe how organisations are selected or what steps preselected organisations should follow.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 88% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 122 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 31% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to organisations Poor Richard's Charitable Trust 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 35 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $35,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Philadelphia Museum of Art · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$859,0002024 tax year
- Center for Architecture Design · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$250,0002024 tax year
- Center City District Foundation · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$250,0002024 tax year
- Spotlight PA · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$225,0002024 tax year
- Germination Project · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$150,0002024 tax year
- Tiny WPA · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$125,0002024 tax year
- CraftNOW · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$120,0002024 tax year
- Philadelphia Soccer 2026 · To fund the operational budgets of the organization$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- David Seltzer — Trustee
- Lisa S Roberts — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,519,571 | $3,326,900 | $60,088,841 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,330,598 | $3,170,050 | $63,545,186 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,199,562 | $3,055,250 | $67,642,591 | Filing for 2024 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 Poor Richard's Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chesterbrook, PA
Applying to Poor Richard's Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chesterbrook, PA