Melville Charitable Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation's funding fits organisations working to end homelessness and housing instability, particularly advocacy, grassroots organising, leadership among people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, and research or accountability journalism.
- The filing says the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold proposal is not the route, and an organisation that would send one should not; look instead for a way to be introduced before asking.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $15,000 and $400,000, and half were $135,000 or less, so a request in that region is typical, though the largest grant of $1,850,000 shows the band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat funding made up 74% of grant dollars to organisations in the filing, so existing relationships carry real weight; a new organisation should expect the route to take time but should not be ruled out for being new.
- No geographic focus is stated, so location alone does not settle whether the foundation fits.
Overview
Melville Charitable Trust is a US private foundation based in New Haven, CT.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Trust supports organisations working to ensure all people have a safe place to call home, with a focus on ending homelessness and housing instability. Its strategy centres on Black, Indigenous and Latino/a/x people with extremely low incomes, who are most impacted. It addresses limited rapid pathways to permanent housing, insufficient income and assets, and racist housing, zoning and land-use policies. Its grants support advocacy, grassroots organising and public education; leadership and organising capacity among people experiencing homelessness and housing instability; and research, messaging, narrative change and accountability journalism. It favours targeted investments in proven, lasting and cost-effective solutions, while also exploring approaches that could broaden the reach and success of existing efforts.
Themes
- Permanent housing pathways
- Income and assets
- Equitable housing policy
- Grassroots organising
- Community leadership
- Narrative change and journalism
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri and Massachusetts.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 74% 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 190 grants to organisations were $135,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Trust seeks targeted investments in proven, lasting and cost-effective solutions, while exploring approaches that could increase the reach and success of current efforts.
- It favours strategic, catalytic investments in forward-thinking organisations that take risks, embrace best practices and foster collaboration across sectors.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 11%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 74% of grant dollars went to organisations Melville Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 17% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 54 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $150k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Perc general operating grant$1,850,0002024 tax year
- Urban Strategies · Perc project grant$792,6802024 tax year
- Partnership for Strong Communities · General operating grant$750,0002024 tax year
- Forge City Works · Sponsorship$670,0002024 tax year
- Center For Budget Policies & Priorities · General operating grant$600,0002024 tax year
- National Low Income Housing Coalition · General operating grant$550,0002024 tax year
- New Venture Fund · General operating grant$500,0002024 tax year
- National Alliance to End Homelessness · General operating grant$403,5002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Robert Haggett — Director
- JC David Hadden — Director
- Biniam Gebre — Director
- Karen Dubois-Walton — Director
- Susan Thomas — President
- Stephen Melville — Director
- Ruth Melville — Director
- Kica Matos — Director
- Jennifer Leimaile Ho — Director
- Rolan Joni Young — Director
- Carla Javits — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $18,981,298 | $11,828,929 | $129,619,491 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $10,597,163 | $12,855,943 | $131,673,042 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $28,869,866 | $12,366,430 | $130,710,411 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Melville Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 901-1065
- New Haven, CT
- melvilletrust.org
Applying to Melville Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 901-1065
- New Haven, CT
- melvilletrust.org