← Back to US Funders Directory

The James Family Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$14.6M

The James Family Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Total Assets: $402.1 million (FY 2024)
  • Annual Giving: $14.6 million (FY 2024 expenses/distributions)
  • Success Rate: N/A (No public application process)
  • Decision Time: N/A (Invitation only)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Not specified
  • Structure: Type I Supporting Organization to National Philanthropic Trust

Contact Details

Organization Name: The James Family Charitable Trust
Address: 165 Township Line Rd Ste 1200, Jenkintown, PA 19046
Website: https://thejamesfamilyfoundation.org
Email: katiejames@thejamesfamilyfoundation.org
Sponsoring Organization: National Philanthropic Trust (NPT)

Overview

The James Family Charitable Trust was established as a Type I supporting organization to National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), with a stated mission to provide support for charitable, religious, and educational purposes and to increase philanthropy in society. The organization has experienced substantial growth, expanding from minimal assets in 2015 to over $402 million by fiscal year 2024. As a supporting organization, the trust operates with greater donor control over grantmaking and investments than a traditional donor-advised fund, while maintaining less administrative burden than a private foundation. The trust is structured to advance the James family's philanthropic interests through strategic grantmaking, with board-directed distributions averaging approximately $14-15 million annually in recent years. The organization earned a Three-Star rating (80%) from Charity Navigator.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The James Family Charitable Trust does not operate traditional grant programs with defined funding tiers. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the organization's board in alignment with the James family's philanthropic priorities.

According to the foundation's website, funding focuses on four main areas:

  • Education: Supporting educational initiatives and institutions
  • Health and Human Services: Advancing healthcare access and human service programs
  • Human Rights: Promoting civil rights and social justice causes
  • Environment: Supporting environmental conservation and sustainability efforts

Priority Areas

  • Charitable purposes broadly defined
  • Religious organizations and faith-based initiatives
  • Educational institutions and programs
  • Health and human services organizations
  • Human rights advocacy
  • Environmental conservation

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, as a private supporting organization with no public application process, the trust does not fund unsolicited requests from organizations outside their existing relationships and areas of family interest.

Governance and Leadership

The James Family Charitable Trust operates as a Type I supporting organization, meaning it has its own board of directors that maintains control over grantmaking decisions while being supported administratively by National Philanthropic Trust.

Contact Person: Katie James (katiejames@thejamesfamilyfoundation.org)

The organization has no executive compensation listed in recent IRS filings, consistent with the structure of a family-controlled supporting organization where board members typically serve without compensation.

NPT's role as the sponsoring organization provides administrative support, compliance oversight, and specialized grant execution assistance, including complex grants such as research grants with funding benchmarks, endowed chairs, or grants involving naming rights.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The James Family Charitable Trust explicitly states on its website: "The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for grants."

As a Type I supporting organization, grantmaking decisions are made by the trust's board of directors in accordance with the James family's philanthropic interests and priorities. Grants are typically made to organizations already known to the family or identified through the board's networks and strategic philanthropic planning.

Organizations seeking funding cannot submit standard grant applications. Instead, grants flow from board initiatives, existing relationships, and strategic decisions made by the James family and their advisors.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at the discretion of the board rather than through an application review cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the trust does not accept applications or reapplications from external organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since The James Family Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the structure and publicly available information, the following insights may be relevant:

For Organizations Already in Relationship:

  • Alignment with Priority Areas: Projects should clearly align with one or more of the trust's four focus areas: education, health and human services, human rights, and the environment
  • Mission Alignment: Demonstrate how your work advances charitable, religious, or educational purposes consistent with the trust's mission to increase philanthropy in society
  • Clear Impact: Given the trust's substantial assets and strategic approach, projects should demonstrate measurable impact and effective use of philanthropic capital
  • Relationship Building: As with most family-directed philanthropy, existing relationships and personal connections to the James family or board members are likely the primary pathway to funding

NPT's Specialized Grant Capabilities: The trust has access to NPT's expertise in executing complex grants, which suggests they may be particularly interested in sophisticated philanthropic vehicles such as:

  • Research grants with milestone-based funding
  • Endowed chairs or positions at educational institutions
  • Major gifts involving naming rights
  • International grantmaking opportunities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This trust does not accept unsolicited grant requests - do not attempt to submit applications
  • Private Family Philanthropy: Grantmaking is driven by the James family's personal philanthropic interests and existing relationships
  • Substantial Resources: With over $400 million in assets and $14-15 million in annual distributions, this is a significant philanthropic vehicle
  • Four Core Focus Areas: Education, health and human services, human rights, and environment are the stated priority areas
  • Type I Supporting Organization Structure: The trust maintains board control over grantmaking while benefiting from NPT's administrative infrastructure and specialized grant expertise
  • Relationship-Based Funding: If your organization has existing connections to the James family or moves in similar philanthropic circles, those relationships may create funding opportunities
  • Strategic Giving: The trust's structure and access to NPT's sophisticated grant mechanisms suggests interest in strategic, high-impact philanthropic investments rather than routine operational grants

References

← Back to US Funders Directory