The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and, according to the filing, gives to preselected organisations, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; an approach is best made through an existing connection or an invitation, and an organisation without one should not send a request.
- Its grants are mostly general support to a broad mix of charities, including environmental, cultural, library, justice, education, health and community groups, so a varied mission can fit, although no formal funding priorities are stated.
- Most of its grants are modest: half of its grants to organisations were $10,000 or less and the median was $10,000, so a request near that size matches its usual giving, though about 8 in 10 grants fall between $2,500 and $600,000 and its largest grant was about $8,650,000.
- In its most recent filing, 96% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so an organisation seeking its first grant should expect to build a relationship over time rather than rely on a single request.
Overview
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
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 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The recorded grants are predominantly general support to a broad mix of charitable organisations. Recipients include environmental and conservation organisations, cultural and performing-arts institutions, museums and historic-preservation bodies, public libraries, and organisations working in justice, education, health and community services. Most recorded grant dollars went to organisations in New York, with grants also reaching other states and locations outside the United States. The available evidence shows this varied pattern of support, but does not state a formal set of funding priorities or general eligibility criteria. The filing indicates that the Trust gives to preselected charitable organisations rather than accepting unsolicited requests.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 223 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 22% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- 2% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom).
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 82 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Nature Conservancy · General support$8,655,7182024 tax year
- World Monuments Fund · General support$4,919,5582024 tax year
- Central Park Conservancy · General support$2,600,0002024 tax year
- Environmental Defense Fund · General support$1,819,4842024 tax year
- Vera Institute of Justice · General support$1,575,0002024 tax year
- Metropolitan Opera · General support$1,250,0002024 tax year
- Whitney Museum of American Art · General support$1,100,0002024 tax year
- New York Public Library · General support$1,044,7502024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Eric Weitz — Trustee
- Robert Feidelson — Trustee
- Richard Schneidman — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $16,125,838 | $13,754,770 | $191,912,333 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $14,168,431 | $12,118,893 | $199,455,244 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $28,700,737 | $26,193,961 | $181,794,448 | 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 The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY