The Joanna McNeil Trust concentrates substantial, unrestricted support to civic, cultural, and public-space organizations — primarily in the Philadelphia region — funding city-facing initiatives that boost quality of life and local identity. Grants are large and often general operating, showing a preference for well-established institutions (zoos, park conservancies, city celebration efforts, film offices) and a small number of repeat recipients.
A defining feature of Joanna Mcneil Trust’s grantmaking is the size of its support for Philadelphia-facing civic and cultural institutions. The trust’s recent gifts include a $500,000 general grant to Philadelphia250 and a $500,000 general support grant to Philadelphia Zoo, showing a willingness to back high-profile public-facing organizations with substantial unrestricted funding. It also has a pattern of supporting urban open space and city identity, including Fairmount Park Conservancy, The National Light, and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. The trust’s portfolio points to a funder that favors established institutions rather than a wide roster of small awards. Its grants are concentrated in Philadelphia-area projects that shape how the city is experienced by residents and visitors, from park stewardship to cultural attractions and film promotion. Repeat support appears in the recent record, with multiple awards to Philadelphia250 and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. The trust also made a $375,000 general grant to Cjd Foundation in Akron, extending beyond Pennsylvania while keeping the same large-grant style. Overall, the pattern is regional, institution-oriented, and often unrestricted.
Philadelphia civic initiatives are a central thread. Joanna Mcneil Trust gave $500,000 to Philadelphia250 for general support in 2023 and another $50,000 in 2024, indicating follow-on support for the city celebration effort. Public parks and urban open-space stewardship also appear in the record. The trust awarded $375,000 to Fairmount Park Conservancy for general purposes, a large grant tied to maintaining a major Philadelphia green space. Its cultural giving includes institutions that shape the city’s visitor experience. Philadelphia Museum of Art received a $50,000 general grant, and Philadelphia Zoo received $500,000 in general support. Film promotion is another clear area. Greater Philadelphia Film Office received $200,000 in 2023 for general support and $100,000 in 2025 for the Jamie Wyeth documentary.
Grant sizes cluster at the upper end of the distribution: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $225,000, and p75 is $375,000. The recent record shows repeated support to some recipients across multiple years, including Philadelphia250 and Greater Philadelphia Film Office, alongside one-off grants to organizations such as Philadelphia Museum of Art and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. The trust is a private foundation with annual grants of $2,675,000 and total assets of $8,917,070. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$850K
$8.9M
$713K
$975K
Most grants fall between $50K and $375K, with a median of $225K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$225K
75th Percentile
$375K
About 9% of grants go to recipients in PA.
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving with few grants per year; favors large, unrestricted/general operating awards to established regional organizations, including repeat grantees rather than many small or startup grants.
Notable grantees: Philadelphia250, Philadelphia Zoo, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, CJD Foundation
Grantmaking is regional and heavily centered in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA appears most often among recent recipients, with awards also reaching Akron, OH and New York, NY. The top state by grant count is PA, and 12% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state of New York. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
The trust concentrates on civic, cultural, and public-space organizations. Recent grants support Philadelphia city-celebration efforts, park stewardship, a zoo, a museum, a film office, and general operating support for mission-driven nonprofits.
Yes. The typical grant size is substantial: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $225,000, and p75 is $375,000. Recent awards also include multiple $500,000 grants.
Yes. Grantmaking is regional, and Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count. Philadelphia, PA appears repeatedly among recent recipients, while a smaller share of grants goes to New York recipients.
Yes. Philadelphia250 appears in both 2023 and 2024, and Greater Philadelphia Film Office appears in 2023 and 2025. That pattern suggests some recipients receive follow-on support rather than a single one-time award.
Recent recipients include Philadelphia250, Philadelphia Zoo, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Cjd Foundation, The National Light, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHILADELPHIA ZOO | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE NATIONAL LIGHT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | JAMIE WYETH DOCUMENTARY |
| FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $375,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CJD FOUNDATION | AKRON, OH | $375,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PHILADELPHIA250 | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PHILADELPHIA250 | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| CJD FOUNDATION | AKRON, OH | $250,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
PHILADELPHIA ZOO
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE NATIONAL LIGHT
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE
$100,000JAMIE WYETH DOCUMENTARY
FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY
$375,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CJD FOUNDATION
$375,000GENERAL
PHILADELPHIA250
$50,000GENERAL
PHILADELPHIA250
GENERAL
CJD FOUNDATION
$250,000GENERAL
GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE
$200,000GENERAL
PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
$50,000GENERAL
SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY
$25,000GENERAL