The Mary M. Nelson Charitable Trust concentrates its giving on local, community-level needs in Erie and northwest Pennsylvania, primarily funding a regional community foundation and a major hunger-relief organization. Grants are substantial and targeted — split almost exactly between Erie Community Foundation and Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA — suggesting a strategy of supporting both a community funder (likely for flexible local impact) and direct food security services. The pattern indicates place-based philanthropy focused on basic needs and community support rather than many small, issue-diverse gifts.
Highly concentrated: a very small number of large grants divided equally between two repeat recipients (three grants each). Emphasis on sustaining core local partners rather than broad or experimental grantmaking.
Mary M Nelson Charitable Trust has built a clear local pattern around two Erie, Pennsylvania institutions: Erie Community Foundation and Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA. Across the recent grants listed, those two organizations appear in parallel and receive matching general-support awards, pointing to a place-based strategy that pairs community philanthropy with direct hunger relief. The trust’s giving is concentrated in northwest Pennsylvania and is aimed at core operating needs rather than one-off projects. The size of those grants shows this is not a small-distribution funder. Recent awards include $203,544 in 2023 to each of the two recipients, followed by $143,621 in 2024 and $158,664 in 2025 to each. That repeated pairing suggests a steady annual rhythm and a preference for sustained support of local nonprofit infrastructure. Because the same two grantees recur year after year, the trust reads as a narrowly focused funder with a consistent local portfolio. Its grantmaking supports both a regional intermediary and a direct service provider, giving insight into how the trust balances community-level capacity with basic-needs response.
In community philanthropy, the trust supported Erie Community Foundation with a $158,664 general-support grant in 2025, alongside earlier grants of $203,544 in 2023 and $143,621 in 2024. That pattern shows ongoing support for a local institution that can channel resources within the region. For hunger relief, the trust gave the same series of general-support grants to Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA, including $158,664 in 2025, $203,544 in 2023, and $143,621 in 2024. The repeated awards align the trust with food distribution and emergency food access in northwest Pennsylvania. The grant descriptions are limited to general support, which places emphasis on operating capacity. Rather than funding many different issue areas, the trust appears to concentrate on sustaining a small set of local organizations over multiple years.
Typical grants are tightly clustered: p25 is $147,382, the median is $158,664, and p75 is $192,324. In the recent grants listed, the trust repeated the same two awards across 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating a recurring annual pattern rather than isolated gifts. The recipient set is narrow, and each award is listed as general support, which points to flexible funding for operating or core needs. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$335K
$6.3M
$885K
$418K
Most grants fall between $147K and $192K, with a median of $159K.
25th Percentile
$147K
Median
$159K
75th Percentile
$192K
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Notable grantees: Erie Community Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA
The trust’s giving is entirely in Pennsylvania, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent grants land in Erie, PA, and the broader pattern is local rather than national or cross-border. The recipient distribution shows no non-U.S. grants. This is a highly concentrated geographic profile, centered on northwest Pennsylvania.
The trust supports local nonprofit infrastructure in northwest Pennsylvania, especially a regional community foundation and a hunger-relief organization. The recent grants list shows repeated general-support awards to Erie Community Foundation and Second Harvest Food Bank of NWPA.
Typical grants are substantial and clustered closely together: p25 is $147,382, median grant size is $158,664, and p75 is $192,324. The recent awards shown in 2023, 2024, and 2025 fall within that range.
Yes. The same two organizations appear in the recent grants list across 2023, 2024, and 2025, with general-support awards repeated each year. That suggests an ongoing annual relationship rather than one-time support.
Its giving is local and entirely in Pennsylvania. The recipient distribution shows 100% of grants going to organizations in the HQ state, and the recent grants land in Erie, PA.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ERIE, PA | $167,435 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NWPA | ERIE, PA | $167,435 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NWPA | ERIE, PA | $158,664 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ERIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ERIE, PA | $158,664 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NWPA | ERIE, PA | $143,621 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ERIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ERIE, PA | $143,621 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ERIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ERIE, PA | $203,544 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NWPA | ERIE, PA | $203,544 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NWPA
$167,435GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT