The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust focuses primarily on arts and humanities — especially documentary film, visual art exhibitions, literary/humanities programming, and classical music — while also supporting progressive civic engagement and some youth enrichment. They fund a mix of project-specific cultural initiatives (exhibits, festivals, fellowships) and institutional programming, favoring a small number of larger grants and repeat investments in organizations they trust.
The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust has made documentary film fellowships a clear part of its identity, with Maysles Institute Inc receiving $40,000 for fellowship funding in 2023 and $40,000 for general support in 2024, followed by $30,000 in 2025. That repeat pattern sits alongside a broader arts-and-humanities portfolio that includes literary programming, visual-art exhibitions, chamber music, and museum-related work. The trust also backs civic and community organizations, giving $25,000 to People for the American Way Foundation in 2023 and $15,000 in 2024, while supporting arts institutions and artists through grants such as $25,000 to Myriad USA Inc for the Royal Academy America-Kerry James Marshall exhibit in 2025. Its grantmaking shows a preference for recurring relationships and project-linked support rather than scattered one-time awards. Recent awards also extend to youth enrichment and performing arts, indicating a funder that moves between cultural presentation, artist development, and public-facing humanities programming. The trust’s latest grants show a steady mix of general support and designated project or fellowship funding.
In documentary film, the trust supported Maysles Institute Inc with $40,000 for fellowship funding in 2023 and $40,000 for general support in 2024. In humanities programming, it gave $25,000 to New York Institute for the Humanities in 2023 for general support, reflecting interest in public-facing intellectual work. Visual art exhibition support appears through a $25,000 grant to Myriad USA Inc in 2025 for the Royal Academy America-Kerry James Marshall exhibit. The trust also funds music presentation: Willamette Valley Chamber Festival received $15,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Sheffield Chamber Players received $6,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in both 2024 and 2025. These grants point to support for programming that reaches audiences directly, whether through screenings, exhibitions, lectures, or performances.
Typical grant size is modest to mid-range, with a p25 of $1,000, median of $5,000, and p75 of $11,250. The distribution includes a few larger awards, such as $40,000 and $25,000 grants, but most recent grants cluster at lower levels. The trust appears to return to the same organizations across multiple years: Maysles Institute Inc, Pow Power of We Enrichment Inc, Studio Route 29, Sheffield Chamber Players, Bailing Twine and Hope, Willamette Valley Chamber Festival, and Lewis & Clark College -special Collection all received repeat grants. It is a regular funder and also funds individuals, though the recent-grants list here is organizational. General support is common, alongside fellowship and project-specific awards.
$2.5M
$979K
$482K
$2.6M
Most grants fall between $1K and $11K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 27% of grants go to recipients in OR.
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Concentrated giving with several relatively large grants and repeat support for select cultural and civic organizations; a blend of project-specific funding (exhibits, festivals, fellowships) and institutional/program support rather than many small one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Maysles Institute Inc, People for the American Way Foundation, Willamette Valley Chamber Festival, New York Institute for the Humanities, Myriad USA Inc
Grants land across the United States, with 40 recent grants in the US and 25% of grants to recipients in New York, the headquarters state. Portland, Oregon shows up repeatedly through Lewis & Clark College -special Collection, Friends of Hopewell House, Portland Baroque Orchestra, and Kmhd Jazz Radio. New York City is another frequent recipient location, including Maysles Institute Inc, New York Institute for the Humanities, Myriad USA Inc, NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc, and Pow Power of We Enrichment Inc. Other repeated recipient cities include Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts and Frenchtown, New Jersey.
The trust’s recent grants center on arts and humanities work, especially documentary film, literary and humanities programming, visual-art exhibitions, chamber music, and museum-related projects. It also gives to progressive civic engagement groups and youth enrichment programs tied to arts or community participation.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Maysles Institute Inc, Pow Power of We Enrichment Inc, Studio Route 29, Sheffield Chamber Players, Bailing Twine and Hope, Willamette Valley Chamber Festival, and Lewis & Clark College -special Collection.
The typical grant size is $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $11,250 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants include both larger awards, such as $40,000 and $25,000, and many gifts in the $1,000 to $10,000 range.
The trust gives nationally, with 40 recent grants going to US recipients. New York accounts for 25% of grants to recipients in the headquarters state, while Portland, Oregon and New York City appear repeatedly among recipient locations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARD COLLEGE | ANNANDALEONHUDSON, NY | $2,500,000 | 2026 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE "RALPH ELLISON CENTER" |
| MAYSLES INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | ROYAL ACADEMY AMERICA-KERRY JAMES MARSHALL EXHIBIT |
| WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STUDIO ROUTE 29 | FRENCHTOWN, NJ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KMHD JAZZ RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PORTLAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL HOUSE | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALL CLASSICAL RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE -SPECIAL COLLECTION | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAYSLES INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BAILING TWINE AND HOPE | FRENCHTOWN, NJ | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELEVATED ACCESS INC | CHAMPAIGN, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STUDIO ROUTE 29 | FRENCHTOWN, NJ | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KMHD JAZZ RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALL CLASSICAL RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL HOUSE | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PORTLAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAYSLES INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2023 | FELLOWSHIP FUNDING |
| PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR THE HUMANITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE -SPECIAL COLLECTION | PORTLAND, OR | $7,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $6,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $6,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BAILING TWINE AND HOPE | FRENCHTOWN, NJ | $6,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STUDIO ROUTE 29 | FRENCHTOWN, NJ | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PET PIGS INC DBA PIG PLACEMENT NETWORK | RUSHLAND, PA | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FAST FEET RUNNING AND ATHLETICS INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $4,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL HOUSE | PORTLAND, OR | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALL CLASSICAL RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PORTLAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KMHD JAZZ RADIO | PORTLAND, OR | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STUDIO ROUTE 29
GENERAL SUPPORT
SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KMHD JAZZ RADIO
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BAILING TWINE AND HOPE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STUDIO ROUTE 29
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KMHD JAZZ RADIO
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ALL CLASSICAL RADIO
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR THE HUMANITIES
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SHEFFIELD CHAMBER PLAYERS
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHAMBER FESTIVAL
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BAILING TWINE AND HOPE
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STUDIO ROUTE 29
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF PET PIGS INC DBA PIG PLACEMENT NETWORK
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
POW POWER OF WE ENRICHMENT INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FAST FEET RUNNING AND ATHLETICS INC
$4,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ALL CLASSICAL RADIO
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KMHD JAZZ RADIO
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT