The Alexander B. Gilfillan Trust concentrates its funding locally in the Pittsburgh area, with a clear emphasis on supporting Presbyterian congregations and local history/cultural institutions. Most dollars go to a handful of repeat grantees, often through multiple gifts to the same organizations, indicating a relationship-driven, place-based philanthropy. The foundation’s giving prioritizes congregation operations and preservation of regional heritage rather than broad national causes.
Concentrated, relationship-driven giving: relatively few, mid-to-large grants focused on repeat grantees in a narrow geographic area. Funding is directed toward sustaining institutions (churches and local history organizations) rather than one-off small grants or wide diversification.
A defining feature of Alexander B Gilfillan Trust is its repeated general support to the same Pittsburgh-area institutions across multiple years. The largest recent gifts all went to Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church, including $52,952 in 2023, $51,651 in 2024, and $50,552 in 2025, showing a steady relationship with that congregation. The trust’s other major recipients also point to a clear local pattern: Bethel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and Historical Society of Western PA each appear in successive years with general-support grants. That mix places churches and regional heritage groups at the center of the foundation’s giving. The trust also supports nearby educational and animal-welfare organizations, including Shady Side Academy and Humane Animal Rescue. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is consistent: support is concentrated in Western Pennsylvania, and the purpose language is usually broad rather than project-specific. For a researcher, the clearest takeaway is that Alexander B Gilfillan Trust functions as a place-based funder for congregational operations and local civic memory, with recurring awards to a small circle of organizations.
In congregational support, Alexander B Gilfillan Trust gave $22,694 in 2023 to Bethel Presbyterian Church for general support, then repeated support with $22,136 in 2024 and $21,665 in 2025. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St Clair followed the same pattern, receiving matching general-support grants in 2023 and 2024, then another in 2025. The trust also backed Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church with larger gifts over three years. Beyond church support, the foundation funds local heritage work: Historical Society of Western PA received general-support grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. It also extended general support to Shady Side Academy and to Humane Animal Rescue, both in Pittsburgh, showing that its scope reaches beyond congregations while remaining local.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a narrow range: p25 is $14,851, median grant size is $21,900, and p75 is $22,694. The recent record also shows repeat giving rather than one-off awards. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Historical Society of Western PA, Shady Side Academy, and Humane Animal Rescue. That pattern suggests ongoing support relationships. The trust is not a program- or project-driven grantmaker in the recent list; most awards are labeled general support. It also does not fund individuals and makes no program-related investments.
$436K
$3M
$271K
$184K
Most grants fall between $15K and $23K, with a median of $22K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$22K
75th Percentile
$23K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in PA.
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Notable grantees: Mt Lebanon United Presbyterian Church, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Alexander B Gilfillan Trust gives locally, and the recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based. All 18 grants went to recipients in Pennsylvania, so 100% of the recorded giving landed in the HQ state. The main recipient cities are Pittsburgh, Bethel Park, and Upper St Clair. Pittsburgh appears most often, including Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church, Historical Society of Western PA, Shady Side Academy, Humane Animal Rescue, and Western PA Humane Society. Bethel Park and Upper St Clair each show recurring church support as part of the same Western Pennsylvania pattern.
The trust mainly supports Presbyterian congregations and local history institutions in the Pittsburgh area. Recent grants include repeated general support for Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church, Bethel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and Historical Society of Western PA. It also supported Shady Side Academy and animal-welfare groups in Pittsburgh.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years in the recent grants list. Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Bethel Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Historical Society of Western PA, Shady Side Academy, and Humane Animal Rescue also received repeat support.
The trust’s typical grant sizes are tightly grouped. The p25 grant size is $14,851, the median is $21,900, and the p75 is $22,694. Many of the recorded awards are in the low twenty-thousand-dollar range, with larger gifts going to Mt Lebanon Untd Presby Church.
Its recent grants are entirely local to Pennsylvania. All 18 recorded grants went to recipients in PA, including Pittsburgh, Bethel Park, and Upper St Clair. Pittsburgh is the most frequent recipient city in the list, while the trust’s HQ is also in Pittsburgh.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $50,552 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA | PITTSBURGH, PA | $21,665 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | UPPER ST CLAIR, PA | $21,665 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | BETHEL PARK, PA | $21,665 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHADY SIDE ACADEMY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $14,443 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE | PITTSBURGH, PA | $14,443 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $51,651 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | UPPER ST CLAIR, PA | $22,136 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | BETHEL PARK, PA | $22,136 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA | PITTSBURGH, PA | $22,136 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHADY SIDE ACADEMY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $14,758 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE | PITTSBURGH, PA | $14,758 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $52,952 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA | PITTSBURGH, PA | $22,694 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | BETHEL PARK, PA | $22,694 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | UPPER ST CLAIR, PA | $22,694 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHADY SIDE ACADEMY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $15,129 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WESTERN PA HUMANE SOCIETY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $7,565 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH
$50,552GENERAL SUPPORT
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA
$21,665GENERAL SUPPORT
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$21,665GENERAL SUPPORT
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$21,665GENERAL SUPPORT
SHADY SIDE ACADEMY
$14,443GENERAL SUPPORT
HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE
$14,443GENERAL SUPPORT
MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH
$51,651GENERAL SUPPORT
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$22,136GENERAL SUPPORT
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$22,136GENERAL SUPPORT
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA
$22,136GENERAL SUPPORT
SHADY SIDE ACADEMY
$14,758GENERAL SUPPORT
HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE
$14,758GENERAL SUPPORT
MT LEBANON UNTD PRESBY CHURCH
$52,952GENERAL SUPPORT
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PA
$22,694GENERAL SUPPORT
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$22,694GENERAL SUPPORT
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$22,694GENERAL SUPPORT
SHADY SIDE ACADEMY
$15,129GENERAL SUPPORT
WESTERN PA HUMANE SOCIETY
$7,565GENERAL SUPPORT