Ida Alice Ryan Charitable Trust Fund

The Ida Alice Ryan Charitable Trust is a philanthropic initiative administered by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. under the Wells Fargo Trust Philanthropic Services Private Foundations. The trust was established through the will of Miss Ida Alice Ryan, who passed away in 1953. In accordance with the terms of her will, one-half of the trust’s net income is to be distributed to the Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia, while the other half is allocated to charitable institutions located in or near the Atlanta metropolitan area, as determined by the trustee. The trust is designed to support nonprofit organizations located within the Metro Atlanta 28-County Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), with a particular focus on institutions that align with the trust’s funding priorities. The foundation accepts applications in several program areas including arts, culture, and humanities; education; health; human services; and public/society benefit. However, it operates on a tiered priority basis when evaluating requests: first priority is given to hospitals and health-related organizations, second to education, human services, and public/society benefit initiatives, and third to arts and cultural institutions. Organizations must qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and be located within or serve the Metro Atlanta area to be eligible. There are no explicit program limitations, but the prioritization structure suggests strategic alignment with the trust’s historical preferences may improve funding likelihood. The trust does not accept applications from individuals or organizations outside of the geographic boundary, and there is no entitlement to funding—grants are made at the discretion of the trustee. Applications are accepted year-round, but to be considered for one of the biannual funding cycles, submissions must be received by either February 1 or August 1. Applications submitted by February 1 will be reviewed at the March grant meeting, while those submitted by August 1 will be reviewed in September. Notifications of funding decisions are typically issued in April and November, respectively. The submission process is managed online through Wells Fargo’s application portal. Applicants will receive an automated email confirming the receipt of their application. While the website does not provide specific application questions or documentation requirements, it does note that periodic progress and final reports may be requested for funded projects, indicating an emphasis on accountability and impact measurement. For assistance, applicants may contact the grant administration team at Wells Fargo via phone at 1-888-235-4351 or by email at grantadministration@wellsfargo.com. The website also includes disclaimers stating that any discrepancies between the online information and the trust’s governing instrument will be resolved in favor of the latter.