Citizens Bank, N.A. serves as trustee and invests and administers many charitable trusts and foundations. Charitable trusts and foundations provide a vehicle to create a family legacy of giving as a part of savvy tax planning and a client's holistic estate plan. Citizens Bank, N.A. assists in both the creation and administration of these trusts for our clients.
In addition to full-service administration, Citizens Bank, N.A., through our Citizens Private Wealth division, also acts as a grant facilitator and investment manager for other charitable programs.
Contact your Citizens advisor to learn more about these opportunities.
Citizens Bank, N.A. serves as trustee of a myriad of trusts that make grants for charitable purposes. We administer a number of scholarship trusts that make scholarship grants annually to deserving individuals in conjunction with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Among the trusts administered by Citizens Bank, N.A., several trusts accept grant applications to make charitable grants to deserving institutions.
Citizens Bank, N.A. accepts and reviews applications for the five trusts below as part of the grant-making decision process.
Most trusts below are limited to the state of New Hampshire and several of the trusts have further geographic limitations within New Hampshire. No awards are given to individuals.
All applications must include evidence of 501 (c)(3) status. Grants will be given for specific projects, equipment, or seed money, but not for operating budgets.
Awards range in amounts from $1,000 to $15,000. Most grant awards are in the $5,000 range.
Citizens Bank, N.A. makes all grant-making decisions based upon a set of carefully-considered principles. To view/download these principles, click here.
Please note: Starting Fall 2023, Citizens Bank, N.A.'s grant-making process will proceed in two seasons, the Fall season and the Spring Season . This change is effective immediately and will be in place going forward for all charitable trust applications. Deadlines of applications and the timing of distributions will be updated, as the pool of charitable trusts will be split between the two seasons to better align with fiscal year-end of the various charitable trusts.
Please note our new schedule:
Fall Application Period
Ann De Nicola Trust
This trust was established in 1977 to award grants for the improvement and development of general health, education and welfare of persons in New Hampshire.
Special consideration is given to those located in Bedford, Merrimack and Nashua, New Hampshire to comply with the direction of the trust.
Arthur Getz Trust
This trust was established in 1982 to award grants that promote charitable, educational and religious purposes.
Mary Louise Billings Trust
This trust was established in 1969 to award grants to organizations with religious, educational, and charitable purposes in the state of New Hampshire whose mission is to assist needy and deserving individuals of all ages.
Spring Application Period
Waldo and Alice Ayer Trust
This trust was established in 1965 to award grants for the support of any symphony orchestra or similar musical organization, or any chamber music group. A portion of trust proceeds are contributed annually to a scholarship fund managed by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
Please note that grants are restricted to musical organizations with a focus on symphony orchestra, chamber music or similar purpose, and no consideration will be given to grant request that do not match the specific intent of the donors.
Abbie F. Moseley Trust
This trust was established in 1949 to award grants to religious, educational and charitable organizations.
Parker Nelson Grant
This trust was created in 1964 to award grants of charitable, religious, and educational purposes.
Per terms of the trust, 75% of annual income distributed must be paid to New Hampshire organizations.
Important Deadlines
Applications are open as of January 1st each year and will close April 1st each year for our Spring Season.
Applications are open as of June 1st each year and will close September 1st each year for our Fall Season.
Please note: We strongly recommend applications are sent by email with a Read Receipt.
Questions? Ask a Citizen
Get a response typically within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following frequently asked questions are intended to help 501(c)(3) organizations determine eligibility to apply for grants from charitable trusts and to provide additional information to assist with the completion of applications.
Eligibility
Only 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply for grant funding. Please note some grant making foundations may have additional restrictions, requirements, or preferences outlined in the governing document.
Yes, please keep in mind that Citizens, operating under Citizens Bank, N.A. ("Citizens"), is committed to monitoring recipient charities to ensure grants are used for the purposes and manner as set forth in the award letter. To be considered for additional grant money your organization must furnish proof that prior awards were used for their intended purpose.
Yes. Citizens will account for grant(s) to the prospective recipient from similar internally managed trusts and corporate sponsorship in evaluating an applicant's financial condition.
We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic not only changed the way many organizations conduct business, but may have shifted priorities regarding use of funding. If there was a delay in program or project, please note the new timeline in your application. If the program or project was cancelled and the funding was used for operational needs or other pandemic-related needs, such as the purchase of PPE, please contact us at NHCharitableTrusts@citizensbank.com to discuss further.
Yes. Each year's applications will be assessed based on the current year's request.
We only consider applications from local non-profits and regional/local branches of national/multinational non-profits that have an impact on the well-being of the community in New Hampshire.
No, we require the budget for the regional or local office that will be hosting the event or completing the project.
Our Principles affirm that the intent of grants is to support those non-profits that deliver positive and enriching programs supporting common needs and values in the communities they serve and operate within. As a result, our intent is that projects supported by grants must be applicable broadly to the community served by the non-profit, will support broader principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and will refrain from extreme political or social biases. Grant requests received from non-profits that support politically sensitive communities will be considered only if the requests support needs and values, including the safety and well-being, of the community at large.
Applications
No, but larger requests are less likely to be fully funded by individual trusts. Most grants will be under $10,000.00. If a larger request is received, it may be partially funded.
No.
A typical grant will be around $5,000.00.
No. We recommend organizations looking to fund events with specific dates request funding for the following calendar year. While we distribute checks by the end of the calendar year, we cannot guarantee the check would arrive on time for your organization's event.
Yes. Unless there is an anticipated significant rise or drop in your organization's annual budget, the prior year’s budget is fine.
Yes.
We anticipate receiving all grant applications electronically by email or using our drop box. Your organization can email us at NHCharitableTrusts@citizensbank.com. Please ensure delivery by September 1.
Please email us at NHCharitableTrusts@citizensbank.com if you are having technical difficulty with your electronic submission.
No. We recommend organizations struggling with large file sizes to either send the application over multiple emails or by using our drop box. You can also contact us at NHCharitableTrusts@citizensbank.com for additional assistance.
The Waldo and Alice Ayer Trust
No. Your organization will be better serviced applying for one or more of the other four trusts.
Musical education groups are considered on a case-by-case basis. Programs that teach musical instruments or vocal performance likely to be used in symphony orchestras or chamber music groups are more likely to qualify. General music education programs or music therapy programs are unlikely to qualify, but are encouraged to apply for funding from the other trusts.
The Ann de Nicola Trust
Yes. The terms of the governing instrument indicate that those municipalities are given preference, but grants may still be given to organizations operating outside of Nashua, Bedford, and Merrimack, NH, at the discretion of the trustees. Please note that being in Nashua, Bedford, or Merrimack, NH, does not guarantee a grant from the Trust.
Yes.
Grant Making Process
Decisions are made during the third quarter of the year. Please note: September 1 is the application deadline.
All grants and denials will be mailed by mid-November but may be sent out as early as mid-October. Organizations will be notified of the committee's decision by December; communication will be sent via mail.
Distribution of Awards
As funding of grants depends on the amount of each trust's annual budget, the number of applicants, the amount requested, and how well the applicants align with our Principles, we cannot guarantee every application will receive funding. Although you may not have received funding this year, we encourage you to apply next year.
Organizations should make no assumptions regarding funding from any of the trusts unless they are named in the governing document.
Yes.
Yes.
Contact Information
The team can be emailed at NHCharitableTrusts@citizensbank.com. All inquiries will be acknowledged within 1-2 business days.
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Citizens Wealth Management (in certain instances DBA Citizens Private Wealth) is a division of Citizens Bank, N.A. (“Citizens”). Securities, insurance, brokerage services, and investment advisory services offered by Citizens Securities, Inc. (“CSI”), a registered broker-dealer and SEC registered investment adviser - Member FINRA / SIPC. Investment advisory services may also be offered by Clarfeld Financial Advisors, LLC (“CFA”), an SEC registered investment adviser, or by unaffiliated members of FINRA and SIPC providing brokerage and custody services to CFA clients (see Form ADV for details). Insurance products may also be offered by Estate Preservation Services, LLC (“EPS”) or an unaffiliated party. CSI, CFA and EPS are affiliates of Citizens. Banking products and trust services offered by Citizens.
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