Updated:
Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts was established in 1948 by the four children of Sun Oil founder Joseph N. Pew. The original seven supporting trusts remain the...
Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts was established in 1948 by the four children of Sun Oil founder Joseph N. Pew. The original seven supporting trusts remain the primary source of its $6 billion beneficial interest. Susan K. Urahn serves as president and CEO while Christopher Jones chairs the board. Assets are allocated across public equities, private funds and direct real estate. Confirmed positions include Resource Capital Fund III and top holdings reported through Glenmede such as Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Uber. The organization maintains offices in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and runs programs in North America and selected global regions. Ticket sizes for commitments typically range from $25 million to $100 million with investment horizons of 10 to 20 years. The firm employs 1,016 professionals. It maintains a 401(k) plan through Fidelity and undergoes annual audit by KPMG. In 2025 it sponsored the State of the City Philadelphia event focused on municipal data and poverty trends. Governance separates the core foundation from three affiliated vehicles: Pew Research Center, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and Elections Trust Initiative. Investment decisions flow through the Glenmede relationship established in 1956 rather than an internal CIO structure.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1948
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Philadelphia
Corporate office
2005 Market Street Suite 2800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, United States
Principals
Susan K. Urahn
President and CEO
Christopher Jones
Chair of the Board of Directors
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Pew Charitable Trusts?
Susan K. Urahn serves as president and CEO. Day-to-day portfolio oversight sits with external trustee Glenmede Trust Company, which has held the role since 1956.
Does Pew Charitable Trusts participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The organization holds both. It maintains a limited partnership in Resource Capital Fund III and reports public equity positions through Glenmede.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The capital originates from seven supporting trusts established by the children of Sun Oil founder Joseph N. Pew.
What investment stages does Pew Charitable Trusts typically target?
Commitments favor long-horizon vehicles with 10- to 20-year periods. Ticket sizes disclosed in the record range from $25 million to $100 million.
How is Pew Charitable Trusts related to Glenmede Trust Company?
Glenmede has acted as investment advisor and trustee since 1956 and reports the foundation's public equity holdings in 13F filings.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: