Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation
The Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Established in 1961, it aims to enhance the quality of life for Bostonians and supports organizations and institutions in areas including arts and culture, health and hospitals, early childhood education, disability inclusion, and human services.
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation gave $3.1M across 91 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in Massachusetts. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,146,000
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 91
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,571
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $26,497,128
- -7.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (12 of 91, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: One Washington Street Suite 201, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 235-6107
Website: https://shapirofamilyfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital ($870K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
383 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 346 grants of 383 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its work as focused on Bostonians and community-based organizations across Greater Boston and beyond. In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts; other recipient states were Florida (4%), California (3%), New York (2%), and Illinois (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 91 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 91 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 82% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 174% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $780K (2020) to $3.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 91 grants totaling $3.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $870,000 |
| Musuem of Fine Arts Boston Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $382,000 |
| Brimmer and May School Chestnut Hill, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $101,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $100,000 |
| Huntington Theater Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $70,000 |
| Boston Symphony Orchestra Inc Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $55,000 |
| Theater Offensive Inc Boston, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $50,000 |
| Full Spectrum Features Chicago, IL | General Purposes of the Organization | $39,250 |
| Roca Inc Springfield, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $35,000 |
| Team Impact Quincy, MA | General Purposes of the Organization | $35,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,497,128 | $1,425,709 | $3,410,261 | $3,146,000 | 91 | $3,218,239 | $1,264,357 | $1,848,665 |
| 2024 | $28,497,680 | $1,328,335 | $3,217,080 | $2,937,500 | 93 | $3,033,553 | $1,138,675 | $1,791,017 |
| 2023 | $30,549,876 | $22,455,595 | $2,918,114 | $2,681,500 | 85 | $2,833,589 | $5,202,362 | $1,097,939 |
| 2022 | $11,020,290 | $1,909,480 | $1,843,680 | $1,725,000 | 65 | $1,805,671 | $389,310 | $1,236,319 |
| 2021 | $10,954,490 | $23,025,330 | $1,400,742 | $1,342,000 | 49 | $1,380,418 | $512,245 | $1,343,507 |
| 2020 | $3,394,457 | $67,393 | $843,670 | $780,000 | 35 | — | $93,841 | $276,760 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation states that it aims to enhance the quality of life for all Bostonians. Its current interests include arts and culture, health and hospitals, early childhood education, disability inclusion and empowerment, and human services. Its initiatives include youth arts and work with community-based organizations addressing social justice and unmet needs.
Supported organizations reflect a range of activities. For example, Brimmer and May School describes its work as a student-centered PK–12 education; Team IMPACT says it matches children facing serious or chronic illness with college athletic teams; and Roca describes its mission as disrupting incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging young adults, police, and systems. The Foundation’s website also identifies initiative grantees working in disability inclusion, youth in the arts, early childhood, and empowerment.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation made 91 grants totaling $3,146,000. Grants ranged from $750 to $870,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed awards included $870,000 to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and $382,000 to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, both for general purposes. Other notable grants were $101,000 to Brimmer and May School, $100,000 to Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and $70,000 to Huntington Theater.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Linda S. Waintrup as secretary and Ellen S. Jaffe, Jennifer S. Herman, and Jonathan M. Segal as trustees. The Foundation’s website identifies Jennifer Segel as executive director.
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen S. Jaffe
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer S. Herman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan M. Segal
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda S. Waintrup
Secretary
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation
How much does Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation give each year?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation gave $3.1M across 91 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 93 grants.
What is Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $34,571, across 91 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation give grants?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (34 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Los Angeles, CA (5 grants) and Brookline, MA (4 grants).
Does Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (91 of 91) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital ($870,000), Musuem of Fine Arts Boston ($382,000) and Brimmer and May School ($101,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation reported $26.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation fund?
The Foundation states that it aims to enhance the quality of life for all Bostonians. Its current interests include arts and culture, health and hospitals, early childhood education, disability inclusion and empowerment, and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's EIN?
Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6135027. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carl-and-ruth-shapiro-family-foundation-morg_ad7528f30db0424c9cba0f9fabbf98c6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046135027_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carl \& Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carl-and-ruth-shapiro-family-foundation-morg_ad7528f30db0424c9cba0f9fabbf98c6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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