Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation logo

Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wellesley, MA EIN: 04-6135027 Website

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.

Key facts about Carl & Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation

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.

EIN
04-6135027
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$3,146,000
Grants made (2025)
91
Average grant
$34,571
Median grant
$20,000
New grantees (estimate)
13% first-time grantees (12 of 91, 2025)
Total assets
$26,497,128
Primary geography
Massachusetts (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$26.5M

-7.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.1M

+7.1% YoY

Grant Count

91

-2.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$35K

+9.5% YoY

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.

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.

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.

How to Apply

The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

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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

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 91 itemized grants.

Cities

BostonNew YorkJamaica PlainLos AngelesPalm BeachCambridgeWest Palm BeachBrooklineMiamiCoral GablesQuincyNewtonPhiladelphiaSpringfieldWashingtonWatertownChestnut HillDorchesterRock IslandSanta Monica

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M35 grants2020 49 grants2021 65 grants2022 85 grants2023 93 grants2024 91 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $780K (2020) to $3.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 91 grants totaling $3.1M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital: $870KBeth Israel Deaconess Hospital$870KMusuem of Fine Arts Boston: $382KMusuem of Fine Arts Boston$382KBrimmer and May School: $101KBrimmer and May School$101KCombined Jewish Philanthropies: $100KCombined Jewish Philanthropies$100KHuntington Theater: $70KHuntington Theater$70KBoston Symphony Orchestra Inc: $55KBoston Symphony Orchestra Inc$55KTheater Offensive Inc: $50KTheater Offensive Inc$50KFull Spectrum Features: $39KFull Spectrum Features$39KRoca Inc: $35KRoca Inc$35KTeam Impact: $35KTeam Impact$35K

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

346<$50K21$50–100K9$100–250K4$250–500K3$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 346 grants of 383 (90%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$870,000
Musuem of Fine Arts Boston Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$382,000
Brimmer and May School Chestnut Hill, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$101,000
Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$100,000
Huntington Theater Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$70,000
Boston Symphony Orchestra Inc Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$55,000
Theater Offensive Inc Boston, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$50,000
Full Spectrum Features Chicago, ILGeneral Purposes of the Organization$39,250
Roca Inc Springfield, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$35,000
Team Impact Quincy, MAGeneral Purposes of the Organization$35,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $26,497,128 $1,425,709 $3,410,261 $3,146,000
2024 $28,497,680 $1,328,335 $3,217,080 $2,937,500
2023 $30,549,876 $22,455,595 $2,918,114 $2,681,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$10M$20M$30M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$26,497,128$28,497,680$30,549,876
Revenue$1,425,709$1,328,335$22,455,595
Expenses$3,410,261$3,217,080$2,918,114
Qualifying Distributions$3,218,239$3,033,553$2,833,589
Net Investment Income$1,264,357$1,138,675$5,202,362
Distributable Amount$1,848,665$1,791,017$1,097,939

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 8, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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.

Contact

Mailing address: One Washington Street Suite 201, Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 235-6107
Website: https://shapirofamilyfdn.org

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.

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