Helmle-Shaw Foundation
The Helmle-Shaw Foundation is a private foundation based in Bacliff, Texas. In 2025, it reported 38 grants totaling $226,000 to organizations including nonprofits, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, and arts and cultural groups.
Helmle-Shaw Foundation at a glance
In short: Helmle-Shaw Foundation gave $226K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Texas. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $226,000
- +42.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- +5.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,947
- +35.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,930,131
- +5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (11 of 38, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (71% 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 Helmle-Shaw Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a letter of request from the solicitor detailing the need for funds. The filing names Judith Helmle Shaw as the contact and lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Judith Helmle Shaw
Mailing address: 2603 Bayshore Dr, Bacliff, TX 77518
Phone: (713) 782-7730
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Helmle-Shaw Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Multiple Sclerosis Society ($20K). Together the top 10 received $123K.
Grant Size Distribution
140 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 140 grants of 140 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 10% to Colorado, 9% to the District of Columbia, 2% to Michigan, and 2% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Helmle-Shaw Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 38 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 117% 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 $139K (2021) to $226K (2025). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $226K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Sclerosis Society Washington, DC | General Purpose | $20,000 |
| Bo's Place Houston, TX | General Purpose | $16,000 |
| Utmb School of Health Professionals Galveston, TX | General Purpose | $15,000 |
| St Thomas Episcopal Church & School Houston, TX | General Purpose | $15,000 |
| Galveston Historical Fdn Galveston, TX | General Purpose | $13,000 |
| Art Museum of Se Texas Corpus Christi, TX | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation Houston, TX | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Rice University Houston, TX | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Judy's Mission to End Ovarian Cancer Foundation Houston, TX | General Purpose | $9,000 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | General Purpose | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Helmle-Shaw Foundation?
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 | $1,930,131 | $226,942 | $265,798 | $226,000 | 38 | $228,750 | $195,515 | $196,007 |
| 2024 | $1,827,069 | $113,877 | $181,829 | $158,500 | 36 | $155,443 | $94,152 | $183,995 |
| 2023 | $1,874,740 | $72,154 | $173,176 | $141,000 | 19 | $143,050 | $84,364 | $163,194 |
| 2022 | $1,936,019 | $27,383 | $186,309 | $170,000 | 26 | $170,000 | $85,618 | $162,870 |
| 2021 | $2,076,173 | $101,684 | $158,096 | $139,000 | 21 | $139,000 | $83,958 | $166,000 |
| 2020 | $2,132,585 | $102,192 | $163,469 | $147,168 | 18 | — | $88,788 | $144,650 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helmle-Shaw Foundation reported a distributable amount of $196K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations working in areas such as grief support, healthcare, education, arts and culture, environmental conservation, children’s well-being, and LGBTQ media advocacy. These are grantees’ stated missions, not stated priorities of the foundation. For example, Bo’s Place describes its work as supporting adults, children, and families after the death of a loved one, while Lake Fork Valley Conservancy describes its work as advancing environmental sustainability through conservation, education, and stewardship.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 38 grants totaling $226,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $20,000 to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, $16,000 to Bo’s Place, $15,000 each to UTMB School of Health Professionals and St Thomas Episcopal Church & School, and $13,000 to Galveston Historical Foundation. The stated purpose for these listed grants was general purpose.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should be made by a letter from the solicitor detailing the need for funds. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Judith Helmle Shaw is listed as Secretary and Treasurer on the 2025 filing.
Helmle-Shaw Foundation's only listed officer is Judith Helmle Shaw, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2020 (uncompensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Judith Helmle Shaw
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Roy G. Shaw Jr. (2020–2023) — President
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 Helmle-Shaw Foundation
How much does Helmle-Shaw Foundation give each year?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation gave $226K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $159K across 36 grants.
What is Helmle-Shaw Foundation's typical grant size?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,947, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helmle-Shaw Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Helmle-Shaw Foundation give grants?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (10%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (13 grants), Galveston, TX (5 grants), Lake City, CO (4 grants) and Spring, TX (2 grants).
Does Helmle-Shaw Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Helmle-Shaw Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Helmle-Shaw Foundation's largest grantees?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Multiple Sclerosis Society ($20,000), Bo's Place ($16,000) and Utmb School of Health Professionals ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Helmle-Shaw Foundation?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $229K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $196K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Helmle-Shaw Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations working in areas such as grief support, healthcare, education, arts and culture, environmental conservation, children’s well-being, and LGBTQ media advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helmle-Shaw Foundation?
Submit a letter of request from the solicitor detailing the need for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Helmle-Shaw Foundation's EIN?
Helmle-Shaw Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0420414. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Helmle-Shaw Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helmle-Shaw Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helmle-shaw-foundation-morg_dfdadb05d8c04fa8bb2df36be78fe404
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760420414_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helmle-Shaw Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helmle-shaw-foundation-morg_dfdadb05d8c04fa8bb2df36be78fe404},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Helmle-Shaw 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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