Irene C Shea Foundation
The Irene C Shea Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2025, it reported 32 grants totaling $1,190,000, with most grant dollars going to organizations in Pennsylvania.
Irene C Shea Foundation at a glance
In short: Irene C Shea Foundation gave $1.2M across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $37K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,190,000
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $37,188
- -3.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $22,589,449
- +1.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (4 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (97% 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 Irene C Shea Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists PNC Charitable Trust Grant Committe as the contact and refers to a footnote for application forms and materials and award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- The filing refers to a footnote for deadlines; no deadline is stated in the available information.
- Deadline
- The filing refers to a footnote for deadlines; no deadline is stated in the available information.
- Contact
Application contact: Pnc Charitable Trust Grant Committe
Mailing address: Tower At Pnc Plaza 300 5Th Ave Ms, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 603-7006
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Irene C Shea Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carlow University ($159K). Together the top 10 received $734K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 132 (65%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 2% to recipients in Illinois, and 1% to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Irene C Shea Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 32 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $867K (2021) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carlow University Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $159,000 |
| Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Pennsylvania Organization for Wo Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $75,000 |
| East Liberty Family Health Care Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $75,000 |
| Coalition for Christian Outreach Pittsburgh, PA | General Purpose | $65,000 |
| Angel's Place Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $60,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Project Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| East End Cooperative Ministry Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Kidsvoice Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Holy Family Institute Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $50,000 |
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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 | $22,589,449 | $2,079,061 | $1,685,908 | $1,190,000 | 32 | $1,352,296 | $1,858,405 | $1,453,570 |
| 2024 | $22,198,634 | $7,520,471 | $1,475,223 | $1,159,425 | 30 | $1,288,343 | $7,357,168 | $1,226,245 |
| 2023 | $16,156,138 | $1,947,821 | $1,434,876 | $1,157,000 | 27 | $1,337,649 | $1,855,187 | $1,205,244 |
| 2022 | $15,646,144 | $854,237 | $1,321,486 | $1,040,000 | 21 | $1,214,748 | $746,611 | $1,314,886 |
| 2021 | $16,115,470 | $1,372,858 | $1,158,176 | $866,500 | 22 | — | $1,234,718 | $1,209,796 |
| 2020 | $15,908,532 | $718,382 | $1,177,932 | $920,000 | 25 | — | $623,912 | $1,086,406 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Irene C Shea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations including Carlow University, whose mission describes educational opportunities for a diverse community of learners, and KidsVoice, which supports child advocacy for children and adolescents who are abused, neglected, or otherwise at risk of being adjudicated dependent.
Other 2025 recipients describe work in family support and early childhood education (Angels Place), services for people facing poverty (East End Cooperative Ministry), neighborhood-based youth development and homeowner services (The Pittsburgh Project), social services (Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh), and support for children and families (Holy Family Institute). These are the recipients’ own descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $1,190,000. Grants ranged from $7,000 to $159,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $159,000 to Carlow University, $100,000 to Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, and $75,000 each to Pennsylvania Organization for Women and East Liberty Family Health Care. Other notable awards included $65,000 to Coalition for Christian Outreach, $60,000 to Angels Place, and $50,000 each to The Pittsburgh Project, East End Cooperative Ministry, KidsVoice, Holy Family Institute, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Listed purposes for these grants were generally support or general purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists PNC Bank NA, Elizabeth J Beck, and Susan Hickey as co-trustees.
Irene C Shea Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan Hickey
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $35K (2025)
PNC Bank NA
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$178K (2023) → $229K (2025)
Elizabeth J. Beck
Co-Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$29K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Thomas J. Hickey (2020–2024) — Co-Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $229K, to PNC Bank NA (Co-Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Irene C Shea Foundation
How much does Irene C Shea Foundation give each year?
Irene C Shea Foundation gave $1.2M across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 30 grants.
What is Irene C Shea Foundation's typical grant size?
Irene C Shea Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $37,188, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Irene C Shea Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Irene C Shea Foundation give grants?
Irene C Shea Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (26 grants).
Does Irene C Shea Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Irene C Shea Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Irene C Shea Foundation's largest grantees?
Irene C Shea Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Carlow University ($159,000), Women's Center & Shelter of Greater ($100,000) and Pennsylvania Organization for Wo ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Irene C Shea Foundation?
Irene C Shea Foundation reported $22.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Irene C Shea Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Irene C Shea Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Irene C Shea Foundation's EIN?
Irene C Shea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6410108. 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Irene C Shea Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/irene-c-shea-foundation-morg_ea2ca5f877de4867bcc4b2ed25c93c21
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_256410108_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Irene C Shea Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/irene-c-shea-foundation-morg_ea2ca5f877de4867bcc4b2ed25c93c21},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Irene C Shea 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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