Jacob S Shapiro Foundation
The Jacob S Shapiro Foundation is a private foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations including Baltimore-area arts, education, library, and human-services organizations, as well as organizations in Ohio and other states.
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation at a glance
In short: Jacob S Shapiro Foundation gave $242K across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Maryland. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $241,821
- -3.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- +8.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,364
- -11.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $3,932,839
- +6.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 38, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jacob S Shapiro Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 4436 2545 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223
Phone: (410) 566-9200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jacob S Shapiro Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Associated Jewish Community Foundation ($65K). Together the top 10 received $191K.
Grant Size Distribution
181 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 171 grants of 181 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 27% to recipients in Ohio. Smaller shares went to Florida (3%), Alabama (2%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Jacob S Shapiro Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 38 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $224K (2021) to $278K (2022). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $242K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Associated Jewish Community Foundation Baltimore, MD | Annual Campaign | $65,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation Hudson, OH | General | $64,821 |
| Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| Enoch Pratt Free Library Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| Thread Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| Gilman School Scholarship Fund Baltimore, MD | General | $7,500 |
| Central Scholarship Bureau Owings Mills, MD | Scholarships | $7,000 |
| Sarasota Cuban Ballet School Sarasota, FL | General | $7,000 |
| Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women Baltimore, MD | Foundation for the baltimore leadership school for young women | $5,000 |
| Baltimore Museum of Art Baltimore, MD | Annual Fund | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,932,839 | $401,808 | $325,479 | $241,821 | 38 | $243,511 | $322,840 | $251,408 |
| 2023 | $3,679,263 | $340,294 | $332,906 | $251,438 | 35 | $253,292 | $263,726 | $242,525 |
| 2022 | $3,855,785 | $321,947 | $370,525 | $278,150 | 35 | $278,150 | $238,102 | $254,471 |
| 2021 | $3,980,700 | $578,914 | $320,278 | $224,421 | 34 | $224,421 | $489,780 | $276,117 |
| 2020 | $3,874,997 | $477,259 | $325,580 | $250,500 | 39 | — | $402,179 | $224,437 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jacob S Shapiro Foundation reported a distributable amount of $251K for 2024 — 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 grants show support for organizations working in areas including the arts, education and scholarships, libraries, and human services. For example, Thread says it uses relationships to engage with young people facing opportunity and achievement gaps, while Sheppard Pratt says it serves mental health, addiction, special education, and community-support needs. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as presenting musical concerts, and the Central Scholarship Bureau received a grant designated for scholarships.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 38 grants totaling $241,821. Grants ranged from $250 to $65,000, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest awards included $65,000 to Associated Jewish Community Foundation for its annual campaign and $64,821 to American Endowment Foundation for general purposes. Other grants included $10,000 each to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Enoch Pratt Free Library, and Thread; and $7,500 to Gilman School Scholarship Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James R Shapiro and Jane Baum Rodbell as trustees.
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James R. Shapiro
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane Baum Rodbell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Jacob S Shapiro Foundation
How much does Jacob S Shapiro Foundation give each year?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation gave $242K across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $251K across 35 grants.
What is Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's typical grant size?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $6,364, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jacob S Shapiro Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Jacob S Shapiro Foundation give grants?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (25 grants) and Owings Mills, MD (2 grants).
Does Jacob S Shapiro Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 71% of Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's largest grantees?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Associated Jewish Community Foundation ($65,000), American Endowment Foundation ($64,821) and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jacob S Shapiro Foundation?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $244K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $251K (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 Jacob S Shapiro Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas including the arts, education and scholarships, libraries, and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jacob S Shapiro Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's EIN?
Jacob S Shapiro Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6072215. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Jacob S Shapiro 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jacob S Shapiro Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jacob-s-shapiro-foundation-morg_bcbb0c03fee446089ef663e946f1df94
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_526072215_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jacob S Shapiro Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jacob-s-shapiro-foundation-morg_bcbb0c03fee446089ef663e946f1df94},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Jacob S Shapiro 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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