James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust
The James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Billings, Montana. Its 2025 filing reports 13 grants totaling $20,000, all to recipients in South Dakota, including community organizations and individual recipients.
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust gave $20K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in South Dakota. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $20,000
- +53.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,538
- +30.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $274,802
- +0.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Aileen Brunner as the contact.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Aileen Brunner
Mailing address: 1305 Winchester Dr, Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 257-2312
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ruth or Cale Baus ($3K). Together the top 10 received $17K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 60 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in South Dakota. Listed recipient communities included Lead, Spearfish, and Deadwood.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust gives
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 133% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2024) to $20K (2025). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $20K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ruth or Cale Baus Lead, SD | Medical Support | $3,000 |
| Lord's Cupboard Lead, SD | Program Support | $2,500 |
| Good Shepherd Clinic Inc Spearfish, SD | Program Support | $2,500 |
| Twin City Animal Shelter Lead, SD | Program Support | $2,000 |
| Twin City Clothing Center Lead, SD | Program Support | $2,000 |
| Adams Museum and House Deadwood, SD | Program Support | $1,000 |
| Bella Pregnancy Resource Center Spearfish, SD | Program Support | $1,000 |
| Teen Court Deadwood, SD | Program Support | $1,000 |
| Lead Deadwood Community Foundation Lead, SD | Program Support | $1,000 |
| Historic Homestake Opera House Lead, SD | Program Support | $1,000 |
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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 | $274,802 | $26,999 | $26,572 | $20,000 | 13 | $22,623 | $23,022 | $17,011 |
| 2024 | $274,167 | $13,485 | $20,150 | $13,000 | 11 | $15,540 | $9,326 | $16,585 |
| 2023 | $281,917 | $23,343 | $22,818 | $16,000 | 10 | $18,780 | $18,786 | $15,532 |
| 2022 | $281,435 | $-1,110 | $25,212 | $17,300 | 14 | $20,027 | $3,593 | $16,298 |
| 2021 | $307,724 | $47,630 | $24,932 | $18,500 | 12 | $21,030 | $43,691 | $18,747 |
| 2020 | $285,064 | $9,821 | $24,261 | $17,500 | 7 | — | $5,962 | $16,434 |
| 2019 | $299,258 | $23,929 | $22,403 | $16,600 | 1 | — | $20,413 | $16,302 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $17K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support for organizations and medical support for individual recipients.
Among the organizations it supported, Historic Homestake Opera House says its mission is to return the opera house to productive use for education and community enrichment. Northern Hills Area CASA Program says it funds court-appointed special advocates serving children who have been abused or neglected. Adams Museum & House says it is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and material culture of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Bella Pregnancy Resource Center describes its work as counseling and assistance for women with unplanned pregnancies. Teen Court says it gives youth the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions in cooperation with peers and their community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $20,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $3,000, with a median of $1,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $2,500 to Lord’s Cupboard and $2,500 to Good Shepherd Clinic Inc. Twin City Animal Shelter and Twin City Clothing Center each received $2,000. Historic Homestake Opera House, Northern Hills Area CASA Program, Adams Museum & House, Bella Pregnancy Resource Center, and Teen Court each received $1,000. Individual recipients received a $3,000 medical-support grant and a $1,000 medical-support grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rhonda Mollman and Gina Kraut as directors, Aileen Brunner as chairman, Larry Shama as vice chair, Marty Ann Apa as secretary, and First Interstate Bank as trustee.
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust is led by Aileen Brunner, Chairman on every filing since 2019; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Aileen Brunner
Chairman
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
First Interstate Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
$4K (2019) → $5K (2025)
Rhonda Mollman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gina Kraut
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Shama
Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marty Ann Apa
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Gina Ferris (2019–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $5K, to First Interstate Bank (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust
How much does James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust give each year?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust gave $20K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $13K across 11 grants.
What is James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,538, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust give grants?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust gives mostly in South Dakota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lead, SD (6 grants), Spearfish, SD (4 grants) and Deadwood, SD (3 grants).
Does James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (10 grants) and "Medical Support" (3 grants).
Who are James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Ruth or Cale Baus ($3,000), Lord's Cupboard ($2,500) and Good Shepherd Clinic Inc ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust reported $275K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support for organizations and medical support for individual recipients. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust?
The filing lists Aileen Brunner as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's EIN?
James E & Lillian E Shea Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-6104853. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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