James R Shields Private Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker New York, NY EIN: 30-0609473

The James R Shields Private Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. In its 2026 filing, it reported 23 grants totaling $560,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and grants for health, education, food assistance, trails, and other purposes.

James R Shields Private Foundation at a glance

In short: James R Shields Private Foundation gave $560K across 23 grants in 2026 (avg $24K), mostly in Indiana. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2026)
$560,000
+23.5% vs 2025
Grants made (2026)
23
+9.5% vs 2025
Average grant
$24,348
+12.8% vs 2025
Median grant
$25,000
Total assets
$10,918,367
+2.6% vs 2025
Primary geography
Indiana (88% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.

How to apply to James R Shields Private Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

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

Contact

Mailing address: Co Rtc Na PO Box 5016, New York, NY 10185-5016
Phone: (212) 549-5544

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who James R Shields Private Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2026

Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc: $50KCommunity Harvest Food Bank ofNortheast Indiana Inc$50KTurnstone Center for Children & Adults W Disabilities: $50KTurnstone Center for Children& Adults W Disabilities$50KCincinnati Children's Hospital: $40KCincinnati Children's Hospital$40KFort Wayne Trails Inc: $40KFort Wayne Trails Inc$40KRiley Children's Foundation: $40KRiley Children's Foundation$40KEuell a Wilson Center Inc: $30KEuell a Wilson Center Inc$30KBishop Dwenger High School: $25KBishop Dwenger High School$25KFort Wayne Zoological Society Inc: $25KFort Wayne Zoological SocietyInc$25KParkview Health Foundation Inc: $25KParkview Health Foundation Inc$25KSt Jude's Catholic School: $25KSt Jude's Catholic School$25K

The largest 2026 recipient was Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc ($50K). Together the top 10 received $350K.

Grant Size Distribution

94 grants across all recorded years

86<$50K7$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 94 (91%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2026, the reported share of grant dollars by recipient state was Indiana 88%, Ohio 7%, Minnesota 4%, and New York 2%.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.

Cities

Fort WayneCincinnatiSouth BendIndianapolisNew RochelleBloomingtonScottsdaleRochesterAvillaNew York

How James R Shields Private Foundation gives

  • 17% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−2%). Method
  • In 2026 it paid out 94% 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 (2026). 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

$0$200K$400K$600K19 grants2021 1 grant2022 25 grants2023 24 grants2024 21 grants2025 23 grants2026

From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $437K (2022) to $572K (2021). In 2026 it made 23 grants totaling $560K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support$50,000
Turnstone Center for Children & Adults W Disabilities Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support - Pediatrics and Children's Equipment$50,000
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Cincinnati, OHTo Support Genetic Research$40,000
Fort Wayne Trails Inc Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support$40,000
Riley Children's Foundation Indianapolis, INTo Support Developmental Pediatrics$40,000
Euell a Wilson Center Inc Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support$30,000
Bishop Dwenger High School Fort Wayne, INTo Support the Saints Alive Program$25,000
Fort Wayne Zoological Society Inc Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support$25,000
Parkview Health Foundation Inc Fort Wayne, INTo Support the Parkview Cancer Research Center$25,000
St Jude's Catholic School Fort Wayne, INGeneral Support$25,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2026$10,918,367$993,184$713,796$560,00023$599,284$895,284$639,462
2025$10,637,115$1,007,592$561,240$453,47721$484,017$930,369$584,546
2024$10,199,119$501,556$650,957$540,00024$570,563$426,162$553,258
2023$10,348,147$11,703$702,091$569,00025$620,873$102,839$538,269
2022$11,034,921$1,461,734$536,163$437,0931$485,697$1,430,302$601,992
2021$10,121,392$712,118$693,185$572,29719—$649,433$596,228

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James R Shields Private Foundation reported a distributable amount of $639K for 2026 — 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 statement is provided. Its 2026 grants included general support as well as support for genetic research, developmental pediatrics, cancer research, and children’s equipment.

Among its grantees, Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana describes its mission as alleviating hunger through the use of donated food and other resources. Fort Wayne Trails says it advocates for a connected, multipurpose trail system in Allen County. Vincent Village describes its work as providing shelter, care, advocacy, affordable housing, and supportive services for homeless families.

Grantmaking

In 2026, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $560,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000. Its largest grants included $50,000 each to Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana and Turnstone Center for Children & Adults with Disabilities; $40,000 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for genetic research; $40,000 to Fort Wayne Trails; and $40,000 to Riley Children’s Foundation for developmental pediatrics.

Other 2026 grants included $30,000 to Euell A. Wilson Center and $25,000 each to Fort Wayne Zoological Society, Parkview Health Foundation, St. Jude’s Catholic School, Vincent Village, Bishop Dwenger High School, and Bishop Luers High School.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Rockefeller Trust Company NA was listed as trustee on the 2026 filing.

James R Shields Private Foundation's only listed officer is Rockefeller Trust Company NA, Trustee on every filing since 2022 (compensated).

Officers on the 2026 filing

  • Rockefeller Trust Company NA

    Trustee

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    $8K (2022) → $131K (2026)

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Bank of America (2022) — Trustee
  • Former: Bank Of America N A (2021) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2026 IRS filing

Rockefeller Trust Company NA — Trustee: $131KRockefeller Trust…Trustee$131K

The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $131K, to Rockefeller Trust Company NA (Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about James R Shields Private Foundation

How much does James R Shields Private Foundation give each year?

James R Shields Private Foundation gave $560K across 23 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $453K across 21 grants.

What is James R Shields Private Foundation's typical grant size?

James R Shields Private Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $25,000, and its average grant was $24,348, across 23 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does James R Shields Private Foundation give grants?

James R Shields Private Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Wayne, IN (18 grants).

Does James R Shields Private Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 74% of James R Shields Private Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are James R Shields Private Foundation's largest grantees?

James R Shields Private Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc ($50,000), Turnstone Center for Children & Adults W Disabilities ($50,000) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital ($40,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.

How large is James R Shields Private Foundation?

James R Shields Private Foundation reported $10.9M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $599K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $639K (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 James R Shields Private Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2026 grants included general support as well as support for genetic research, developmental pediatrics, cancer research, and children’s equipment. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from James R Shields Private Foundation?

The foundation 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 James R Shields Private Foundation's EIN?

James R Shields Private Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0609473. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.

Does James R Shields Private 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 October 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 28, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

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Funders that support many of the same organizations

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Fort Wayne, IN

The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne funds nonprofits, scholarships, and community initiatives, with grant programs focused on Allen County and Northeast Indiana; its 2025 grants had a median award of $17,450, while specific programs offer up to $50,000. It accepts applications through some competitive grant programs, subject to program guidelines and application periods.

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Parkview Health System Inc

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Parkview Health System funds collaborative programs that address community health needs, including health-care access, mental health, substance use, maternal and child health, and other social drivers of health, with priority for underserved populations in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,100 to $2.8 million, with a median of $40,000; its mini-grants offer up to $5,000. It accepts unsolicited applications through online forms, with mini-grant requests accepted year-round and reviewed quarterly; program-support applications have a stated application window.

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Edward D & Ione Auer Foundation Monarch Capital David Meyer Trustee

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The foundation’s 2021 grants supported cultural, educational, community, and recreational organizations serving the Fort Wayne, Indiana, metropolitan area. Grants ranged from $5,000 to about $2.46 million, with a median of about $164,000. Its final-return filing described a concept-letter and application process, but those instructions may no longer be active; current acceptance of unsolicited requests is not stated.

Assets

—

Grants

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Total Given

$20.8M

Do It Best Foundation Inc

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The Do it Best Foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations working in community development, youth education and development, the arts, and children’s and families’ health and wellness. Grants typically have a median of $5,000, with reported awards ranging from $60 to $100,000; eligible organizations must serve communities where Do it Best employees live and work. It accepts requests through four grant cycles per year.

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Assets

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). James R Shields Private Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-r-shields-private-foundation-morg_d7e3edcede044327a7a9a82babd43ac3

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300609473_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{James R Shields Private Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-r-shields-private-foundation-morg_d7e3edcede044327a7a9a82babd43ac3},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 James R Shields Private 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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