Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, it made grants to organizations including an opera company, a university-support organization, a land trust, and organizations working in music instruction, journalism, food assistance, and human rights.
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc gave $151K across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), top state Illinois. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $151,335
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- -19.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,218
- +27.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $2,607,144
- +1.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (7 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (46% 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 Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc
- 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: 5614 S Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (773) 288-5143
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chicago Opera Theater ($50K). Together the top 10 received $126K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 178 grants of 179 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Illinois (46%), New York (18%), Virginia (17%), Montana (10%), and Wyoming (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 29 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 81% 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 $147K (2023) to $182K (2022). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $151K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Opera Theater Chicago, IL | See Above | $50,000 |
| Science Reserch 20 Alexandria, VA | See Above | $25,000 |
| Cambridge in America New York, NY | See Above | $20,000 |
| Center for Large Landscape Conservation Bozeman, MT | See Above | $7,500 |
| Gallatin Valley Land Trust Bozeman, MT | See Above | $7,500 |
| Chelsea Fund Lander, WY | See Above | $5,000 |
| Chicago West Community Music Center Chicago, IL | See Above | $3,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | See Above | $2,500 |
| Committee to Protect Journalists New York, NY | See Above | $2,500 |
| Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Denver, CO | See Above | $2,500 |
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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 | $2,607,144 | $199,247 | $153,046 | $151,335 | 29 | $151,345 | $197,546 | $187,571 |
| 2023 | $2,560,943 | $77,058 | $150,930 | $147,099 | 36 | $147,099 | $75,237 | $170,217 |
| 2022 | $2,634,815 | $124,014 | $185,032 | $182,168 | 40 | $182,168 | $121,150 | $176,230 |
| 2021 | $2,695,833 | $131,597 | $165,036 | $164,233 | 38 | $164,233 | $130,794 | $185,612 |
| 2020 | $2,729,272 | $61,832 | $171,928 | $170,240 | 36 | — | $60,144 | $171,675 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $188K 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 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. Chicago Opera Theater says it expands opera as a living art form through innovative experiences, while the Gallatin Valley Land Trust says it conserves working lands, rivers, wildlife habitat, and trails in Montana. The Committee to Protect Journalists says it promotes press freedom and journalists’ safety; The Marshall Project describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization covering criminal justice. Other recipients include the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which says its mission is to end hunger, and American Jewish World Service, which says it works to realize human rights and end poverty.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $151,335. Individual grants ranged from $25 to $50,000, with a median of $2,000. Notable grants included $50,000 to Chicago Opera Theater, $25,000 to Science Reserch 20, $20,000 to Cambridge in America, and $7,500 each to the Center for Large Landscape Conservation and the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. Other grants included $5,000 to the Chelsea Fund and $3,000 to Chicago West Community Music Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James Shapiro as president/director, Joan Shapiro as secretary/treasurer/director, and Dr. Sandra Panem as director.
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc is led by James Shapiro, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Shapiro
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan Shapiro
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Panem
Director
On filings since 2020
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 Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc
How much does Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc give each year?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc gave $151K across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $147K across 36 grants.
What is Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,218, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc give grants?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's top state is Illinois, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (18%) and Virginia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (14 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Bozeman, MT (2 grants).
Does Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "See Above" (27 grants).
Who are Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Chicago Opera Theater ($50,000), Science Reserch 20 ($25,000) and Cambridge in America ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $151K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $188K (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 Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc?
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 Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's EIN?
Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3486763. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc 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). Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joan-and-james-shapiro-foundation-inc-morg_a7737055563442f9935593a91d4ed09f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363486763_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joan \& James Shapiro Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joan-and-james-shapiro-foundation-inc-morg_a7737055563442f9935593a91d4ed09f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Joan & James Shapiro Foundation Inc'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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