Leo M Shortino Family Foundation
The Leo M Shortino Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Jose, California, established in 1991. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic work in Santa Clara County and the broader California region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$65.2M
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
-2.3% YoY
Grant Count
65
-25.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
+30.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leo M Shortino Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission is to act as a catalyst to enhance the quality of life in Santa Clara County, California through charitable giving to support at-risk Kindergarten through 12th grade youth and their families through education and the arts.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Poverty Alleviation
- Youth Development
- Arts Programming
Grantmaking
The foundation invests approximately $2.5 million per year in youth-serving organizations. Annual grantmaking has ranged from $2.4 million to $5.6 million, with the highest activity in 2022 when $5.6 million was distributed across 138 grants.
Average Grant
amount: approximately $35,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, with primary focus on Santa Clara County. Grants have been distributed to organizations in California and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of 2023):
- Total Assets: $62.8 million
- Total Revenues: $2.08 million
- Total Expenses: $3.75 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.31 million
- Investment Income and Dividends: $348,382
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $46.5 million in 2011 to $65.2 million in 2024.
Staffing: The foundation operates with 1 employee.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $65,195,281 | $62,845,642 | $57,131,439 |
| Revenue | $2,556,532 | $2,077,861 | $1,648,830 |
| Expenses | $4,099,507 | $3,749,629 | $4,606,979 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,895,854 | $2,958,395 | $3,087,140 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,467,574 | $2,158,873 | $798,119 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,120,220 | $2,832,842 | $2,894,941 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Franklin - Mckinley School District ($190,000), Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley ($126,000), Kiwanis Club of San Jose Foundation ($80,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 10000 DEGREES SAN RAFAEL, CA | 10,000 DEGREES COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAMMING IN SAN JOSE | $52,000 |
| ACE CHARTER SCHOOL SAN JOSE, CA | ACE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL: COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM | $43,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY SAN JOSE, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $27,000 |
| ALUM ROCK COUNSELING CENTER SAN JOSE, CA | MENTORING & WELLNESS PROGRAM | $36,000 |
| AMIGOS DE GUADALUPE CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT SAN JOSE, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $37,500 |
| ARCHBISHOP MITTY HIGH SCHOOL SAN JOSE, CA | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $37,000 |
| ART IN ACTION REDWOOD CITY, CA | ARTS EDUCATION PORGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH | $25,000 |
| BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREPARATORY SAN JOSE, CA | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $50,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SILICON VALLEY MILPITAS, CA | SUMMER PROGRAMMING | $126,000 |
| BREAKTHROUGH SILICON VALLEY SAN JOSE, CA | BREAKTHROUGH SILICON VALLEY'S 7-YEAR COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM | $27,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Mara Williams Low serves as Principal Officer of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY T SHARA | CHAIRMAN | 2 | $5,000 |
| BUU THAI | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| LINDA MURRAY | SECRETARY | 2 | $5,000 |
| DAVID HEIMAN | TREASURER | 2 | $5,000 |
| CHRISTINE BURROUGHS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $5,000 |
| FRANK BOITANO | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $5,000 |
| MARIA GARCIA | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $1,250 |
| MICHELE LEW | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $5,000 |
| RICARDO BENAVIDEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $5,000 |
| ROBERT HARRISON STAEDLER JR | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | $5,000 |
| MIGUEL SALINAS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| MARA WILLIAMS LOW | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $228,250 |
Contact Information
- Phone: (408) 275-6306
- Email: info@shortino.org
- Address: 1760 The Alameda, Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95126
- Website: www.shortino.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation fund?
The Foundation's mission is to act as a catalyst to enhance the quality of life in Santa Clara County, California through charitable giving to support at-risk Kindergarten through 12th grade youth and their families through education and the arts. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Human Services • Poverty Alleviation • Youth Development • Arts Programming
How do I apply for a grant from Leo M Shortino Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $100 to $190,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $35,000 • Median grant amount: approximately $29,000 • The foundation has made approximately 300 grants totaling $10.6 million across available records **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • Young Men's Christian Association Of Silicon Valley: $95,000 (YMCA Summer Learning Program) • Boys and Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley: $83,000 (Summer Programming) • Valley Health Foundation: $80,…
Where does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, with primary focus on Santa Clara County. Grants have been distributed to organizations in California and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Leo M Shortino Family Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Leo M Shortino Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Leo M Shortino Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's EIN?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0237238. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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