Leo M Shortino Family Foundation
The Leo M Shortino Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Jose, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to California organizations, including schools, youth programs, and nonprofits providing educational, community, and human services.
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Leo M Shortino Family Foundation gave $2.5M across 65 grants in 2024 (avg $39K), mostly in California. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,539,500
- -2.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 65
- -25.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,069
- +30.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $35,000
- Total assets
- $65,195,281
- +3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (3 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (100% 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 Leo M Shortino Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says applicants provide an online letter of intent; the foundation determines whether the request is in its area of interest and may then request an online proposal. Applicants may also provide a written grant proposal to the executive director. The foundation primarily makes grants to organizations recognized by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3). It says it most often funds direct services and capital projects, and favors organizations with clearly stated strategic plans, measurable objectives, and a track record of matching and exceeding performance goals.
- Review Cycle
- The filing says a letter of intent is required 60 days and a grant proposal 30 days before any board meeting. It also describes an online letter of intent submitted 30 days before the proposal grant date.
- Deadline
- The filing says a letter of intent is required 60 days and a grant proposal 30 days before any board meeting.
- Contact
Application contact: Mara Williams Low
Mailing address: 1760 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 275-6306
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leo M Shortino Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Franklin - McKinley School District ($190K). Together the top 10 received $885K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($74,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
367 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 291 grants of 367 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California. The foundation’s filing says it most often funds organizations primarily providing services in Santa Clara County.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 65 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Leo M Shortino Family Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 60 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $36K repeat.
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% 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 $2.3M (2021) to $2.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 65 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin - McKinley School District San Jose, CA | Franklin-McKinley School District Summer School Programming | $190,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley Milpitas, CA | Summer Programming | $126,000 |
| Springboard Collaborative Philadelphia, CA | Summer Literacy Program | $102,000 |
| YMCA of Silicon Valley San Jose, CA | YMCA Summer Learning Program | $97,000 |
| Kiwanis Club of San Jose Foundation San Jose, CA | Scholarship Program | $80,000 |
| City Year San Jose Silicon Valley San Jose, CA | City year san jos/silicon valley whole school whole child (WSWC) program | $60,000 |
| Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School San Jose, CA | General Operating Support | $56,000 |
| School of Arts and Culture at MHP San Jose, CA | General Operating Support | $53,000 |
| Via Services Inc Redwood City, CA | Camp via West | $53,000 |
| 10000 Degrees San Rafael, CA | 10,000 Degrees College Success Programming in San Jose | $52,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Leo M Shortino Family Foundation?
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 | $65,195,281 | $2,556,532 | $4,099,507 | $2,539,500 | 65 | $2,895,854 | $3,467,574 | $3,120,220 |
| 2023 | $62,845,642 | $2,077,861 | $3,749,629 | $2,598,100 | 87 | $2,958,395 | $2,158,873 | $2,832,842 |
| 2022 | $57,131,439 | $1,648,830 | $4,606,979 | $2,799,500 | 69 | $3,087,140 | $798,119 | $2,894,941 |
| 2021 | $65,577,161 | $2,185,563 | $3,131,074 | $2,317,000 | 71 | $2,482,930 | $4,111,893 | $3,067,276 |
| 2020 | $61,101,090 | $2,062,754 | $3,660,297 | $2,371,857 | 75 | — | $833,111 | $2,743,142 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for summer learning and literacy, scholarships, college-success programs, arts and culture, and general operating support. The foundation’s filing says it most often supports direct services and capital projects, particularly at organizations primarily serving Santa Clara County.
Examples illustrate the range of grantees’ work: the Kiwanis Club of San Jose Foundation says it raises funds for educational scholarships for students who have overcome adverse circumstances; 10,000 Degrees describes its work helping students from low-income backgrounds access and complete higher education; and the School of Arts and Culture at MHP says its mission is to catalyze creativity and empower community. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 65 grants totaling $2,539,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $190,000, with a median of $35,000.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $190,000 to Franklin-McKinley School District for summer school programming, $126,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley for summer programming, $102,000 to Springboard Collaborative for a summer literacy program, and $97,000 to YMCA of Silicon Valley for a summer learning program. Other awards included $80,000 to Kiwanis Club of San Jose Foundation for scholarships and $60,000 to City Year San Jose Silicon Valley for its Whole School Whole Child program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gary T Shara as chairman; Buu Thai as vice chair; Linda Murray as secretary; and David Heiman as treasurer. It lists Christine Burroughs, Frank Boitano, Maria Garcia, Michele Lew, Ricardo Benavidez, and Robert Harrison Staedler Jr as board members. The filing names Mara Williams Low as the contact for application inquiries.
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation is led by Mara Williams Low, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 10 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mara Williams Low
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$91K (2021) → $228K (2024)
Gary T. Shara
Chairman
Board Member → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Christine Burroughs
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
David Heiman
Treasurer
Chairman → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Frank Boitano
Board Member
Treasurer → Chairman, 2021
Chairman → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Linda Murray
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Michele Lew
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$5K (2021) → $5K (2024)
Ricardo Benavidez
Board Member
Vice Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$5K (2021) → $5K (2024)
Buu Thai
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$4K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Maria Garcia
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
$1K (2024)
Robert Harrison Staedler Jr.
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
$5K (2024)
Miguel Salinas
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Gerald T. Wade Jr. (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Anne Ehresman (2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Sonya Arriola (2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Tamara Alvarado (2020) — Executive Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $228K, to Mara Williams Low (Executive Director). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Leo M Shortino Family Foundation
How much does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation give each year?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation gave $2.5M across 65 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 87 grants.
What is Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $39,069, across 65 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leo M Shortino Family Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation give grants?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Jose, CA (43 grants), Milpitas, CA (4 grants) and Redwood City, CA (3 grants).
Does Leo M Shortino Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 29% of Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 65) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Tuition Assistance" (5 grants).
Who are Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Franklin - McKinley School District ($190,000), Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley ($126,000) and Springboard Collaborative ($102,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($74,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Leo M Shortino Family Foundation?
Leo M Shortino Family Foundation reported $65.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.1M (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 Leo M Shortino Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for summer learning and literacy, scholarships, college-success programs, arts and culture, and general operating support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leo M Shortino Family Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says applicants provide an online letter of intent; the foundation determines whether the request is in its area of interest and may then request an online proposal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
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). Leo M Shortino Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leo-m-shortino-family-foundation-morg_c6c1baf977f04b2a90359328038baeb3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_680237238_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leo M Shortino Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leo-m-shortino-family-foundation-morg_c6c1baf977f04b2a90359328038baeb3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Leo M Shortino Family 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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