Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation
The Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas, incorporated in 1965. The foundation manages substantial assets and distributes grants to charitable organizations across multiple states, with a focus on education, human services, and the arts.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.2M
+5.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$545K
+9.0% YoY
Grant Count
13
-18.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+34.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $622K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Higher education
- Historic preservation
- Human services
- The arts
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
Grant Range
$1,200 to $265,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations in multiple states including:
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- Ohio
- California
- New York
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $7,196,686
- Total revenues: $1,180,437
- Total expenses: $697,216
- Total grants awarded: $544,700
Contact Information:
- Address: 2626 Cole Ave, Dallas, TX 75204-1083
- Telephone: 972-221-6202
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,196,686 | $6,832,328 | $6,386,887 |
| Revenue | $1,180,437 | $1,047,000 | $395,634 |
| Expenses | $697,216 | $617,995 | $624,073 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $544,700 | $499,700 | $500,747 |
| Net Investment Income | $817,162 | $647,010 | $225,594 |
| Distributable Amount | $621,743 | $542,154 | $549,089 |
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
70 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St James Place ($265,000), Service Dogs Inc ($100,000), In-sync Exotics ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DENISON FORUM DALLAS, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| ESSELSTYN FOUNDATION CLEVELAND, OH | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| GLORY B GARLAND, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $6,000 |
| GOULD FARM MONTEREY, MA | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| IN-SYNC EXOTICS WYLIE, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $75,000 |
| REA'S HOPE DALLAS, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $6,000 |
| SALVATION ARMY DALLAS, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $52,500 |
| SERVICE DOGS INC DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $100,000 |
| ST JAMES PLACE GREAT BARRINGTON, MA | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $265,000 |
| VICKERY TRADING COMPANY DALLAS, TX | SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $1,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Susan F. Sharp — President and Director (volunteer, 4 hours/week, no compensation)
- Sally S. Harris — Vice President and Director (volunteer, 4 hours/week, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALLY S HARRIS | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| SUSAN F SHARP | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Higher education • Historic preservation • Human services • The arts • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2024: $544,700 • Number of grants in 2024: 14 grants • Grant range: $1,200 to $265,000 • Median grant size: $6,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Texas Hearing and Service Dogs: $100,000 • Denison Forum on TRUTH and CULTURE: $10,000 • Foundation for the Callier Center and Communication Disorders: $10,000 • St James Place **Application Process:** The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept u…
Where does Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations in multiple states including: • Texas • Massachusetts • Ohio • California • New York • Virginia • Washington, D.C.
What size grants does Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation award?
In 2024, Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $545K — an average of about $42K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $622K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation's EIN?
Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6045366. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ruth C and Charles S Sharp Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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