Shaffer Family Charitable Trust
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust is a private family foundation based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Established in 1987, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) entity and focuses on providing philanthropic support to social service agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.1M
+4.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$610K
+4.9% YoY
Grant Count
15
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-2.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shaffer Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $423K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to support capital operations and special projects not funded through normal income sources for social service agencies serving at-risk populations in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania area.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Community Health
- Health and Medical Services
- Health and Wellness
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily to organizations serving the at-risk population in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.
Grant Range
Range:** $2,000–$250,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on the Lehigh Valley area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $7,114,379
- Total Annual Giving: $609,750
- IRS Ruling Year: 1988
- EIN: 23-2502319
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,114,379 | $6,839,591 | $7,027,402 |
| Revenue | $974,942 | $480,599 | $64,562 |
| Expenses | $700,154 | $668,410 | $809,327 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $609,750 | $581,500 | $697,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $785,890 | $192,436 | $90,437 |
| Distributable Amount | $423,483 | $402,262 | $432,434 |
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
95 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley ($250,000), Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley ($125,000), St Luke's Hospital ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BISHOP'S ANNUAL APPEAL ALLENTOWN, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $15,000 |
| ALLENTOWN SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION ALLENTOWN, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $7,500 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY ALLENTOWN, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $125,000 |
| NEW BETHANY MINISTRIES BETHLEHEM, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $35,000 |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY BETHLEHEM, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $250,000 |
| EASTER SEALS EASTERN PA ALLENTOWN, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $10,000 |
| THE ARC BETHLEHEM, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| THE CHILDREN'S HOME OF EASTON EASTON, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY ALLENTOWN, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $25,000 |
| STEPHEN'S PLACE BETHLEHEM, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSE SHAFFER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| DAVID SHAFFER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| SUSAN SHAFFER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 1588 Weyhill Circle, Bethlehem, PA 18015-5253
- Telephone: 610-867-7568
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to support capital operations and special projects not funded through normal income sources for social service agencies serving at-risk populations in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania area. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community Health • Health and Medical Services • Health and Wellness
How do I apply for a grant from Shaffer Family Charitable Trust?
**Grant Size Range:** $2,000–$250,000 **Total Annual Giving:** $609,750 (based on most recent IRS Form 990 filing from 2024) The foundation makes grants primarily to organizations serving the at-risk population in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.
Where does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on the Lehigh Valley area.
What size grants does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Shaffer Family Charitable Trust awarded 15 grants totaling $610K — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Shaffer Family Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shaffer Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $423K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's EIN?
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2502319. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Shaffer Family Charitable Trust'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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