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.
Key facts about Shaffer Family Charitable Trust
In short: Shaffer Family Charitable Trust gave $610K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 23-2502319
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $609,750
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- Average grant
- $40,650
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 15, 2024)
- Total assets
- $7,114,379
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Quick answers about Shaffer Family Charitable Trust
How much does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust give each year?
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust gave $610K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $582K across 14 grants.
What is Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $40,650, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust give grants?
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bethlehem, PA (9 grants) and Allentown, PA (5 grants).
Does Shaffer Family Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley ($250,000), Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley ($125,000) and St Luke's Hospital ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is Shaffer Family Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 15 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 144% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Next steps with Shaffer Family Charitable Trust
- How to evaluate Shaffer Family Charitable Trust as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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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
Ready to take the next step with Shaffer Family Charitable Trust?
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
Share of all 15 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $250,000 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY Allentown, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $125,000 |
| ST LUKE'S HOSPITAL Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $50,000 |
| NEW BETHANY MINISTRIES Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $35,000 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY Allentown, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $25,000 |
| THE ARC Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| THE CHILDREN'S HOME OF EASTON Easton, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| HISPANIC CENTER LEHIGH VALLEY Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| CADC OF BETHLEHEM Bethlehem, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $20,000 |
| BISHOP'S ANNUAL APPEAL Allentown, PA | UNRESTRICTED USE BY DONEE | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Shaffer Family Charitable Trust's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Shaffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Rose Shaffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan Shaffer
Trustee
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.
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.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.