Shah Charitable Foundation
Shah Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports innovative and transformative work in education, healthcare, and the community, with its work primarily centered in Boston.
Shah Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Shah Charitable Foundation gave $76K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Massachusetts. 80% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $75,845
- -70.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -52.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,585
- -38.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $509
- Total assets
- $77,099,695
- -4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 80% first-time grantees (8 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (98% 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 Shah Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 31 Saint James Av 740, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 933-3620
Website: https://shahfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Shah Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Museum of Fine Arts ($50K). Together the top 10 received $76K.
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 80 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its work is primarily centered in Boston. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts; 1% went to Virginia and 1% to Florida. Texas and California each accounted for 0% of grant dollars as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Shah Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
80%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 10 grantees (80%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $720. How we count
Medians: $387 first-time, $720 repeat.
- 20% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 96% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 173% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $76K (2024) to $4.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $76K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston, MA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Boston Medical Center Boston, MA | General Purpose | $22,500 |
| Pan Mass Challenge Needham, MA | General Purpose | $770 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA | General Purpose | $670 |
| March of Dimes Arlington, VA | General Purpose | $518 |
| Christina Noble Childrens Foundation Tallahassee, FL | General Purpose | $500 |
| Falmouth Road Race Inc Falmouth, MA | General Purpose | $273 |
| Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Austin, TX | General Purpose | $264 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | General Purpose | $250 |
| Mental Health America Alexandria, VA | General Purpose | $100 |
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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 | $77,099,695 | $-128,774 | $3,369,325 | $75,845 | 10 | $3,232,062 | $2,391,682 | $1,868,553 |
| 2023 | $80,597,794 | $-596,275 | $3,955,700 | $258,623 | 21 | $3,874,280 | $963,294 | $2,040,441 |
| 2022 | $85,149,769 | $76,342 | $7,720,687 | $4,219,898 | 30 | $7,798,547 | $132,109 | $3,115,479 |
| 2021 | $92,794,114 | $25,091,922 | $5,353,537 | $1,870,248 | 13 | $5,062,983 | $6,720,429 | $8,591,597 |
| 2020 | $73,055,729 | $13,790,101 | $2,625,162 | $588,188 | 6 | — | $11,624,950 | $5,727,996 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shah Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M 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
The foundation states that it provides support to innovative and transformative work in education, healthcare, and the community. Its website describes projects involving school meals, family access to resources, and student well-being.
Among its 2024 grantees, Boston Medical Center says its mission is to provide accessible health services to people in need, regardless of status or ability to pay. March of Dimes describes its work as advancing the health of mothers and babies through research, education, advocacy, and programs. Falmouth Road Race says it promotes health and fitness through community programs and its annual race. City of Hope says its mission is to support people affected by cancer and diabetes.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $75,845. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $50,000, with a median of $509. The largest awards were $50,000 to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and $22,500 to Boston Medical Center. Other 2024 recipients included Pan Mass Challenge ($770), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ($670), and March of Dimes ($518). The stated purpose for these listed grants was general purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jill Shah as president, Niraj Shah as treasurer, and Ross Wilson as manager.
Shah Charitable Foundation is led by Jill Shah, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jill Shah
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ross Wilson
Manager
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$420K (2020) → $599K (2024)
Niraj Shah
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $599K, to Ross Wilson (Manager).
Frequently asked questions about Shah Charitable Foundation
How much does Shah Charitable Foundation give each year?
Shah Charitable Foundation gave $76K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $259K across 21 grants.
What is Shah Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Shah Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $509, and its average grant was $7,585, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Shah Charitable Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Shah Charitable Foundation give grants?
Shah Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does Shah Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Shah Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Shah Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Shah Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Museum of Fine Arts ($50,000), Boston Medical Center ($22,500) and Pan Mass Challenge ($770), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Shah Charitable Foundation?
Shah Charitable Foundation reported $77.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Shah Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it provides support to innovative and transformative work in education, healthcare, and the community. Its website describes projects involving school meals, family access to resources, and student well-being. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Shah Charitable Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Shah Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Shah Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-5082563. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Shah Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). Shah Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/shah-charitable-foundation-morg_6ccf1bcdd9f946ffbd66c883c8214f35
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_815082563_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Shah Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/shah-charitable-foundation-morg_6ccf1bcdd9f946ffbd66c883c8214f35},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Shah Charitable 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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