Shames Family Foundation

WILTON, CT EIN: 06-1520789

The Shames Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilton, Connecticut. Established in 1998, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking to support charitable causes across multiple sectors.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.5M

-3.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$389K

+53.8% YoY

Grant Count

-13.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

+78.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shames Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's giving priorities include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Community Health
Children's Services

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$2,500

Average Grant

$5,400–$7,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Connecticut
New York
District of Columbia

Grant Distribution by State

Connecticut $619K (53%)

New York $261K (22%)

District of Columbia $149K (13%)

Virginia $59K (5%)

North Carolina $45K (4%)

Pennsylvania $15K (1%)

Minnesota $13K (1%)

New Hampshire $8K (1%)

+2 more states

States

Connecticut District of Columbia Illinois Minnesota North Carolina New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Cities

BridgeportCharlottesvilleChicagoDanburyDavidsonForest HillsGeorgetownHanoverHartfordLake PlacidMontclairNew HavenNew YorkNorthfieldNorwalkOssiningPhiladelphiaPrincetonWashingtonWilton

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2024:

Total Assets: $4,486,071
Total Giving: $389,255
Total Revenues: $248,689
Total Expenses: $409,779
Investment Income and Dividends: $149,625
Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $99,064

Previous Year (2023):

Total Revenues: $230,931
Investment Income and Dividends: $136,308

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,486,071	$4,647,161	$4,705,509
Revenue	$248,689	$231,124	$259,819
Expenses	$409,779	$276,072	$300,727
Qualifying Distributions	$390,753	$255,665	$282,620
Net Investment Income	$232,794	$214,164	$243,712
Distributable Amount	$318,513	$308,023	$347,349

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

165 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nuvance Health Medical Practice Ct Inc ($150,000), Norwalk Acts ($50,000), Family & Childrens Agency Inc ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
A BETTER CHANCE OF WILTON INC WILTON, CT	GENERAL	$10,000
AMBLER FARMS WILTON, CT	GENERAL	$100
AMERICAN RED CROSS WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$100
CONGREGATION RODEPH SHOLOM NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$5,500
DAVIDSON COLLEGE ANNUAL FUND DAVIDSON, NC	GENERAL	$15,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$100
ETHICAL CULTURE FIELDSTONE SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$5,000
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$2,500
NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL & CAMP TREETOPS LAKE PLACID, NY	GENERAL	$10,000
PLANNED PARENTHOOD WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$7,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key individuals associated with the foundation include:

Ervin R. Shames – Trustee and primary supporter
Louise G Shames – Trustee
Allyson Robyn Shames – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ERVIN R SHAMES	Trustee	—	—
LOUISE G SHAMES	Trustee	—	—
ALLYSON ROBYN SHAMES	Trustee	—	—
STEVEN SHAMES	Trustee	—	—
SARA SHAMES	Trustee	—	—
CURTIS ARGO	Trustee	—	—

Contact Information

Address: 35 Mollbrook Dr, Wilton, CT 06897

Phone: 203-762-0298 (or 203-762-1205)

EIN: 06-1520789

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Shames Family Foundation fund?

The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community Health • Children's Services

How do I apply for a grant from Shames Family Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 42 grants in the most recent fiscal year (2024) • Typical grant awards range from $50,000 to $150,000 • Median grant size: $2,500 • Average grant size: $5,400–$7,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • Nuvance Health Medical Practice CT: $150,000 • Norwalk Acts: $50,000 • Family and Children's Agency: $25,000

Where does Shames Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Connecticut • New York • District of Columbia

What size grants does Shames Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Shames Family Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $389K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Shames Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shames Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.