Shames Family Foundation
The Shames Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilton, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including organizations working in education, human services, health, and civic engagement.
Key facts about Shames Family Foundation
In short: Shames Family Foundation gave $367K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state North Carolina. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 06-1520789
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $366,905
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- Average grant
- $7,056
- Median grant
- $3,113
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (21 of 52, 2025)
- Total assets
- $4,426,381
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (29% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.4M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$367K
-5.7% YoY
Grant Count
52
+36.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-31.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shames Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $325K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Shames Family Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 21 of 52 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a range of organizations. For example, Family & Children’s Agency describes its work as providing essential human services to children, families, adults, and seniors. A Better Chance of Wilton says it provides housing so academically talented minority students can attend Wilton High School and pursue admission to competitive colleges. DOROT says it works to alleviate social isolation and loneliness among older adults.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in areas including equitable outcomes for Norwalk children and young people (Norwalk Acts), community health care (Nuvance Health Medical Practice CT), grassroots organizing in the U.S. South (Southern Vision Alliance), and civic engagement among underrepresented communities (The Voter Participation Center).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 52 grants totaling $366,905. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $95,000, with a median of $3,112. Its largest reported grants included $95,000 to Davidson College Annual Fund; $25,000 each to Family & Children’s Agency and Norwalk Acts; and $15,000 to Carleton College. Other grants included $12,500 to Campaign Legal Center, $11,000 to Focus for Democracy Foundation, and $10,000 each to A Better Chance of Wilton, Renaissance School Annual Fund, Palliative Care for Uganda, West Side Campaign Against Hunger, Brennan Center for Justice, and DOROT.
Ready to take the next step with Shames Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (29%), Connecticut (24%), New York (23%), the District of Columbia (11%), and Virginia (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $245K (2021) to $389K (2024). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $367K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Davidson College Annual Fund ($95K). Together the top 10 received $224K.
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 212 grants of 217 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Davidson College Annual Fund Davidson, NC | General | $95,000 |
| Family & Childrens Agency Inc Norwalk, CT | General | $25,000 |
| Norwalk Acts Norwalk, CT | General | $25,000 |
| Carleton College Northfield, MN | General | $15,000 |
| Campaign Legal Center Inc Washington, DC | General | $12,500 |
| Focus for Democracy Foundation Washington, DC | General | $11,000 |
| A Better Chance of Wilton Inc Wilton, CT | General | $10,000 |
| Renaissance School Annual Fund Charlottesville, VA | General | $10,000 |
| Pallative Care for Uganda LLC Norwalk, CT | General | $10,000 |
| West Side Campaign Against Hunger New York, NY | General | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,426,381 | $338,118 | $384,826 | $366,905 |
| 2024 | $4,486,071 | $248,689 | $409,779 | $389,255 |
| 2023 | $4,647,161 | $231,124 | $276,072 | $253,020 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,426,381 | $4,486,071 | $4,647,161 |
| Revenue | $338,118 | $248,689 | $231,124 |
| Expenses | $384,826 | $409,779 | $276,072 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $366,905 | $390,753 | $255,665 |
| Net Investment Income | $323,830 | $232,794 | $214,164 |
| Distributable Amount | $324,533 | $318,513 | $308,023 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following trustees: Ervin R. Shames, Louise G. Shames, Allyson Robyn Shames, Steven Shames, Sara Shames, and Curtis Argo.
Shames Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Allyson Robyn Shames
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Curtis Argo
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Ervin R. Shames
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Louise G. Shames
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Sara Shames
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Steven Shames
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 35 Mollbrook Dr, Wilton, CT 06897
Phone: (203) 762-0298
Frequently asked questions about Shames Family Foundation
How much does Shames Family Foundation give each year?
Shames Family Foundation gave $367K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $389K across 38 grants.
What is Shames Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Shames Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,113, and its average grant was $7,056, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Shames Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Shames Family Foundation give grants?
Shames Family Foundation's top state is North Carolina, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (24%) and New York (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (13 grants), Charlottesville, VA (8 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants) and Norwalk, CT (3 grants).
Does Shames Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Shames Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Shames Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Shames Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Davidson College Annual Fund ($95,000), Family & Childrens Agency Inc ($25,000) and Norwalk Acts ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Shames Family Foundation?
Shames Family Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $367K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $325K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Shames Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a range of organizations. For example, Family & Children’s Agency describes its work as providing essential human services to children, families, adults, and seniors. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Shames Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Shames Family Foundation's EIN?
Shames Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1520789. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Shames Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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