Sharp Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Newton, Massachusetts, established in 2013. The trust operates as a 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization with no employees, governed by trustee Phillip A. Sharp.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.6M
+0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$853K
-49.3% YoY
Grant Count
39
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
-50.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sharp Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $731K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation made at least 23 grants totaling approximately $92,500 in documented awards, including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- North Carolina
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total assets: $7,540,742
- Total revenues: $390,034
- Total expenses: $1,719,249
- Investment income and dividends: $323,629
As of most recent 990 filing (2024):
- Total assets: $7,559,506
- Total giving: $853,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,559,506 | $7,540,742 | $8,869,957 |
| Revenue | $3,423,296 | $390,034 | $3,017,395 |
| Expenses | $909,258 | $1,719,249 | $2,369,833 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $853,000 | $1,681,624 | $2,282,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,752,572 | $352,872 | $129,594 |
| Distributable Amount | $730,744 | $593,842 | $640,444 |
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
169 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Mit Press Fund for the Future ($460,000), The Termeer Foundation ($250,000), Cancer Engineering Workshop at National Academy of Scienses ($52,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMOSKEAG ROWING CLUB CONCORD, NH | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| ASPEN CANCER CONFERENCE INC BASALT, CO | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
| BROAD INSTITUTE OF MIT & HARVARD CAMBRIDGE, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| BUZZARDS BAY COALTION NEW BEDFORD, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| CENTRAL VERMONT HUMANE SOCIETY MONTPELIER, VT | UNRESTRICTED | $500 |
| CONCORD HOSPITAL CONCORD, NH | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST GREENSBORO, NC | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
| DOWNEAST COASTAL CONSERVANCY MACHIAS, ME | UNRESTRICTED | $1,000 |
| ELIOT CHURCH OF NEWTON NEWTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| FRIENDS OF BOSTON'S HOMELESS BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Phillip A. Sharp serves as trustee of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHILLIP A SHARP | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| ANN H SHARP | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sharp Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Sharp Charitable Trust?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $500–$2,000,000 • Recent grants have included both unrestricted support and project-specific funding **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** The foundation made at least 23 grants totaling approximately $92,500 in documented awards, including: • Eliot Church of Newton: $15,000 (unrestricted) • Friends of Boston's Homeless: $5,000 (unrestricted) • Aspen Cancer Conference: $5,000 (unrestricted) **Total giving in 2024:** $853,000
Where does Sharp Charitable Trust make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Massachusetts • Vermont • North Carolina
What size grants does Sharp Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Sharp Charitable Trust awarded 39 grants totaling $853K — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sharp Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sharp Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $731K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sharp Charitable Trust's EIN?
Sharp Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7004860. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sharp 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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