Sharp Charitable Trust
Sharp Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Newton, Massachusetts. In 2024, it gave $853,000 through 39 grants to charitable organizations, including a large unrestricted grant to MIT Press Fund for the Future and support for organizations working in areas such as cancer research, health care, food assistance, and science history.
Sharp Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Sharp Charitable Trust gave $853K across 39 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Massachusetts. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $853,000
- -49.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- +2.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,872
- -50.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $7,559,506
- +0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (9 of 39, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (88% 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 Sharp Charitable Trust
- 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: 36 Fairmont Avenue, Newton, MA 02158
Phone: (617) 253-6421
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sharp Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was MIT Press Fund for the Future ($460K). Together the top 10 received $807K.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 157 grants of 169 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 6% to recipients in the District of Columbia, 2% to North Carolina, and 1% each to New Hampshire and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sharp Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 39 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 86% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 117% 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 $681K (2020) to $6.1M (2021). In 2024 it made 39 grants totaling $853K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MIT Press Fund for the Future Cambridge, MA | Unrestricted | $460,000 |
| The Termeer Foundation Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| Cancer Engineering Workshop at National Academy of Scienses Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $52,000 |
| Eliot Church of Newton Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Aspen Cancer Conference Inc Basalt, CO | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Congregational United Church of Christ Greensboro, NC | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Friends of Boston's Homeless Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Mustard Seed Community Health Greensboro, NC | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Open Medicine Foundation Agora Hills, CA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Rosie's Place Boston, MA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sharp Charitable Trust?
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 | $7,559,506 | $3,423,296 | $909,258 | $853,000 | 39 | $853,000 | $1,752,572 | $730,744 |
| 2023 | $7,540,742 | $390,034 | $1,719,249 | $1,681,624 | 38 | $1,681,624 | $352,872 | $593,842 |
| 2022 | $8,869,957 | $3,017,395 | $2,369,833 | $2,282,000 | 33 | $2,282,000 | $129,594 | $640,444 |
| 2021 | $8,222,395 | $1,860,011 | $6,154,831 | $6,080,534 | 29 | $6,080,534 | $1,791,955 | $731,088 |
| 2020 | $12,517,215 | $2,604,892 | $735,250 | $681,000 | 30 | — | $537,877 | $743,114 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Aspen Cancer Conference says it shares current cancer research with scientists; Mustard Seed Community Health describes its work as providing holistic health care to people in need; and The Friendly Kitchen says it provides meals for people who are hungry. Other recipients describe work in domestic-violence support, education, library services, and the history of science.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust made 39 grants totaling $853,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $460,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Its largest grants were $460,000 to MIT Press Fund for the Future and $250,000 to The Termeer Foundation, both unrestricted. It also gave $52,000 to Cancer Engineering Workshop at National Academy of Sciences, $15,000 to Eliot Church of Newton, and $5,000 each to several organizations, including Aspen Cancer Conference, Friends of Boston’s Homeless, Mustard Seed Community Health, Open Medicine Foundation, Rosie’s Place, Science History Institute, and The Friendly Kitchen.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Phillip A. Sharp and Ann H. Sharp as trustees.
Sharp Charitable Trust's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ann H. Sharp
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip A. Sharp
Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about Sharp Charitable Trust
How much does Sharp Charitable Trust give each year?
Sharp Charitable Trust gave $853K across 39 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 38 grants.
What is Sharp Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Sharp Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $21,872, across 39 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sharp Charitable Trust that year got $35K on average.
Where does Sharp Charitable Trust give grants?
Sharp Charitable Trust gives mostly in Massachusetts: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Waterbury, VT (6 grants), Cambridge, MA (4 grants), Greensboro, NC (4 grants) and Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does Sharp Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sharp Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (39 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sharp Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Sharp Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include MIT Press Fund for the Future ($460,000), The Termeer Foundation ($250,000) and Cancer Engineering Workshop at National Academy of Scienses ($52,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sharp Charitable Trust?
Sharp Charitable Trust reported $7.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $853K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $731K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sharp Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sharp Charitable Trust?
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 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.
Does Sharp Charitable Trust 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sharp Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Massachusetts
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Eastern Bank Foundation supports economic inclusion and mobility, including small businesses, early childhood development, affordable housing, and workforce development. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $2,002,500, with a median of $2,500, primarily in Massachusetts and also in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It accepts online applications and does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$266.7M
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
Cambridge Savings Charitable
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge Savings Charitable funds affordable housing, shelters, transitional housing, food insecurity, and financial education for underserved residents in Middlesex, Suffolk, Essex, and Norfolk counties, Massachusetts. Its website lists grants up to $5,000 and sponsorships up to $2,500 per organization per year; 2025 grants ranged from $21 to $100,000, with a median of $4,000. It states that it contributes only to preselected charities and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$947K
Grants
205
Total Given
$1.8M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The Boston Foundation funds nonprofits and community initiatives focused on equity and opportunity, including child well-being, economic opportunity, community wealth, and community leadership, primarily in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, while specific programs offer amounts such as $50,000; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
Barr Foundation
Boston, MA
The Barr Foundation funds arts and creativity, climate, education, and New England’s social sector, primarily through long-term support for organizations in New England. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $3.275 million, with a median of $80,000. Its filing says it accepts only requests from preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests, though its website describes program-page inquiries and occasional open calls.
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
903
Total Given
$123.2M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Liberty Mutual Foundation funds basic needs such as food and shelter, education and workforce development, and climate and community infrastructure, including homelessness and community preparedness programs. Its 2024 grants had a median of $35,000, and most funding supports organizations or programs serving the Boston area, though it also gives elsewhere. It accepts unsolicited online requests on a rolling basis, with no submission deadlines.
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sharp Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sharp-charitable-trust-morg_51e49d106f3d4286b9e0f5478d4f9eb6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_357004860_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sharp Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sharp-charitable-trust-morg_51e49d106f3d4286b9e0f5478d4f9eb6},
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 Sharp Charitable Trust'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.
Sharp Charitable Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?