Sharp Foundation
Sharp Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing reports 61 grants totaling $145,225 to charitable organizations.
Sharp Foundation at a glance
In short: Sharp Foundation gave $145K across 61 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Delaware. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $145,225
- -9.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 61
- +22.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,381
- -26.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $3,413,856
- +3.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (11 of 61, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Delaware (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sharp Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3779, Wilmington, DE 19807
Phone: (302) 652-7729
Website: https://thesharpfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sharp Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Historic Odessa Foundation ($15K). Together the top 10 received $89K.
Grant Size Distribution
274 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 271 grants of 274 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The largest shares of 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Delaware (33%), Florida (30%), Pennsylvania (12%), Maryland (11%), and North Carolina (7%). The listed grants also include recipients in South Dakota and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sharp Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 61 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 70% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $113K (2020) to $591K (2023). In 2025 it made 61 grants totaling $145K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Odessa Foundation Odessa, DE | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $15,000 |
| Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation Inc Boca Grande, FL | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $10,500 |
| Community Education Building Wilmington, DE | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $10,000 |
| Friends of Boca Grande Boca Grande, FL | To assist with financial help in their non-profit needs | $10,000 |
| Irvine Natural Science Center Owings Mills, MD | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $10,000 |
| The Island School Boca Grande, FL | To assist with financial help in their non-profit needs | $10,000 |
| St Georges School Middletown, DE | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $8,500 |
| Tower Hill Wilmington, DE | To assist with financial help in their non-profit needs | $5,250 |
| North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation Raleigh, NC | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $5,000 |
| Sicangu Community Development Mission, SD | Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sharp Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,413,856 | $304,764 | $162,917 | $145,225 | 61 | $145,225 | $287,072 | $208,006 |
| 2024 | $3,291,509 | $201,492 | $197,852 | $161,200 | 50 | $161,200 | $181,071 | $192,821 |
| 2023 | $3,290,210 | $1,029,089 | $624,836 | $590,815 | 77 | $590,815 | $1,009,572 | $164,796 |
| 2022 | $2,894,498 | $855,303 | $171,984 | $146,350 | 49 | $146,350 | $840,169 | $163,833 |
| 2021 | $2,230,326 | $1,333,868 | $134,890 | $125,075 | 37 | $125,075 | $383,472 | $116,648 |
| 2020 | $1,840,269 | $48,205 | $120,570 | $112,520 | 34 | — | $52,481 | $103,099 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sharp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $208K for 2025 — 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 foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. For example, Irvine Natural Science Center describes its work as encouraging lifelong engagement with the natural world through environmental learning and green living. Sicangu Community Development Corporation says it works to empower people, strengthen families, and build community in food, health, housing, and education. Stroud Water Research Center describes its mission as advancing knowledge of stream and river ecosystems and promoting public understanding of freshwater ecology.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 61 grants totaling $145,225. Grant amounts ranged from $75 to $15,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Among its largest grants were $15,000 to Historic Odessa Foundation, $10,500 to Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation Inc., and $10,000 each to Community Education Building, Friends of Boca Grande, Irvine Natural Science Center, and The Island School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists H Rodney Sharp III as president and trustee, H Donnan Sharp as vice president and trustee, and William M W Sharp as treasurer and trustee.
Sharp Foundation is led by H. Rodney Sharp III, President & Trustee since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
H. Rodney Sharp III
President & Trustee
President → President & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
H. Donnan Sharp
Vice President & Trustee
Vice President → Vice President & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William M. W. Sharp
Treasurer & Trustee
Treasurer → Treasurer & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Foundation
How much does Sharp Foundation give each year?
Sharp Foundation gave $145K across 61 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $161K across 50 grants.
What is Sharp Foundation's typical grant size?
Sharp Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,381, across 61 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sharp Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Sharp Foundation give grants?
Sharp Foundation's top state is Delaware, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (30%) and Pennsylvania (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boca Grande, FL (7 grants), Wilmington, DE (7 grants), Kennett Square, PA (4 grants) and Odessa, DE (3 grants).
Does Sharp Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 61 grants with a stated purpose on Sharp Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs" (43 grants) and "To Assist with Financial Help in Their Non-Profit Needs" (17 grants).
Who are Sharp Foundation's largest grantees?
Sharp Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Historic Odessa Foundation ($15,000), Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation Inc ($10,500) and Community Education Building ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sharp Foundation?
Sharp Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $145K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $208K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Sharp Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. For example, Irvine Natural Science Center describes its work as encouraging lifelong engagement with the natural world through environmental learning and green living. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sharp Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sharp Foundation's EIN?
Sharp Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-6015093. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sharp 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 27, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sharp Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Gannett Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Gannett Foundation’s 2025 grants supported a range of organizations, with listed awards generally between $1,500 and $2,500, though the available figures do not establish a typical grant size or geographic focus. The foundation has wound down: its 2026 filing reports no grants or assets, and no current application process or acceptance of unsolicited requests is stated.
Assets
—
Grants
32
Total Given
$65K
Longwood Foundation Inc
Wilmington, DE
Longwood Foundation supports nonprofit organizations across sectors, funding operating, program, and capital requests that strengthen their work and impact. Recent average awards are $250,000–$400,000, with requests capped at $2 million; it serves Delaware and the area within four miles of Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It accepts online grant requests, with Spring and Fall deadlines of March 1 and September 1.
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
94
Total Given
$40.8M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Delaware Community Foundation Inc
Wilmington, DE
Delaware Community Foundation supports nonprofits and students addressing community needs in Delaware, including community-impact projects, capital improvements, and scholarships. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $21,500, though awards varied widely. Applicants are directed to apply through the relevant program’s online portal; whether unsolicited requests are accepted is not stated.
Assets
$392.5M
Grants
323
Total Given
$20.4M
Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc
Memphis, TN
The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis supports community needs, nonprofit capacity building, and donor-directed and theme-based grants, with awards across West Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,200, though amounts varied widely; unsolicited requests are accepted only through specific application-based opportunities, not stated as a general process.
Assets
$953.1M
Grants
761
Total Given
$134.3M
More similar funders
More Funders in Delaware
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sharp Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sharp-foundation-morg_3cbca2f308ba4e9eb03f1b7a97ccfd83
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_516015093_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sharp Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sharp-foundation-morg_3cbca2f308ba4e9eb03f1b7a97ccfd83},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 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.
Sharp Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?