Shear Family Foundation Inc is a private family foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (103 Gamma Dr Ste 120, Pittsburgh, PA 15238-2983). Established in 2015, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on charitable grant-making and fund distribution. The foundation is governed by members of the Shear family and maintains professional management through dedicated staff.
Key facts about Shear Family Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 47-1833006
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,042,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 78
- Average grant
- $115,923
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (22 of 76, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 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.
Who Shear Family Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Shear Family Foundation Inc's 78 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (38%), Illinois (11%) and Florida (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (14 grants), Las Vegas, NV (7 grants), Chicago, IL (6 grants) and West Palm Beach, FL (3 grants). 6% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food Insecurity" (9 grants), "Animal Rescue Support" (6 grants) and "Family Support" (4 grants).
Is Shear Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 22 of 76 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $59K; repeat grants $143K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Shear Family Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate Shear Family Foundation Inc as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$9.0M
-0.5% YoY
Grant Count
78
+5.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$116K
-5.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated mission is to "continue the Shear family legacy of making a meaningful impact and inspiring generosity through our grants."
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$50,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $132,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Shear Family Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Pennsylvania (primary focus)
- Florida
- Illinois
These three states account for approximately 62% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 17 states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 78 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income (2024):
- Total assets: $225,788,687
- Total annual giving: $9,042,000 to $10,035,421
- Total revenues: $13,952,948
- Total expenses: $12,924,120
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from undisclosed amounts in 2014 to $225.8 million by 2024
- Annual giving has grown from $7.4 million in 2020 to approximately $9.5 million in 2022
Foundation Status:
- Ranked in the top 1% of foundations by assets (#888 of 159,550)
- Tax-exempt status since March 2015
- Files Form 990-PF annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
344 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Donor Advised Funds- Charles Schwab ($951,000), American Friends of Leket Israel Inc ($600,000), University of Pittsburgh ($600,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DONOR ADVISED FUNDS- CHARLES SCHWAB Pittsburgh, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $951,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL INC Teaneck, NJ | FOOD INSECURITY | $600,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh, PA | VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $600,000 |
| AMERIAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FUND Washington, DC | AIEF | $450,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS Las Vegas, NV | THE PRACTICE - MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING CLINIC | $400,000 |
| JEWISH NATIONAL FUND Northbrook, IL | LOTEM, VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $380,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO Denver, CO | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $350,000 |
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY Pittsburgh, PA | CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALTH | $300,000 |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOODBANK Duquesne, PA | FOOD INSECURITY | $300,000 |
| JEWISH FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES OF PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh, PA | FAMILY SUPPORT | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Officers:
- Barbara S Shear – President
- Gerald A Shear – Vice President
- John A Shear – Vice President
- Herbert S Shear – Treasurer
- Richard L Roadarmel – Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer
- Ann Felter – Executive Director (40 hours/week, $161,000 annual compensation)
All board members serve on a part-time basis (0.4 hours per week) and receive no compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara S Shear | President | 0.4 | — |
| Gerald a Shear | Vice President | 0.4 | — |
| John a Shear | Vice President | 0.4 | — |
| Herbert S Shear | Treasurer | 0.4 | — |
| Richard L Roadarmel | Asst. Secr./Asst. Treasurer | 0.4 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shear Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's stated mission is to "continue the Shear family legacy of making a meaningful impact and inspiring generosity through our grants." The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Shear Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Shear Family Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Pennsylvania (primary focus) • Florida • Illinois These three states account for approximately 62% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 17 states.
What size grants does Shear Family Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Shear Family Foundation Inc awarded 78 grants totaling $9.0M — an average of about $116K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Shear Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Shear Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1833006. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Shear Family Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.