Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation is a private foundation, based in Geneva, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2022. In 2022, it awarded 3 grants totaling $2.3M. Net investment income was $130K.
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation gave $2.3M across 3 grants in 2022 (avg $768K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2022)
- $2,304,383
- +567.0% vs 2021
- Grants made (2022)
- 3
- -90.6% vs 2021
- Average grant
- $768,128
- +7014.4% vs 2021
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2022 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2022 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2022; updated September 2026.
Who Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2022
The largest 2022 recipient was Chicago Community Foundation (Donor Advised Fund) ($2.3M). Together the top 3 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 62 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2022 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation gives
- In 2022 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $277K (2020) to $2.3M (2022). In 2022 it made 3 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Community Foundation (Donor Advised Fund) Chicago, IL | General Grantgeneral Grantgeneral Grantgeneral Grant | $2,298,383 |
| Eckerd College St Petersburg, FL | General Grant | $5,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | General Grant | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | $139,602 | $2,330,576 | $2,304,383 | 3 | $2,304,383 | $129,690 | $54,706 |
| 2021 | $1,784,883 | $364,160 | $373,457 | $345,500 | 32 | $345,500 | $345,854 | $126,757 |
| 2020 | $1,794,180 | $72,168 | $301,866 | $277,200 | 27 | — | $56,520 | $107,996 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $55K for 2022 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation is led by R. Ernest Mahaffey, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2022 report compensation.
Officers on the 2022 filing
R. Ernest Mahaffey
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Gaines
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $0 (2022)
Sheila A. Penrose
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2022. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $5K, to Barbara Gaines (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation
How much does Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation give each year?
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation gave $2.3M across 3 grants in 2022, according to its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2021 it gave $346K across 32 grants.
What is Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2022 was $5,000, and its average grant was $768,128, across 3 grants on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation give grants?
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation's 2022 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2022 IRS Form 990-PF.
How much is Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2022, Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $55K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4220588. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2022.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2022
Live grants for the work Sheila a Penrose & R Ernest Mahaffey Charitable Foundation funds
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