Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc is a private foundation established in December 2006 and based in Wilmington, Delaware. The organization operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors including education, arts and culture, environment, community development, and health.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.1B
+13.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$120.2M
+5.1% YoY
Grant Count
118
+5.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.0M
-0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $188.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education — including scholarships and educational initiatives
- Arts & Culture
- Environment
- Community Development
- Health
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
The foundation provides support through general and unrestricted initiatives, including programs such as the Davis UWC Scholar Program, the Davis International Scholars Program, and the Save Pocantico Lake Project. The fund also aims to provide income earned from program-related investment loans for substantive and sustainable financial services to impoverished communities, including work in rural areas of Peru.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. No confirmed application deadlines are provided by the foundation.
Review Cycle
are provided by the foundation.
Grant Types
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in New York, California, and Massachusetts. The foundation also supports international programs, including work in Peru and scholarships for international scholars.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $3,074,380,027 (2024)
- $2,715,444,397 (2023)
Annual Giving & Revenue:
- Total giving: $120,240,558 (2024)
- Total revenues: $143,676,662 (2023)
- Total expenses: $117,548,414 (2023)
Ranking: Ranked #44 among U.S. foundations by assets (top 1%), and ranked #361 in the FoundationSearch Top 10,000 U.S. Foundations by Assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,074,380,027 | $2,715,444,397 | $2,688,706,449 |
| Revenue | $487,136,416 | $143,676,662 | $54,145,915 |
| Expenses | $128,200,786 | $117,548,414 | $164,399,131 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $120,579,968 | $118,260,710 | $162,508,207 |
| Net Investment Income | $485,673,454 | $143,099,922 | $60,586,404 |
| Distributable Amount | $188,383,773 | $157,938,440 | $152,611,551 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Armand Hammer United World College of the American ($26,000,000), Macalester College ($5,520,556), Coney Island Prep Builders Inc ($3,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OCEAN CLEANUP FOUNDATION PASADENA, CA | General & Unrestricted | $2,000,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB CHARLESTOWN, MA | 2024 Trail Crew Program in the Acadia National Park | $10,000 |
| ARISE MEDIA INC PLEASANTVILLE, NY | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN MONTEZUMA, NM | Geier International Scholarship Fund, Bartos Institute, and President's Discretionary Fund | $200,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN MONTEZUMA, NM | UWC Forever fund and Davis Scholars Program | $26,000,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN MONTEZUMA, NM | financial aid fund | $210,000 |
| BATTERY CONSERVANCY INC NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $100,000 |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | Endowed Fund and Current-use Fund | $50,000 |
| BRIARCLIFF NURSERY SCHOOL OSSINING, NY | Building and grounds maintenance, repairs and beautification, bathroom installation, and BNS endowment Fund | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation operates with limited paid staffing and is governed by a board of directors:
- Shelby MC Davis — Director, Chairman
- Victoria Davis Nosler — Director, Vice Chairman
- Andrew A Davis — Treasurer, Director
- Christopher C Davis — Secretary, Director
- Lansing Davis — Director, Assistant Treasurer
- Alida Davis — Director
- Charles Cullom Davis — Independent Director
- Edith Winkler — Director
- Philip O Geier, PhD — Assistant Secretary/Executive Director ($200,000 annual compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alida Davis | Dir | 1 | — |
| Andrew A Davis | Treas, Dir | 2 | — |
| Christopher C Davis | Sec, Dir | 2 | — |
| Charles Cullom Davis | Independent Dir | 1 | — |
| Lansing Davis | Dir, Assistant Treas | 2 | — |
| Shelby MC Davis | Dir, Chairman | 2 | — |
| Victoria Davis Nosler | Dir, Vice Chairman | 2 | — |
| Philip O Geier PhD | Assistant Sec/Executive Dir | 10 | $200,000 |
| Edith Winkler | Dir | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
First-generation students at the University of Virginia received a $5 million scholarship gift from the foundation
First-Generation Students at UVA to Benefit from $5M Scholarship GiftThe foundation, in partnership with Mission and partner colleges, launched the Davis Maine Scholarship, a four-year scholarship program
Mission, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and Partner Colleges LaunchThe foundation has supported scholarship initiatives benefiting local students across multiple regions
First-Generation Students at UVA to Benefit from $5M Scholarship GiftSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • **Education** — including scholarships and educational initiatives • **Arts & Culture** • **Environment** • **Community Development** • **Health** • **Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking** The foundation provides support through general and unrestricted initiatives, including programs such as the Davis UWC Scholar Program, the Davis International Scholars Program, and the Save Pocantico Lake Project. The fund also aims to provide income …
How do I apply for a grant from Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 112 grants in 2023 • Made 118 grants in 2024 • Typical award range: $10,000 to $26,000,000 • Median grant amount: $200,000 **Grant Types:** • Capital funding • Operating funds • Scholarships • Matching/challenge funding **Application Process:** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. No confirmed application deadlines are provided by the foundation. **Recent Grantees:** • Armand Hammer United World College of the American West (UWC USA…
Where does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in New York, California, and Massachusetts. The foundation also supports international programs, including work in Peru and scholarships for international scholars.
What size grants does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc awarded 118 grants totaling $120.2M — an average of about $1.0M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $188.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's EIN?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3734688. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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