Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including educational institutions, a hospital, a theater, and organizations working on land and community spaces.
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc at a glance
In short: Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc gave $120.2M across 118 grants in 2024 (avg $1.0M), top state New Mexico. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $120,240,558
- +5.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 118
- +5.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,018,988
- -0.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $200,000
- Total assets
- $3,074,380,027
- +13.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (16 of 99, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (30% 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 Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Armand Hammer United World College of the American ($26.0M). Together the top 10 received $80.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($1,160,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
594 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 157 grants of 594 (26%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in New Mexico (30%), New York (14%), California (13%), Oklahoma (11%), and Massachusetts (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 118 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 99 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $608K; repeat grants $1.3M. How we count
Medians: $250K first-time, $250K repeat.
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−20%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 64% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $114.4M (2023) to $160.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 118 grants totaling $120.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Armand Hammer United World College of the American Montezuma, NM | UWC Forever fund and Davis Scholars Program | $26,000,000 |
| University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc Norman, OK | Davis UWC Scholars Program 2024 | $13,130,000 |
| Santa Fe Preparatory School Santa Fe, NM | Davis New Mexico Scholars fund | $9,219,000 |
| President & Trustees of Colby College Waterville, ME | Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence | $6,000,000 |
| Sonoma Academy Santa Rosa, CA | General & Unrestricted | $5,580,000 |
| Macalester College Saint Paul, MN | Davis UWC Scholars Program Fund 2024 | $5,520,556 |
| The Brigham & Womens Hospital Inc Boston, MA | Alzheimer Prevention Program | $5,000,000 |
| Coney Island Prep Builders Inc Brooklyn, NY | Pride Promise Scholarship fund for deposit into the account held at fidelity and school's general operations fund | $3,500,000 |
| Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Inc Garrison, NY | General & Unrestricted | $3,500,000 |
| Landpaths Santa Rosa, CA | General & Unrestricted | $2,500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc?
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 | $3,074,380,027 | $487,136,416 | $128,200,786 | $120,240,558 | 118 | $120,579,968 | $485,673,454 | $188,383,773 |
| 2023 | $2,715,444,397 | $143,676,662 | $117,548,414 | $114,396,076 | 112 | $118,260,710 | $143,099,922 | $157,938,440 |
| 2022 | $2,688,706,449 | $54,145,915 | $164,399,131 | $160,181,139 | 112 | $162,508,207 | $60,586,404 | $152,611,551 |
| 2021 | $2,798,959,665 | $325,311,650 | $154,333,593 | $149,998,162 | 122 | $154,084,112 | $324,268,076 | $183,026,106 |
| 2020 | $2,627,981,608 | $36,450,885 | $145,193,211 | $143,405,073 | 130 | — | $38,588,267 | $146,854,375 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the fund. Its 2024 grants show support for scholarship programs, education, artificial intelligence, Alzheimer prevention, theater, and land and park projects. For example, an individual recipient Preparatory School describes itself as a college-preparatory day school, and Macalester College says its educational program emphasizes scholarship, internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society. Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival describes its work as theatrical productions rooted in the Hudson Valley, while LandPaths says its mission is to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund reported 118 grants totaling $120,240,558. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $26,000,000, with a median of $200,000. In 2023, it reported 112 grants totaling $114,396,076; in 2022, it reported 112 grants totaling $160,181,139.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $26,000,000 to an individual recipient United World College of the American for its UWC Forever fund and Davis Scholars Program; $13,130,000 to the University of Oklahoma Foundation for the Davis UWC Scholars Program; and $9,219,000 to an individual recipient Preparatory School for the Davis New Mexico Scholars fund. Other large grants included $6,000,000 to Colby College for the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence, $5,580,000 to Sonoma Academy for general and unrestricted purposes, and $5,000,000 to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for an Alzheimer Prevention Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Shelby MC Davis as director and chairman; Victoria Davis Nosler as director and vice chairman; Andrew A Davis as treasurer and director; Christopher C Davis as secretary and director; Lansing Davis as director and assistant treasurer; Alida Davis, Charles Cullom Davis, and Edith Winkler as directors; and Philip O Geier PhD as assistant secretary and executive director.
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc is led by Philip O Geier PhD, Assistant Secretary & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 9 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Philip O Geier PhD
Assistant Secretary & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$200K (2020) → $200K (2024)
Shelby MC Davis
Director & Chairman
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alida Davis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew A Davis
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Cullom Davis
Independent Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher C Davis
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edith Winkler
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lansing Davis
Director & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Davis Nosler
Director & Vice Chairman
On filings since 2020
2 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $200K, to Philip O Geier PhD (Assistant Sec/Executive Dir).
Frequently asked questions about Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc
How much does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc give each year?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc gave $120.2M across 118 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $114.4M across 112 grants.
What is Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $200,000, and its average grant was $1,018,988, across 118 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc that year got $608K on average.
Where does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc give grants?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's top state is New Mexico, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (14%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (14 grants), Santa Fe, NM (5 grants), Boston, MA (5 grants) and Ossining, NY (5 grants).
Does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (54 of 118) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Davis International Scholars Program" (6 grants) and "Charitable Event" (3 grants).
Who are Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Armand Hammer United World College of the American ($26,000,000), University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc ($13,130,000) and Santa Fe Preparatory School ($9,244,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($1,160,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc?
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc reported $3.1B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $120.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $188.4M (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 Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the fund. Its 2024 grants show support for scholarship programs, education, artificial intelligence, Alzheimer prevention, theater, and land and park projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 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.
Does Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/shelby-cullom-davis-charitable-fund-inc-morg_a55a9b2f7f4b4fa3a032f361085a6d99
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203734688_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/shelby-cullom-davis-charitable-fund-inc-morg_a55a9b2f7f4b4fa3a032f361085a6d99},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc'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.
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