The Sheller Family Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in 2002, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.1M
-11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+1.3% YoY
Grant Count
17
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-4.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Higher education
- University education
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only.
Grant Range
$50–$410,000
Average Grant
$39,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with primary concentration in:
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- California
- Florida
- Virginia
Additional funding reaches organizations in other states including Texas, Illinois, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total assets: $6,118,625–$6,913,667
- Total giving: $1,167,500
- Annual revenue: $458,947–$1,010,735
- Annual expenses: $1,250,021–$1,251,480
- Giving rate: 16.4%
Asset Growth: Assets have grown from $5 million in 2011 to approximately $6.9 million in 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,118,625 | $6,913,667 | $7,154,454 |
| Revenue | $458,947 | $1,010,735 | $1,193,301 |
| Expenses | $1,251,480 | $1,250,021 | $706,798 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,167,753 | $1,152,435 | $639,265 |
| Net Investment Income | $375,720 | $50,179 | $125,410 |
| Distributable Amount | $371,031 | $336,484 | $346,518 |
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
97 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sandra Sheller – President, Chair, and Treasurer (7 hours per week)
- Stephen A. Sheller – Vice President and Secretary (1 hour per week)
Both serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHEN A SHELLER | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| SANDRA SHELLER | PRESIDENT, CHAIR, & TREASU | 7 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Temple Law School announced a new gift from the Sheller Family Foundation, indicating ongoing support for higher education initiatives.
Sheller Family Foundation - Full Filing - Nonprofit ExplorerSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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