Shelly Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Newark, OH EIN: 45-1672215

The Shelly Family Foundation is a Form 990-PF private foundation based in Newark, Ohio. It reported 15 grants totaling $105,338 in 2024, with many listed for scholarships.

Shelly Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Shelly Family Foundation gave $105K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Ohio. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$105,338
+17.0% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
15
+25.0% vs 2023
Average grant
$7,023
-6.4% vs 2023
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$3,369,247
+771.4% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2024; small sample)
Primary geography
Ohio (86% 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 Shelly Family Foundation

How to Apply

The 2024 filing lists Mark J Shelly as the contact and the “Shelly Family Foundations Scholarship Application” as the required form and materials. The filing states that scholarships are limited to students at Sheridan High School in Perry County, Ohio.

Review Cycle
May 1. This date is past as of September 29, 2026; the filing does not establish a current application cycle.
Deadline
May 1.
Contact

Application contact: Mark J Shelly
Mailing address: 581 Country Club Drive Suite D, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 344-1871

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Shelly Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

The Ohio State University: $15KThe Ohio State University$15KDennison University: $10KDennison University$10KOhio University: $10KOhio University$10KUniversity of Findlay: $10KUniversity of Findlay$10KMuskingum County Community Foundation: $10KMuskingum County CommunityFoundation$10KColumbus State Community Foundation: $5KColumbus State CommunityFoundation$5KFranklin University: $5KFranklin University$5KHeidelberg University: $5KHeidelberg University$5KIowa State University: $5KIowa State University$5KMuskingum University: $5KMuskingum University$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was The Ohio State University ($15K). Together the top 10 received $80K.

Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

69 grants across all recorded years

69<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 69 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 grant dollars were reported as going to recipients in Ohio (86%), Iowa (5%), California (5%), and Kentucky (5%). The percentages are as stated in the filing.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.

Cities

ColumbusAthensLexingtonNew ConcordSpringfieldCantonDelawareFindlayNewarkCharlottesvilleCincinnatiLancasterStandfordTiffinAmesCedarvilleDaytonGranvilleMurrayNew Lexington

Is Shelly Family Foundation open to new grantees?

33%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 134% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$50K$100K$150K15 grants2020 14 grants2021 13 grants2022 12 grants2023 15 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2022) to $105K (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $105K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Ohio State University Columbus, OHScholarship$15,000
Dennison University Granville, OHScholarship$10,000
Ohio University Athens, OHScholarship$10,000
University of Findlay Findlay, OHScholarship$10,000
Muskingum County Community Foundation Zanesville, OHAvondale Children's Home$10,000
Columbus State Community Foundation Columbus, OHGeneral$5,338
1 individual scholarship Recipients not named —$5,000
Franklin University Columbus, OHScholarship$5,000
Heidelberg University Tiffin, OHScholarship$5,000
Iowa State University Ames, IAScholarship$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$3,369,247$4,539,498$122,452$105,33815$116,740$1,527,785$86,862
2023$386,642$79,511$92,680$90,00012$91,240$78,071$26,056
2022$590,859$553,550$93,738$90,00013$91,250$44,226$10,585
2021$147,070$16,614$98,300$96,00014$97,200$15,064$9,559
2020$215,012$27,118$90,853$92,19915—$12,377$15,821

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shelly Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included scholarships to colleges and universities, as well as grants to a community foundation and other organizations.

Among the grantees, The Ohio State University describes its mission as building an engaged Buckeye alumni community. Ohio Dominican University says it educates individuals for intellectual, spiritual, and professional growth and service. Muskingum University describes its mission as preparing learners to think critically, excel professionally, grow personally, and contribute ethically. These are the grantees’ own stated missions, not the foundation’s.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $105,338. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $15,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest awards included $15,000 to The Ohio State University for scholarships, and $10,000 each to Denison University, Ohio University, and the University of Findlay for scholarships. The Muskingum County Community Foundation received $10,000 for the Avondale an individual recipient Community Foundation received $5,338 for general purposes.

Other reported 2024 scholarship grants included $5,000 each to an individual recipient Community College, Franklin University, Heidelberg University, Iowa State University, Muskingum University, and Ohio Dominican University.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Mark Shelly as president, Madonna Shelly as treasurer, and Judge Luann Cooperrider as secretary.

Shelly Family Foundation is led by Mark Shelly, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Mark Shelly

    President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Judge Luann Cooperrider

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Madonna Shelly

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Richard Shelly (2020–2022) — Director

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.

Frequently asked questions about Shelly Family Foundation

How much does Shelly Family Foundation give each year?

Shelly Family Foundation gave $105K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $90K across 12 grants.

What is Shelly Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Shelly Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,023, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Shelly Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.

Where does Shelly Family Foundation give grants?

Shelly Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (4 grants).

Does Shelly Family Foundation give general operating support?

Occasionally: 7% of Shelly Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (13 grants).

Who are Shelly Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Shelly Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Ohio State University ($15,000), Dennison University ($10,000) and Ohio University ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Shelly Family Foundation?

Shelly Family Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $117K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $87K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Shelly Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included scholarships to colleges and universities, as well as grants to a community foundation and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Shelly Family Foundation?

The 2024 filing lists Mark J Shelly as the contact and the “Shelly Family Foundations Scholarship Application” as the required form and materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Shelly Family Foundation's EIN?

Shelly Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-1672215. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The foundation primarily supports scholarships and operating expenses at educational institutions, especially in Ohio, where 92% of its 2025 grant dollars went. Its 25 grants ranged from $500 to $28,450, with a median of $2,550. It directs applicants to contact Hancock County Educational Service and complete the Marie Berry Scholarship Form; the listed annual deadline is March 31.

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$2.6M

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Ella Weiss Educational Fund

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The Ella Weiss Educational Fund provides scholarships to Ohio residents under 23 who attend an Ohio educational institution. In 2025, it awarded 16 grants totaling $7,175, ranging from $175 to $2,450. Applicants are instructed to request a printed application; the fund does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

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The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges

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Education

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Grants

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Total Given

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Anna Marie & Russel Waldron Scholarship Fund

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The fund supports scholarships at colleges, universities, and technical schools, with most recent grants going to institutions in Ohio and others in Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa. Its 2025 grants ranged from $225 to $525, totaling $3,275. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

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Ruth M Hughes Scholarship Trust

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The trust funds scholarships at colleges and universities, with 2025 grants ranging from $500 to $54,000 and a median of $6,125. Most funding went to Ohio institutions, with some grants to colleges in other states; applicants must be graduates of a Muskingum County high school. It says application materials are available upon request, but does not explicitly state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

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$6.1M

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Total Given

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Eberly Da & TB Scholarship Ta

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The foundation funds scholarships for deserving graduates of Canton City or North Canton City public high schools who attend colleges or technical schools. In 2025, it awarded 15 grants totaling $70,800, ranging from $2,500 to $11,975; most funding went to Ohio recipients. The filing lists an application and contact but does not say whether unsolicited requests are accepted.

Assets

$1.2M

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15

Total Given

$71K

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Shelly Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/shelly-family-foundation-morg_b175b3884b81497796faf2f84d690f64

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_451672215_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Shelly Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/shelly-family-foundation-morg_b175b3884b81497796faf2f84d690f64},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Shelly Family Foundation'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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