Shelton H Short Jr Trust
The Shelton H Short Jr Trust is a private foundation established in Virginia in 1978 and currently based in Saint Louis, Missouri. The trust is managed by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which serves as trustee. It operates as an independent foundation with a focus on supporting charitable causes, particularly in Virginia.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.0M
+1.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+17.1% YoY
Grant Count
68
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-12.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shelton H Short Jr Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust's mission is to support a variety of charitable causes primarily in Central and Southern Virginia. All grants are made as memorials to one or more family members of Shelton Hardaway Short, Jr., directed to charitable and educational organizations.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts, culture, and humanities
- Education
- Environment and animals
- Health
- Human services
- Public/society benefit
- Religion
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$2,000–$50,000
Average Grant
$21,000
Review Cycle
September 15
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While there are no formal geographic limitations, the foundation has a consistent practice of primarily supporting organizations in Central and Southern Virginia. Grantmaking reaches organizations across multiple states including Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, California, New York, Tennessee, and Texas. Virginia, North Carolina, and Massachusetts account for approximately 96% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $24.7–$29 million (as of most recent filings)
Annual Activity:
- Total annual giving: $1,000,000–$1,172,500
- Annual revenue: approximately $1.28–$1.29 million
- Annual expenses: approximately $1.28 million
- Investment income and dividends: $626,839 (2023)
- Giving rate: approximately 4.1% of assets
Tax Status:
- EIN: 54-6140127
- Tax-exempt since June 1978
- 501(c)(3) private foundation
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,988,947 | $24,705,124 | $24,721,013 |
| Revenue | $1,775,639 | $1,285,155 | $1,099,694 |
| Expenses | $1,498,428 | $1,284,769 | $1,503,135 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,251,339 | $1,072,714 | $1,261,727 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,460,053 | $1,024,052 | $1,070,540 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,530,578 | $1,377,532 | $1,380,899 |
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Shelton H Short Jr Trust
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Caritas ($50,000), Challenge Discovery Projects Inc ($40,000), Danville Community College Educational ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE FAISON CENTER INC RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $25,000 |
| BLUE SKY FUND RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| PETER PAUL DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $20,000 |
| SAFE HARBOR RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| VIRGINIA CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIE RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| SPORTABLE RICHMOND ADAPTIVE SPORTS RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| RIVERSIDE SCHOOL INC NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $20,000 |
| ELK HILL FARM INC GOOCHLAND, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $15,000 |
| SHALOM FARMS RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL OPERATING | $15,000 |
| ROBINSON THEATER COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER RICHMOND, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
- Compensation: $167,605–$168,000 annually
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WELLS FARGO BANK N A | TRUSTEE | 1 | $178,137 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shelton H Short Jr Trust fund?
The trust's mission is to support a variety of charitable causes primarily in Central and Southern Virginia. All grants are made as memorials to one or more family members of Shelton Hardaway Short, Jr., directed to charitable and educational organizations. Primary funding areas include: • Arts, culture, and humanities • Education • Environment and animals • Health • Human services • Public/society benefit • Religion
How do I apply for a grant from Shelton H Short Jr Trust?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $2,000–$50,000 • Median grant size: $15,000 • Average grant size: $21,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $5,000 to $250,000 **Recent Activity:** • Approximately 51 grants awarded annually • Total annual giving: approximately $1,000,000–$1,172,500 • The foundation has supported 92 unique organizations across multiple states • 114 total grants documented, totaling $2.4 million **Application Process:** • Annual application deadline: September…
Where does Shelton H Short Jr Trust make grants?
While there are no formal geographic limitations, the foundation has a consistent practice of primarily supporting organizations in Central and Southern Virginia. Grantmaking reaches organizations across multiple states including Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, California, New York, Tennessee, and Texas. Virginia, North Carolina, and Massachusetts account for approximately 96% of all grants.
What size grants does Shelton H Short Jr Trust award?
In 2024, Shelton H Short Jr Trust awarded 68 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Shelton H Short Jr Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shelton H Short Jr Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Shelton H Short Jr Trust's EIN?
Shelton H Short Jr Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6140127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Shelton H Short Jr Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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