Shenandoah Foundation
Shenandoah Foundation is a private family foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in October 1968, it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on grantmaking to nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.4M
+13.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+16.1% YoY
Grant Count
24
-11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$102K
+30.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shenandoah Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the following areas:
- Health care
- Philanthropy
- Environment
- Education
- Animal welfare
- Public health
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. It only makes contributions to organizations that have been preselected by the foundation.
Grant Range
$2,500 to $500,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Colorado, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $20,382,506
- Total revenues: $5,146,980
- Total expenses: $2,533,706
- Total giving: $2,447,500
Funding Source: The foundation received a $4,000,000 gift from the ESB Charitable Foundation in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,382,506 | $17,891,998 | $17,530,428 |
| Revenue | $5,146,980 | $2,688,628 | $2,504,603 |
| Expenses | $2,533,706 | $2,242,258 | $1,930,834 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,494,345 | $2,145,750 | $1,102,505 |
| Net Investment Income | $975,868 | $536,698 | $172,596 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,180,019 | $981,366 | $905,346 |
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
136 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Kiryle Foundation ($500,000), Meglbagl Foundation ($500,000), Rough-j-ranch Foundation ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL | HEALTH CARE | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS NEW YORK, NY | ANIMAL WELFARE | $5,000 |
| ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES ASPEN, CO | ENVIRONMENT | $5,000 |
| ASPEN EDUCATION FOUNDATION ASPEN, CO | EDUCATION | $15,000 |
| ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ASPEN, CO | HEALTH CARE | $25,000 |
| BRIDGING BIONICS FOUNDATION BASALT, CO | HEALTHCARE | $20,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO FOUNDATION AURORA, CO | HEALTH CARE | $10,000 |
| COX SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM WEST PALM BEACH, FL | ENVIRONMENT | $20,000 |
| CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ENGLEWOOD, CO | HEALTH CARE | $250,000 |
| DEL MONTE FOREST CONSERVANCY PEBBLE BEACH, CA | ENVIRONMENT | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Shana B Johnstone — President & Director
- R C Johnstone Jr — Vice President & Director
- Jonathan H Ham — Secretary & Treasurer
The foundation operates with limited staffing and no paid employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHANA B JOHNSTONE | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| R C JOHNSTONE JR | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JONATHAN H HAM | SECRETARY & TREASURER | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Shenandoah Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the following areas: • Health care • Philanthropy • Environment • Education • Animal welfare • Public health • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Shenandoah Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 24-25 grants in recent fiscal years • Typical grant range: $2,500 to $500,000 • Median grant size: $20,000 • Total giving in 2024: $2,447,500 **Application Policy:** The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. It only makes contributions to organizations that have been preselected by the foundation. **Recent Grantees (2024):** Notable grants included $500,000 awards to Meglbagl Foundation, Kiryle Foundati…
Where does Shenandoah Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Colorado, and Utah.
What size grants does Shenandoah Foundation award?
In 2024, Shenandoah Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $102K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Shenandoah Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shenandoah Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Shenandoah Foundation's EIN?
Shenandoah Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1675019. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Shenandoah Foundation'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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