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.
Key facts about Shenandoah Foundation
- EIN
- 94-1675019
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,447,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- Average grant
- $101,979
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (2 of 23, 2024)
- Total assets
- $20,382,506
- Primary geography
- California (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Shenandoah Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Shenandoah Foundation's 24 itemized 2024 grants were California (80%) and Colorado (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (5 grants), Salt Lake City, UT (3 grants), Aspen, CO (3 grants) and Monterey, CA (2 grants). None of its 24 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health Care" (7 grants), "Education" (4 grants) and "Healthcare" (4 grants).
Is Shenandoah Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 23 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $115K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 71% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 211% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Shenandoah Foundation
- How to evaluate Shenandoah Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Shenandoah Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
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
Ready to take the next step with Shenandoah Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Colorado, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 24 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 recipients include Kiryle Foundation ($500,000), Meglbagl Foundation ($500,000), Rough-J-Ranch Foundation ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KIRYLE FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | PHILANTHROPY | $500,000 |
| MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | PHILANTHROPY | $500,000 |
| ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | PHILANTHROPY | $500,000 |
| CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Englewood, CO | HEALTH CARE | $250,000 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | HEALTH CARE | $250,000 |
| MONTAGE HEALTH FOUNDATION Monterey, CA | HEALTH CARE | $125,000 |
| ROWLAND HALL Salt Lake City, UT | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION Chicago, IL | HEALTH CARE | $30,000 |
| ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Aspen, CO | HEALTH CARE | $25,000 |
| LUCILE PACKARD CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH Palo Alto, CA | HEALTH CARE | $25,000 |
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS 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.
Does Shenandoah Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Shenandoah Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,724
Total Given
$232.3M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$382.1M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Sempra Foundation
San Diego, CA
Assets
$11.5M
Grants
1,501
Total Given
$1.8M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
Chamberlin Education Foundation
Richmond, CA
Assets
$80.6M
Grants
1,302
Total Given
$3.0M
The San Diego Foundation
San Diego, CA
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,158
Total Given
$94.3M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
More Funders in California
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.