Shusterman Foundation
The Shusterman Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including a university, civil liberties and advocacy groups, a college, a preservation organization, a congregation, and social services organizations.
Shusterman Foundation at a glance
In short: Shusterman Foundation gave $293K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $292,650
- +111.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +7.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,091
- +96.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,279,789
- +4.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (8 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Shusterman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1845 Walnut Street 25Th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 988-9550
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Shusterman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Temple University ($105K). Together the top 10 received $256K.
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 125 grants of 127 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The remaining reported shares went to the District of Columbia (7%), Florida (4%), New York (4%), and Virginia (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Shusterman Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 29 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 114% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 202% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $122K (2023) to $293K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $293K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temple University Philadelphia, PA | "Unrestricted" | $105,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | "Unrestricted" | $35,000 |
| Gratz College Melrose Park, PA | "Unrestricted" | $30,000 |
| Responsible Preservation Inc Philadelphia, PA | "Unrestricted" | $22,500 |
| Temple Sholom in Broomall Broomall, PA | "Unrestricted" | $16,000 |
| American Consitution Society Washington, DC | "Unrestricted" | $15,000 |
| Jewish Family and Children's Services Philadelphia, PA | "Unrestricted" | $10,000 |
| The Center for Cosmopolitan Culture Inc Boca Ratan, FL | "Unrestricted" | $10,000 |
| American Technion Society Conshohocken, PA | "Unrestricted" | $6,500 |
| World Jewish Congress Merriflield, VA | "Unrestricted" | $6,100 |
Ready to take the next step with Shusterman Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s EIN is 23-2187215.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,279,789 | $726,819 | $369,319 | $292,650 | 29 | $305,739 | $469,945 | $151,325 |
| 2024 | $3,130,627 | $69,910 | $213,291 | $138,550 | 27 | $152,820 | $33,475 | $157,405 |
| 2023 | $3,078,278 | $188,550 | $172,726 | $122,150 | 23 | $131,025 | $148,324 | $152,193 |
| 2022 | $3,045,962 | $199,149 | $192,717 | $137,020 | 20 | $145,735 | $152,139 | $152,929 |
| 2021 | $3,250,246 | $237,119 | $209,613 | $156,800 | 28 | — | $197,884 | $141,013 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shusterman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $151K for 2025 — 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 grants show support for a range of organizations. Jewish Family and Children’s Services describes its own mission as providing professional and volunteer services to develop, restore, and maintain the competency of families and individuals of all ages. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site describes its mission as preserving America’s first penitentiary, advancing public understanding of the criminal justice system and its impact, and inspiring a more just future.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $292,650. Grants ranged from $200 to $105,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest listed grants were $105,000 to Temple University, $35,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, $30,000 to Gratz College, $22,500 to Responsible Preservation Inc., and $16,000 to Temple Sholom in Broomall. Each was designated “unrestricted.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert J. Shusterman and Melissa Shusterman as trustee/managers.
Shusterman Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melissa Shusterman
Trustee & Manager
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert J. Shusterman
Trustee & Manager
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Shusterman Foundation
How much does Shusterman Foundation give each year?
Shusterman Foundation gave $293K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $139K across 27 grants.
What is Shusterman Foundation's typical grant size?
Shusterman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,091, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Shusterman Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Shusterman Foundation give grants?
Shusterman Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (15 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Boca Ratan, FL (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Shusterman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Shusterman Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Shusterman Foundation's largest grantees?
Shusterman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Temple University ($105,000), American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania ($35,000) and Gratz College ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Shusterman Foundation?
Shusterman Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $306K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $151K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Shusterman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Shusterman Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Shusterman Foundation's EIN?
Shusterman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2187215. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Shusterman Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Shusterman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/shusterman-foundation-morg_5df66f5ee970474398b9490e0f35d450
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232187215_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Shusterman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/shusterman-foundation-morg_5df66f5ee970474398b9490e0f35d450},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Shusterman 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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