Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation
The Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation is a private foundation based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations for purposes including general operations and organizational operations.
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation at a glance
In short: Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation gave $12K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $970.833), mostly in Pennsylvania. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,650
- -22.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- -7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $971
- -15.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $395,210
- +12.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (61% 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 Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 14 Elliott Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: (215) 485-2715
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Congregation Beth Am ($4K). Together the top 10 received $11K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 73 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as Pennsylvania 61%, the U.S. Virgin Islands 10%, Washington, DC 9%, New Hampshire 9%, and Delaware 9%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $400; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $100 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 39% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 53% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $12K (2025) to $19K (2022). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $12K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Congregation Beth Am Penn Valley, PA | General operat-ing purposesof Synagogue | $3,800 |
| Free Library of Phila Phila, PA | General operat-ing purposes of library | $1,500 |
| Impact 100 Wynnewood, PA | Operations | $1,250 |
| St Thomas Hebrew Congregation St Thomas, VI | General operat-ing purposes ofSynagogue | $1,200 |
| Hias Washington, DC | General operat-ing purposes of organization | $1,000 |
| Friends of the Frost Place Franconia, NH | General operat-ing purposes | $1,000 |
| Congregation Beth Emeth Wilmington, DE | Operation | $1,000 |
| Whyy Greencastle, PA | Operations | $500 |
| Connecticut College New London, CT | College operations | $100 |
| Norwich Public Library Norwich, VT | Operations | $100 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $395,210 | $6,911 | $14,750 | $11,650 | 12 | $11,650 | $55,805 | $21,831 |
| 2024 | $351,124 | $28,977 | $18,086 | $14,986 | 13 | $14,986 | $4,947 | $19,941 |
| 2023 | $340,286 | $35,995 | $18,150 | $15,350 | 14 | $15,350 | $3,736 | $19,496 |
| 2022 | $322,479 | $62,868 | $21,994 | $19,244 | 23 | $19,244 | $2,767 | $22,040 |
| 2021 | $281,626 | $29,402 | $16,802 | $14,352 | 11 | — | $1,485 | $19,360 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22K 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 2025 grants went to organizations including synagogues, a library, a college, and other organizations. Connecticut College, a 2025 recipient, describes its own mission as educating students to put the liberal arts into action as citizens of a global society; this is the college’s mission, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $11,650. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $3,800, with a median of $1,000. Recipients included Congregation Beth Am ($3,800), Free Library of Phila ($1,500), Impact 100 ($1,250), St Thomas Hebrew Congregation ($1,200), and HIAS, Friends of the Frost Place, and Congregation Beth Emeth ($1,000 each).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Nina Schafer is listed as “Pres” on the 2025 filing.
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation is led by Nina Schafer, President on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nina Schafer
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/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 Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation
How much does Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation give each year?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation gave $12K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 13 grants.
What is Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's typical grant size?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $971, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation that year got $400 on average.
Where does Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation give grants?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were U.S. Virgin Islands (10%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 42% of Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (5 grants).
Who are Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's largest grantees?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Congregation Beth Am ($3,800), Free Library of Phila ($1,500) and Impact 100 ($1,250), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation reported $395K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including synagogues, a library, a college, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's EIN?
Stephen A & Nina B Schafer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2630838. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Stephen A & Nina B Schafer 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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Figures come from Stephen A & Nina B Schafer 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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