The Jack and Kathy Shields Family
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family is a private foundation based in Duxbury, Massachusetts. It supports agencies that improve the lives of struggling families in the community, and says it supports nonprofit organizations responding to urgent needs in Massachusetts and Florida.
Key facts about The Jack and Kathy Shields Family
In short: The Jack and Kathy Shields Family gave $1.0M across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), mostly in Massachusetts. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-6878692
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,016,300
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $36,296
- Median grant
- $35,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 28, 2025)
- Total assets
- $10,793,063
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests; organizations are selected and invited to apply. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- October 1.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; 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.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.8M
-2.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
-7.3% YoY
Grant Count
28
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+15.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jack and Kathy Shields Family reported a distributable amount of $522K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Jack and Kathy Shields Family open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 28 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $36K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 229% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is grounded in the Shields family’s belief that every person deserves dignity and respect and should be able to live in a safe and healthy environment. It supports agencies working to improve the lives of struggling families.
Its grantees’ missions illustrate the kinds of work it has supported. The Valedictorian Project describes its work as mentoring that aims to advance equity and help high-achieving students from urban schools bridge the education-to-employment gap. Crossroads for Kids says it provides year-round learning, social-emotional development, college and career exploration, and relationship-building opportunities for youth from low-income communities. Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes addressing homelessness (Father Bill’s & MainSpring and Starting Right Now), providing medically tailored meals and groceries (Community Servings), supporting people with disabilities and their families (House of Possibilities), food justice (Regional Environmental Council), and watershed restoration and education (Tampa Bay Watch).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $1,096,500 through 35 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The largest award was $100,000 to The Valedictorian Project for program support. Other notable grants included $96,000 to Crossroads for Kids; $75,000 to School on Wheels of Massachusetts; $50,000 each to Community Servings, Father Bill’s & MainSpring, House of Possibilities, Lovin Spoonfuls, Survivor Ventures, and Tampa Bay Watch; and $40,750 to Starting Right Now. These awards were designated for program support.
Review Cycle
October 1.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Massachusetts and Florida as places where it supports nonprofits responding to urgent needs. In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 14% to Florida, 5% to Virginia, and 2% to Rhode Island.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $540K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Crossroads for Kids Inc ($113K). Together the top 10 received $641K.
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 99 grants of 138 (72%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Crossroads for Kids Inc Duxbury, MA | Program Support | $112,800 |
| The Valedictorian Project Watertown, MA | Program Support | $100,000 |
| School on Wheels of Massachusetts Inc East Bridgewater, MA | Program Support | $75,000 |
| Bullard Family Foundation Lutz, FL | Program Support | $62,500 |
| Starting Right Now Tampa, FL | Program Support | $50,750 |
| Father Bills & Mainspring Inc Brockton, MA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| House of Possibilities Inc North Easton, MA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Lovin Spoonfuls Inc Newton, MA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Surivor Ventures Norfolk, VA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Charity Guild Inc Brockton, MA | Program Support | $40,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,009,341 | $759,713 | $1,381,574 | $1,096,500 | 35 |
| 2023 | $11,410,968 | $217,930 | $1,098,977 | $812,810 | 32 |
| 2022 | $11,164,712 | $1,558,412 | $1,163,978 | $916,850 | 27 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,793,063 | $11,009,341 | $11,410,968 |
| Revenue | $742,792 | $759,713 | $217,930 |
| Expenses | $1,302,388 | $1,381,574 | $1,098,977 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,196,826 | $1,278,338 | $996,937 |
| Net Investment Income | $690,073 | $704,614 | $252,309 |
| Distributable Amount | $522,063 | $545,767 | $544,079 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John M. Shields, Kathleen W. Shields, John Yunits, and Fallon Shields as trustees, and Mary Kramer as foundation director. The foundation’s website also lists Gerard Nadeau, Paul Leonard, and Shannon West as board advisors.
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fallon Shields
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $18K (2025)
Mary Kramer
Foundation Director
Trustee → Foundation Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $80K (2025)
John M. Shields
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Yunits
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen W. Shields
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $80K, to Mary Kramer (Foundation Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: The Jack And Kathy Shields Family F
Mailing address: PO Box 277, Duxbury, MA 02331
Phone: (781) 490-3238
Website: https://shieldsfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Jack and Kathy Shields Family
How much does The Jack and Kathy Shields Family give each year?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family gave $1.0M across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 35 grants.
What is The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's typical grant size?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's median grant in 2025 was $35,000, and its average grant was $36,296, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jack and Kathy Shields Family that year got $40K on average.
Where does The Jack and Kathy Shields Family give grants?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family gives mostly in Massachusetts: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Duxbury, MA (3 grants), Tampa, FL (3 grants), Brockton, MA (2 grants) and Kingston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Jack and Kathy Shields Family give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (25 grants) and "Food Pantry" (3 grants).
Who are The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's largest grantees?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's largest 2025 grantees include Crossroads for Kids Inc ($112,800), The Valedictorian Project ($100,000) and School on Wheels of Massachusetts Inc ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jack and Kathy Shields Family?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family reported $10.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $522K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Jack and Kathy Shields Family fund?
The foundation’s mission is grounded in the Shields family’s belief that every person deserves dignity and respect and should be able to live in a safe and healthy environment. It supports agencies working to improve the lives of struggling families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jack and Kathy Shields Family?
The foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests; organizations are selected and invited to apply. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's EIN?
The Jack and Kathy Shields Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-6878692. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Jack and Kathy Shields Family accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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