The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2025 filing reports 50 grants totaling $9,656,920, including support for art museums and other cultural institutions, a school, and community and charitable organizations.
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation gave $9.7M across 50 grants in 2025 (avg $193K), top state New York. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,656,920
- +253.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 50
- +13.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $193,138
- +211.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $31,606,039
- -5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (11 of 50, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (48% 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 The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 300 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (425) 462-8353
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Calder Foundation ($4.3M). Together the top 10 received $8.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
261 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 175 grants of 261 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 38% to recipients in Washington, followed by Pennsylvania at 7%, Connecticut at 1%, and Virginia at 1%. Grants included support for organizations in Seattle and New York, among other locations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 50 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $38K; repeat grants $237K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 220% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 467% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2021) to $9.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 50 grants totaling $9.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Calder Foundation New York, NY | Mountains and Clouds Project | $4,300,000 |
| Seattle Art Museum Seattle, WA | $250,000 for Ai Weiwei 2025 exhibition support; $100,000 for Contributors Circles 2024-2025; $2,500,000 for Connect Art to Life pledge pmt 1 of 4 | $2,850,000 |
| The Hill School Office of Advancement Pottstown, PA | $100,000 for Annual Giving - The Hill Fund; $500,000 for Construction of the Shirley Quadrivium Center | $600,000 |
| United Way of King County Seattle, WA | 2025 pledge pmt 1 of 5 plus add'l for CSN | $300,000 |
| Americares Foundation Stamford, CT | December matching gift challenge | $100,000 |
| Henry Gallery Association Henry Art Gallery Seattle, WA | Pledge pmt 3 of 3 | $100,000 |
| Whitney Museum of American Art New York, NY | $50,000 for Calder Exhibition Support; $35,000 for FY25 Chairman's Council | $85,000 |
| The Museum of Modern Art New York, NY | $50,000 for Chairman's Council for FY '25 ending June 30; $25,000 In Honor of Glenn Lowry | $75,000 |
| Hirshhorn Museum&SculptureGarden Boston, MA | $25,000 for Annual Spring Luncheon support; $50,000 for NY Gala Vice Chair table | $75,000 |
| National Gallery of Art Landover, MD | $50,000 for Collectors Committee anniversary gift; $20,000 for Collectors Committee renewal: Jon & Kim | $70,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation?
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 | $31,606,039 | $7,945,374 | $9,931,623 | $9,656,920 | 50 | $9,662,570 | $7,867,124 | $2,069,122 |
| 2024 | $33,398,086 | $13,852,840 | $2,814,921 | $2,729,787 | 44 | $2,729,787 | $13,787,046 | $1,952,321 |
| 2023 | $22,150,872 | $873,581 | $2,569,520 | $2,529,808 | 57 | $2,534,933 | $846,494 | $1,963,464 |
| 2022 | $23,826,249 | $1,087,163 | $3,053,637 | $3,016,064 | 54 | $3,016,094 | $1,053,026 | $2,140,521 |
| 2021 | $25,792,723 | $852,689 | $2,326,684 | $2,252,192 | 56 | — | $804,178 | $2,109,511 |
| 2020 | $27,266,718 | $2,158,058 | $5,280,004 | $5,208,878 | 65 | — | $2,108,711 | $1,780,640 |
| 2019 | $30,388,664 | $1,182,625 | $4,370,433 | $4,273,270 | 52 | — | $1,063,953 | $1,870,562 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M 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 foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for arts and cultural organizations, including the Calder Foundation, Seattle Art Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Henry Art Gallery, as well as education, community, and charitable organizations.
The Seattle Art Museum describes its mission as connecting art to life and serving as a cultural and educational resource for the Seattle region, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The Whitney Museum of American Art says it presents and collects art of the United States and champions living artists. United Way of King County describes its mission as working with communities to build an equitable future; Cascade Public Media says it aims to inform and inspire its community; and the National Gallery of Art says it welcomes people to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 50 grants totaling $9,656,920. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $4.3 million, with a median of $25,000. Its largest reported grants included $4.3 million to the Calder Foundation for the Mountains and Clouds Project, $2.85 million to the Seattle Art Museum for exhibition support, contributor circles, and a pledge payment, and $600,000 to The Hill School for annual giving and construction of the Shirley Quadrivium Center.
Other 2025 awards included $300,000 to United Way of King County, $100,000 each to Americares Foundation and Henry Art Gallery, $85,000 to the Whitney Museum of American Art, and $75,000 each to the Museum of Modern Art and Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jon A. Shirley as a director.
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation is led by Jon A. Shirley, Director on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jon A. Shirley
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation
How much does The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation give each year?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation gave $9.7M across 50 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 44 grants.
What is The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $193,138, across 50 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation that year got $38K on average.
Where does The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation give grants?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's top state is New York, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (38%) and Pennsylvania (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (16 grants), New York, NY (9 grants), Washington DC, DC (2 grants) and Tacoma, WA (2 grants).
Does The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 50) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Calder Foundation ($4,300,000), Seattle Art Museum ($2,850,000) and The Hill School Office of Advancement ($600,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation reported $31.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation?
The foundation 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 The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's EIN?
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3163120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Jon and Mary Shirley 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 14, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-jon-and-mary-shirley-foundation-morg_8dc2a9a492bf461a88fffce2a5cfcd03
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943163120_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-jon-and-mary-shirley-foundation-morg_8dc2a9a492bf461a88fffce2a5cfcd03},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 The Jon and Mary Shirley 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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