The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust
THE LEONARD A AND MARY JANE SCHAFER is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including churches, educational institutions, and community organizations.
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust at a glance
In short: The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust gave $190K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $189,575
- +13.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- +4.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,291
- +9.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $2,379,378
- +2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 26, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (79% 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 Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 20 Stanwix Street Suite 650, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4801
Phone: (412) 261-0779
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Crafton Heights Presbyterian Church ($30K). Together the top 10 received $153K.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 131 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Pennsylvania organizations received 79% of grant dollars. Other recipient states and jurisdictions were Connecticut (8%), the District of Columbia (7%), Tennessee (3%), and California (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 26 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 (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 $167K (2024) to $194K (2022). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $190K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Crafton Heights Presbyterian Church Pittsburgh, PA | General | $30,000 |
| Unity Presbyterian Church Pittsburgh, PA | General | $30,000 |
| IUP Foundation Indiana, PA | General | $30,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | General | $15,000 |
| King School Stamford, CT | General | $15,000 |
| The Salvation Army Pittsburgh, PA | General | $8,000 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | General | $7,825 |
| Light of Life Mission Pittsburgh, PA | General | $7,150 |
| Global Links Washington, DC | General | $5,000 |
| Rotary Club Pittsburgh, PA | General | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust?
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 | $2,379,378 | $333,083 | $285,000 | $189,575 | 26 | $189,575 | $240,713 | $197,079 |
| 2024 | $2,331,162 | $273,027 | $259,137 | $166,700 | 25 | $166,700 | $183,835 | $190,052 |
| 2023 | $2,316,973 | $224,451 | $256,000 | $176,375 | 26 | $176,375 | $144,826 | $165,487 |
| 2022 | $2,350,683 | $131,558 | $283,007 | $194,175 | 30 | $194,175 | $45,450 | $176,744 |
| 2021 | $2,502,759 | $197,808 | $259,287 | $168,000 | 24 | $168,000 | $106,754 | $193,841 |
| 2020 | $2,564,697 | $153,569 | $256,046 | $176,500 | 24 | — | $74,023 | $168,247 |
| 2019 | $2,667,233 | $175,625 | $272,424 | $179,500 | 26 | — | $85,066 | $178,350 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust reported a distributable amount of $197K 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
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span education, health, environmental work, food security, and disability support. For example, King School describes its mission as preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing world, while the University of Pittsburgh describes itself as a public research university serving its home region and beyond. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank says its mission is to pursue lasting solutions to hunger and its root causes; Autism Connection of PA describes its role as providing autism support and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $189,575. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,000, with a median of $3,500. The largest grants included $30,000 each to Crafton Heights Presbyterian Church, Unity Presbyterian Church, and IUP Foundation; $15,000 each to the University of Pittsburgh and King School; and $8,000 to The Salvation Army.
Other 2025 grants included $7,825 to Windward Fund, which describes itself as providing fiscal sponsorship services to environmental projects; $5,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, whose mission is to advance cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases; and $4,000 to Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists JANET L STERLING as trustee.
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust is led by Janet L. Sterling, Trustee on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Janet L. Sterling
Trustee
On filings since 2021
24 hrs/week
$9K (2021) → $35K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jeffrey W. Sterling (2019–2021) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $35K, to Janet L Sterling (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust
How much does The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust give each year?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust gave $190K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $167K across 25 grants.
What is The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's typical grant size?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's median grant in 2025 was $3,500, and its average grant was $7,291, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust give grants?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (8%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (12 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Venetia, PA (2 grants).
Does The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's largest grantees?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Crafton Heights Presbyterian Church ($30,000), Unity Presbyterian Church ($30,000) and IUP Foundation ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $190K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $197K (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 The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span education, health, environmental work, food security, and disability support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's EIN?
The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6912465. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust 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 June 22, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-leonard-a-and-mary-jane-schafer-charitable-foundation-trust-morg_d5c7ceebfe9c49ad9066ac480566106a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_226912465_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-leonard-a-and-mary-jane-schafer-charitable-foundation-trust-morg_d5c7ceebfe9c49ad9066ac480566106a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Leonard a and Mary Jane Schafer Charitable Foundation Trust'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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