The OShea Foundation
The O'Shea Foundation is a private, charitable family foundation established in 1958 by John P. and Carole O'Shea, both native Californians. The foundation is located in Hillsborough, California and operates as an independent foundation with a focus on supporting community-based organizations engaged in education and social outreach.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.8M
-3.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$377K
-19.1% YoY
Grant Count
25
+4.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-22.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The OShea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $476K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to assist community-based organizations engaged in the work of education and social outreach. The foundation has a particular interest in contributing financially to faith-based independent educational institutions whose focus lies in educating students from disadvantaged and underserved communities.
The foundation's objective is to join in partnership with grantees to provide meaningful contributions to their ongoing work.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,793,417 | $6,022,260 | $6,230,158 |
| Revenue | $241,593 | $339,812 | $452,629 |
| Expenses | $470,436 | $547,710 | $517,721 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $383,160 | $478,300 | $443,200 |
| Net Investment Income | $155,317 | $270,402 | $394,392 |
| Distributable Amount | $475,646 | $420,355 | $442,241 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include De Marillac Academy ($72,550), St Peter School ($52,500), ICA Cristo Rey Academy ($45,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel Merritt College Oakland, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $2,500 |
| De Marillac Academy San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $72,550 |
| Mercy Housing of California San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $10,000 |
| St Anthony Foundation San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $18,000 |
| St Mary's High School Berkeley, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $2,500 |
| St Peter School San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $52,500 |
| St Vincent de Paul - San Francisco San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community. | $35,000 |
| St Mary's College Moraga, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community | $5,000 |
| ICA Cristo Rey Academy San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community | $45,000 |
| Homeless Prenatal Program San Francisco, CA | To further charitable purposes in the community | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founders:
- John P. O'Shea (1894-1973)
- Carole O'Shea (1896-2000)
The foundation's assets grew substantially following the death of Carole O'Shea in 2000, when she was 104 years old.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shealagh Meehan | Co-President | 2 | — |
| Molly Meehan | Director | 2 | — |
| Georgia Johnson | Director | 2 | — |
| Samantha Silvia Geno | Director | 2 | — |
| Alicia Donahue | Co-President | 2 | — |
| EJ Silvia | Director | 2 | — |
| Jane Meehan | Director | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1005 Jackling Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
Telephone: 415-983-0500
EIN: 94-6084555
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The OShea Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to assist community-based organizations engaged in the work of education and social outreach. The foundation has a particular interest in contributing financially to faith-based independent educational institutions whose focus lies in educating students from disadvantaged and underserved communities. The foundation's objective is to join in partnership with grantees to provide meaningful contributions to their ongoing work.
What size grants does The OShea Foundation award?
In 2024, The OShea Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $377K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The OShea Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The OShea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $476K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The OShea Foundation's EIN?
The OShea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6084555. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The OShea Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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