The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing says it has no plans for dissolution; it also reports distributions from assets other than current income during that year.
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation gave $165K across 43 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Washington. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $164,875
- +60.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 43
- +138.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,834
- -32.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $601,848
- +386.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (15 of 39, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (77% 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 Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Futurewise ($25K). Together the top 10 received $103K.
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 97 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington state. Other recipient-state shares were 9% for the District of Columbia, 4% for New York, 4% for Arizona, and 3% for Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 39 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2023–2025). 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $103K (2024) to $165K (2025). In 2025 it made 43 grants totaling $165K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Futurewise Seattle, WA | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Washington Conservation Action Education Fund Seattle, WA | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Whidbey Institute Clinton, WA | Thriving Communities program | $14,000 |
| M-Lisada Africa Foundation New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $6,000 |
| Whidbey Institute Clinton, WA | General & Unrestricted | $6,000 |
| Braided River Seattle, WA | In support of campaign for "In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations" | $5,000 |
| Cascade Bicycle Club Seattle, WA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Earth School Educational Foundation Inc Phoenix, AZ | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Evergreen Collaborative Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Islandwood Bainbridge Is, WA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reports that distributions from sources other than current income totaled $164,875. It says this amount represented 25% or more of the foundation’s net assets of $123,712 at the beginning of the 2025 taxable year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $601,848 | $691,101 | $212,965 | $164,875 | 43 | $210,765 | $215,780 | $9,898 |
| 2024 | $123,712 | $264,647 | $157,966 | $102,500 | 18 | $153,750 | $156,786 | $2,890 |
| 2023 | $17,031 | $177,454 | $160,423 | $132,000 | 36 | $160,423 | $145,001 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10K 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 include support for organizations whose stated work includes Washington land-use policy and conservation, climate-change education and policy research, environmental learning, bicycling, and advocacy for public lands. These are grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission for the foundation.
For example, Futurewise says it works to promote healthy, equitable communities and protect farmland, forests, and water resources through land-use policies and practices. Evergreen Collaborative describes its work as research and education on policies to reduce climate-change impacts. IslandWood says it provides hands-on learning intended to build environmental and community stewardship.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 43 grants totaling $164,875. Grants ranged from $500 to $25,000, with a median of $2,500.
Notable grants included $25,000 to Futurewise and $20,000 to Washington Conservation Action Education Fund, both for general and unrestricted purposes. Whidbey Institute received $14,000 for its Thriving Communities program and a separate $6,000 general and unrestricted grant. Other grants included $6,000 to M-Lisada Africa Foundation; $5,000 each to Braided River, Cascade Bicycle Club, Earth School Educational Foundation, Evergreen Collaborative, IslandWood, King County Library System Foundation, and Panorama Global; and $5,000 to Youth Service America.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ron Sher as director and president, Karen True as secretary, and David Beckerman as treasurer.
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation is led by Ron Sher, Director & President on every filing since 2023; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ron Sher
Director & President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Beckerman
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen True
Secretary
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "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 Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation
How much does The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation give each year?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation gave $165K across 43 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $103K across 18 grants.
What is The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,834, across 43 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation give grants?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (14 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), Clinton, WA (4 grants) and Langley, WA (3 grants).
Does The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 84% of The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (36 of 43) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Futurewise ($25,000), Whidbey Institute ($21,000 across 3 grants) and Washington Conservation Action Education Fund ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation reported $602K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $211K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $10K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work includes Washington land-use policy and conservation, climate-change education and policy research, environmental learning, bicycling, and advocacy for public lands. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's EIN?
The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-2765467. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Does The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Live grants for the work The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ron-and-eva-maria-sher-foundation-morg_0511b4e040f0454d8326af42a1cb6d1c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_922765467_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ron and Eva-Maria Sher Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ron-and-eva-maria-sher-foundation-morg_0511b4e040f0454d8326af42a1cb6d1c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Ron and Eva-Maria Sher 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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