The Shapiro Family Foundation
The Shapiro Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Brattleboro, Vermont. Its website describes a focus on refugees, internally displaced people and asylum-seekers, particularly through lawful pathways and community-driven resettlement. Its 2024 grants also went to organizations working in areas including housing, education, health care, arts and civic participation.
Key facts about The Shapiro Family Foundation
In short: The Shapiro Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), top state New Jersey. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 22-6767630
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,204,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- Average grant
- $23,618
- Median grant
- $10,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (12 of 51, 2024)
- Total assets
- $12,310,092
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.3M
+1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+30.5% YoY
Grant Count
51
-42.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
+125.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shapiro Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $639K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Shapiro Family Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 51 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 93% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 188% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 website identifies two current programmatic focus areas: partnering with governments and agencies to create lawful pathways for displaced people, and increasing community-driven resettlement in which local groups sponsor newcomers. It also describes supporting refugee self-reliance and opportunities that benefit both refugees and the communities where they resettle.
The foundation says it invests in nonprofit partners, sometimes through multi-year grants, and may work with organizational leaders and other philanthropists to identify gaps and develop solutions.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate additional kinds of organizations it supported. For example, Groundworks Collaborative says it provides emergency shelter, housing assistance and a food shelf for homeless people. Passaic County Community College says its foundation provides scholarship support for the college’s students. Theatre Adventure says it offers an inclusive theater arts program for youth and adults with a wide range of disabilities. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work, not stated foundation priorities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $1,204,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $200,000, with a median grant of $10,500.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes refugee resettlement and integration work on six continents. Its 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states and Washington, DC; the largest shares went to New Jersey (38%), Connecticut (20%), Vermont (15%), New York (11%) and Washington, DC (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 51 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $625K (2021) to $1.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Congregation B'nai Israel ($200K). Together the top 10 received $762K.
Grant Size Distribution
387 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 352 grants of 387 (91%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Congregation B'nai Israel Bridgeport, CT | Generalgeneral | $200,000 |
| Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County New Milford, NJ | General | $150,000 |
| Windham Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) Brattleboro, VT | General | $75,000 |
| Children's Therapy Center (CTC) Academy Fairlawn, NJ | General | $62,000 |
| District Alliance for Safe Housing (Dash) Washington, DC | General | $50,000 |
| Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Foundation (Ehmc) Englewood, NJ | General | $50,000 |
| Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, NY | General | $50,000 |
| Passaic County Community College Patterson, NJ | General | $50,000 |
| Groundworks Collaborative Brattleboro, VT | General | $45,000 |
| Temple Emanu-El Closter, NJ | General | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,310,092 | $1,544,688 | $1,344,869 | $1,204,500 | 51 |
| 2023 | $12,110,273 | $443,828 | $1,101,148 | $922,994 | 88 |
| 2022 | $12,767,593 | $1,405,164 | $831,490 | $711,420 | 87 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,310,092 | $12,110,273 | $12,767,593 |
| Revenue | $1,544,688 | $443,828 | $1,405,164 |
| Expenses | $1,344,869 | $1,101,148 | $831,490 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,204,500 | $950,581 | $711,420 |
| Net Investment Income | $953,390 | $298,746 | $221,697 |
| Distributable Amount | $639,088 | $533,053 | $23,364 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Diane Shamas as foundation manager and Elaine Appellof as trustee. The foundation’s website identifies Ed and Barbara Shapiro and their two adult children as the Shapiro family involved in its philanthropic work.
The Shapiro Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elaine Appellof
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Shamas
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$23K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Shirley Shapiro (2020–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $55K, to Diane Shamas (Foundation Manager).
Contact
Mailing address: 47 Fuller Drive, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Phone: (802) 579-8294
Website: https://theshapirofoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Shapiro Family Foundation
How much does The Shapiro Family Foundation give each year?
The Shapiro Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $923K across 88 grants.
What is The Shapiro Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Shapiro Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,500, and its average grant was $23,618, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Shapiro Family Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Shapiro Family Foundation give grants?
The Shapiro Family Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (20%) and Vermont (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (13 grants), Brattleboro, VT (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Englewood, NJ (2 grants).
Does The Shapiro Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 92% of The Shapiro Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (47 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Generalgeneral" (4 grants).
Who are The Shapiro Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Shapiro Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Congregation B'nai Israel ($200,000), Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County ($150,000) and Windham Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Shapiro Family Foundation?
The Shapiro Family Foundation reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $639K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Shapiro Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website identifies two current programmatic focus areas: partnering with governments and agencies to create lawful pathways for displaced people, and increasing community-driven resettlement in which local groups sponsor newcomers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Shapiro Family 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 Shapiro Family Foundation's EIN?
The Shapiro Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6767630. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Shapiro Family Foundation 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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