The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation is a private foundation based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It supports Jewish and non-Jewish charitable organizations, focusing on smaller organizations where its funding can make a meaningful impact.
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation gave $2.5M across 148 grants in 2025 (avg $17K), mostly in Oklahoma. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,481,021
- +21.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 148
- -9.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,764
- +34.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $16,147,617
- -7.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (20 of 121, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (83% 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 Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Review Cycle
- April 1 for the June meeting and September 1 for the November meeting. The guidelines say applications must be received by the deadline and that late applications are not accepted.
- Deadline
- April 1 for the June meeting and September 1 for the November meeting.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3336 E 32Nd Street Suite Ste 106, Tulsa, OK 74135
Website: https://sifrankfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Zarrow Pointe ($350K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
797 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 786 grants of 797 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it funds only IRS Section 501(c)(3) organizations based in the an individual recipient area, with preference for the City of Tulsa, and provides limited funding in Israel. It describes its limited Israel funding as generally supporting organizations there with annual budgets of $1,000,000 or less. In 2025, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oklahoma; the listed shares also included New York (10%), Illinois (2%), California (1%), and Maryland (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 148 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 121 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 237% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2023) to $2.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 148 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temple Israel Tulsa, OK | Nextdoor Capital Campaign | $250,000 |
| Zarrow Pointe Tulsa, OK | Phase One Capital Campaign | $250,000 |
| The City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma Tulsa, OK | Capital Campaign for City Lights Village | $100,000 |
| Zarrow Pointe Tulsa, OK | Phase One Capital Campaign Challenge Grant | $75,021 |
| Tulsa Area United Way Tulsa, OK | Operations | $50,000 |
| Youth Services of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | Housing Services | $45,000 |
| Mental Health Association Oklahoma Tulsa, OK | Operations | $40,000 |
| Kipp Tulsa Academy College Preparatory Tulsa, OK | Operations | $35,000 |
| New Workforce Directions Inc DBA Madison Strateg Tulsa, OK | Operations | $35,000 |
| 1ST Step Male Diversion Program Inc Tulsa, OK | Operations | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sharna and Irvin Frank 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 | $16,147,617 | $1,614,906 | $2,873,302 | $2,481,021 | 148 | $2,706,836 | $1,465,858 | $1,140,380 |
| 2024 | $17,421,501 | $1,101,563 | $2,425,655 | $2,043,150 | 164 | $2,264,616 | $954,704 | $1,129,644 |
| 2023 | $18,772,557 | $723,294 | $2,292,598 | $1,914,287 | 158 | $2,140,282 | $570,978 | $1,122,732 |
| 2022 | $20,309,324 | $1,351,759 | $2,464,521 | $2,026,700 | 166 | $2,242,882 | $1,160,841 | $1,344,190 |
| 2021 | $21,413,868 | $3,036,734 | $2,386,955 | $1,957,000 | 161 | — | $2,845,540 | $1,321,400 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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
The foundation was established to continue the lifelong philanthropy of its founders. Its stated areas of support are social services for people living in poverty, including those with physical or mental health challenges; K–12 and afterschool education for at-risk youth; non-hospital health care for people in poverty, including mental health and crisis intervention; and limited support for arts organizations.
Its 2025 grantees included organizations serving varied needs. For example, Youth Services of Tulsa describes its work as supporting young people and their families, while Iron Gate says it feeds Tulsa’s hungry and homeless through community meals and food pantries. Emergency Infant Services says it provides supplies such as formula, diapers, and clothing to children and babies whose families are in financial crisis.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 148 grants totaling $2,481,021. Grants ranged from $180 to $250,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest were $250,000 to Temple Israel for its NextDoor capital campaign and $250,000 to Zarrow Pointe for its Phase One capital campaign. Other awards included $100,000 to The City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma for the City Lights Village capital campaign, $50,000 to Tulsa Area United Way for operations, and $45,000 to Youth Services of Tulsa for housing services.
The foundation’s website says trustees meet in June and November to consider applications. First-time applicants, and organizations that have not received a grant within the previous two calendar years, must seek prior approval by submitting a one-page letter of inquiry with organizational background and the organization’s total annual budget. Applications require a one-page cover letter, a proposal of no more than two pages, a one-page board list, a one-page program budget, and financial statements specified in the guidelines. The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists May Sheehan as president and treasurer; Jacob Howland as vice president, secretary, and trustee; and Jon Stolper, Sanford Cardin, and David Finer as trustees. The foundation’s trustee listing also identifies May Sheehan as president, and lists Sanford R. Cardin, Dr. Jacob Howland, Jon Stolper, and David Finer as trustees. Lori Frank, Julie Frank, and Bradley Frank are listed as advisory trustees.
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation is led by May Sheehan, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
May Sheehan
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
28 hrs/week
$110K (2021) → $131K (2025)
David Finer
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Howland
Vice President, Secrtary & Trustee
Trustee → Vice President, Secrtary & Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Stolper
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sanford Cardin
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Coleman Robison (2021) — V. President, Secretary & Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $131K, to May Sheehan (President / Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation
How much does The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation give each year?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation gave $2.5M across 148 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.0M across 164 grants.
What is The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,764, across 148 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation give grants?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tulsa, OK (97 grants), New York, NY (19 grants), New Orleans, LA (6 grants) and Northbrook, IL (3 grants).
Does The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 148 grants with a stated purpose on The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (79 grants), "Tulsa Operations" (10 grants) and "Operations (Final Grant)" (5 grants).
Who are The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Zarrow Pointe ($350,021 across 3 grants), Temple Israel ($277,500 across 5 grants) and PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc ($145,000 across 10 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation reported $16.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation fund?
The foundation was established to continue the lifelong philanthropy of its founders. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check sifrankfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's EIN?
The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1503704. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Sharna and Irvin Frank 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 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sharna-and-irvin-frank-foundation-morg_708a30c441e044fda933164bdf9a43bb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_731503704_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sharna-and-irvin-frank-foundation-morg_708a30c441e044fda933164bdf9a43bb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Sharna and Irvin Frank 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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