The Shen Family Foundation

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA EIN: 22-6627837 Website

The Shen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Charlottesville, Virginia, established in 1994. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on supporting arts and culture, education, and health initiatives across the United States.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.6M

-9.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.2M

+13.2% YoY

Grant Count

+12.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$44K

+1.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $656K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including:

Arts and Culture

Performing arts
Theater
Musical theater

Education

Higher education

Health

In-patient medical care
Hospital care
Specialty hospital care
Cancer-related issues

Grantmaking

The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. In 2023, the foundation made 29 grants totaling approximately $1.1 million in expenses.

Ready to take the next step with The Shen Family Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. states, with documented funding activity in Alabama, California, Connecticut, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $5.2M (87%)

New Jersey $303K (5%)

Connecticut $285K (5%)

California $75K (1%)

District of Columbia $50K (1%)

Alabama $40K (1%)

Minnesota $22K (0%)

Massachusetts $10K (0%)

States

Alabama California Connecticut District of Columbia Massachusetts Minnesota New Jersey New York

Cities

AnnandaleonhudsonBobbs FerryBronxBrooklynMinneapolisMontgomeryNew BrunswickNew HavenNew YorkPalm SpringsPittsfieldPrincetonRidgefieldSag HarborSan DiegoTivoliWashingtonWaterford

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2023:

Total Assets: $10,662,358
Total Revenues: $90,104
Total Expenses: $1,119,694
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue Breakdown (2023):

Grants and contributions: $384,178
Investment income and dividends: $322,048

The foundation is supported by the Shen Family 2003 Charitable Lead Annuity Trust.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$9,642,830	$10,662,358	$11,691,948
Revenue	$605,748	$90,104	$608,694
Expenses	$1,270,276	$1,119,694	$1,275,806
Qualifying Distributions	$1,230,835	$1,087,492	$1,244,350
Net Investment Income	$572,057	$290,053	$272,099
Distributable Amount	$656,036	$601,029	$630,470

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

122 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include New York City Ballet ($350,000), Brooklyn Institute of Arts ($186,250), Ballet Society Inc ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALABAMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL MONTGOMERY, AL	GENERAL	$25,000
BALLET SOCIETY INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$100,000
BALLET THEATRE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$70,000
BAY STREET THEATRE FESTIVAL INC SAG HARBOR, NY	GENERAL	$6,085
BRIC BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL	$2,500
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL	$2,500
BROOKLYN INSTITUTE OF ARTS BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL	$186,250
CITY SQUASH BRONX, NY	GENERAL	$2,500
CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$15,000
GREEN-WOOD HISTORIC FUND BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL	$35,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is managed by trustees Theodore P. Shen and Carla Shen, both of whom serve without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
THEODORE P SHEN	TRUSTEE	0.1	—
CARLA SHEN	TRUSTEE	0.1	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Shen Family Foundation fund?

The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including: **Arts and Culture** • Performing arts • Theater • Musical theater **Education** • Higher education **Health** • In-patient medical care • Hospital care • Specialty hospital care • Cancer-related issues

How do I apply for a grant from The Shen Family Foundation?

The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. In 2023, the foundation made 29 grants totaling approximately $1.1 million in expenses. **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • New York City Ballet: $250,000 • Brooklyn Museum: $157,000 • Princeton Ballet Society: $60,000 The foundation has funded projects in multiple states including Alabama, California, Connecticut, and New York, with grantees located in cities such as Annandale-on-Hudson, Bronx, Brooklyn, Minneapolis, and Ne…

Where does The Shen Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. states, with documented funding activity in Alabama, California, Connecticut, and New York.

What size grants does The Shen Family Foundation award?

In 2024, The Shen Family Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Shen Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Shen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $656K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.