The Shepherd Foundation Ltd
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd is a public charity based in Potomac, Maryland. It provides tuition assistance through Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington for families who need financial aid to send their children to Catholic elementary and high schools.
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd at a glance
In short: The Shepherd Foundation Ltd gave $405K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $404,500
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +3.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,483
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $11,250
- Total assets
- $2,068,103
- +33.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Maryland (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Shepherd Foundation Ltd
- How to Apply
-
Parents and guardians seeking tuition assistance should contact their child’s school principal or administrator. The foundation says the school evaluates eligibility and selects recipients.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 59083, Potomac, MD 20854
Phone: (202) 352-2048
Website: https://theshepherdfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Shepherd Foundation Ltd funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gonzaga College High School ($25K). Together the top 10 received $136K.
Organizations only. It also paid 20 individual scholarships ($268,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 85 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports Catholic elementary and high schools in the Archdiocese of Washington. In 2025, 78% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 22% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $341K (2023) to $701K (2020). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $405K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 20 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $268,500 |
| Gonzaga College High School Washington, DC | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $25,000 |
| The Academy of the Holy Cross Kensington, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $23,000 |
| Connelly School of the Holy Child Potomac, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $15,000 |
| Georgetown Preparatory School North Bethesda, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $14,500 |
| San Miguel School Washington, DC | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $14,000 |
| Saint Elizabeth School Rockville, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $10,500 |
| The Heights High School Potomac, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $10,500 |
| Saint Bartholomew School Bethesda, MD | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $10,000 |
| Blessed Sacrament School Washington, DC | Tuition assistance for catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,068,103 | $1,079,941 | $674,585 | $404,500 | 30 | $105,918 |
| 2024 | $1,550,688 | $1,064,933 | $1,057,543 | $379,500 | 29 | $103,197 |
| 2023 | $564,068 | $474,177 | $443,384 | $340,750 | 26 | $49,785 |
| 2022 | $533,275 | $588,888 | $680,749 | $676,450 | Total only | $73,203 |
| 2021 | $625,136 | $559,702 | $633,481 | $632,988 | Total only | $53,463 |
| 2020 | $698,915 | $527,378 | $707,936 | $701,310 | Total only | $65,241 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide tuition assistance for Catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid. Its website says students may be Catholic or non-Catholic, and that the foundation works with local Catholic schools to identify students who need tuition help. It describes its assistance as the “last piece” after a family has contributed what it can and the school has awarded its financial aid.
Grants are made to schools to support tuition assistance. Among its 2025 grantees, an individual recipient High School describes its mission as providing Catholic education to young people in the Archdiocese of Washington and serving a diverse student population. The Heights Inc. describes itself as a private, independent preparatory school for boys in grades three through twelve.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $404,500. Grants ranged from $5,500 to $42,000, with a median of $11,250. The largest grants included $42,000 to Saint John’s College High School, $25,000 to Gonzaga College High School, and $23,000 each to an individual recipient High School and The Academy of the Holy Cross.
Other notable 2025 grants included $18,000 to an individual recipient Pallotti High School; $17,000 to an individual recipient Preparatory School; $16,000 each to an individual recipient High School and an individual recipient School; $15,500 to an individual recipient High School; and $15,000 each to Connelly School of the Holy Child and an individual recipient High School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Y. Durante as chair, Brian Ridgway as vice chairman, David Giulieri as finance chairman, Dan Kerns as scholarship chairman, and Terri Smith as governance chairman. It also lists Monsignor John J. Enzler and Richard Sullivan Sr. as founders and directors, along with Carolyn Ridgway, Catherine Young, and Father Mark Smith as directors.
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd is led by Elizabeth Y. Durante, Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 20 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Y. Durante
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terri Smith
Governance Chairman
Director → Governance Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Kerns
Scholarship Chairman
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Giulieri
Finance Chairman
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Ridgway
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Howard
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monsignor John J. Enzler
Founder & Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
Director → Founder & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter J. Farrell
Director
Officer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William R. Slater III
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Young
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Father Mark Smith
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Quirk
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Ridgway
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nelda Harris
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phil Robey
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Sullivan Jr.
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Sullivan Sr.
Founder & Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Theresa Pierce
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tierney Rowan Gordon
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Ridgway
Vice Chairman
President → Chairman, 2024
Chairman → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Edward Quinn Jr. (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: John C. McHugh (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Kathleen McCormick (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Lisa Ridgway Slater (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Rick Sullivan Jr. (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Ryan Sullivan (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Dave Giulieri (2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Ridgway (2024) — Director
- Former: Daniel Anastasi (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Shepherd Foundation Ltd
How much does The Shepherd Foundation Ltd give each year?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd gave $405K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $380K across 29 grants.
What is The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2025 was $11,250, and its average grant was $13,483, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Shepherd Foundation Ltd give grants?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd gives mostly in Maryland: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants) and Potomac, MD (2 grants).
Does The Shepherd Foundation Ltd give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's largest 2025 grantees include Gonzaga College High School ($25,000), The Academy of the Holy Cross ($23,000) and Connelly School of the Holy Child ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 20 individual scholarships ($268,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Shepherd Foundation Ltd?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.1M.
What does The Shepherd Foundation Ltd fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide tuition assistance for Catholic high school and grade school students who require financial aid. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Shepherd Foundation Ltd?
Parents and guardians seeking tuition assistance should contact their child’s school principal or administrator. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's EIN?
The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1613402. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Shepherd Foundation Ltd funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Shepherd Foundation Ltd's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Shepherd Foundation Ltd funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-shepherd-foundation-ltd-morg_9c6c98349e344f128c56523379fdcb8d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521613402_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Shepherd Foundation Ltd funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-shepherd-foundation-ltd-morg_9c6c98349e344f128c56523379fdcb8d},
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 Shepherd Foundation Ltd'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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