The Sheppard Foundation
The Sheppard Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1984 and based in Darien, Connecticut. The foundation operates as a charitable organization focused on supporting nonprofit work across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-43.4% YoY
Grant Count
4
-76.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$279K
+140.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sheppard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants with typical award sizes ranging from $4,000 to $1,215,112. Based on the most recent filing, the foundation distributed $1,117,060 in total giving.
Ready to take the next step with The Sheppard Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking toward organizations in:
- Missouri
- Georgia
- Connecticut
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Filing (2024):
- Total Assets: $0
- Total Giving: $1,117,060
The foundation has filed a final return as of 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $1,082,991 | $2,902,981 |
| Revenue | $43,044 | $160,554 | $271,013 |
| Expenses | $1,126,035 | $1,980,544 | $335,075 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,117,060 | $1,975,244 | $325,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $39,997 | $160,554 | $123,908 |
| Distributable Amount | $53,835 | $144,143 | $274,071 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The John & Lynn Sheppard Family Fd ($850,191), The John & Lynn Sheppard Family Fd ($206,869), American Red Cross ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS FARMINGTON, CT | CHARITABLE | $50,000 |
| THE JOHN & LYNN SHEPPARD FAMILY FD ST LOUIS, MO | CHARITABLE | $850,191 |
| THE JOHN & LYNN SHEPPARD FAMILY FD ST LOUIS, MO | CHARITABLE | $206,869 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH GEORG THOMASVILLE, GA | CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN W SHEPPARD JR | MANAGING TRU | — | — |
| J WADE SHEPPARD III | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ANN S MORES | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 10 Davis Lane Darien, CT 06820-6229 United States
EIN: 22-6388719
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Sheppard Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from The Sheppard Foundation?
The foundation makes grants with typical award sizes ranging from $4,000 to $1,215,112. Based on the most recent filing, the foundation distributed $1,117,060 in total giving.
Where does The Sheppard Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily directs its grantmaking toward organizations in: • Missouri • Georgia • Connecticut
What size grants does The Sheppard Foundation award?
In 2024, The Sheppard Foundation awarded 4 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $279K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Sheppard Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sheppard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Sheppard Foundation's EIN?
The Sheppard Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6388719. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sheppard Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Ge Aerospace Foundation
NORWALK, CT
Assets
$22.5M
Grants
2,467
Total Given
$15.3M
T Rowe Price Program for Charitable
BALTIMORE, MD
Assets
$648.3M
Grants
2,900
Total Given
$132.5M
The Chicago Community Trust
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
Impactassetsinc
BETHESDA, MD
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
2,733
Total Given
$580.1M
Verizon Foundation
BASKING RIDGE, NJ
Assets
$23.8M
Grants
5,464
Total Given
$7.0M
Dayton Foundation Depository
DAYTON, OH
Assets
$43.0M
Grants
633
Total Given
$20.5M
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
More Funders in Connecticut
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.