The Sherman Family Foundation
The Sherman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Southfield, Michigan. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in education, youth and family services, Jewish and religious life, music, health care, and other charitable activities.
Key facts about The Sherman Family Foundation
In short: The Sherman Family Foundation gave $278K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Michigan. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 38-3505951
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $277,667
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $9,917
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (5 of 28, 2024)
- Total assets
- $11,748,367
- Primary geography
- Michigan (55% 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 October 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
$11.7M
+41.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$278K
-39.2% YoY
Grant Count
28
-3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-37.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sherman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $589K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Sherman Family Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 28 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 36% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 48% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for educational, youth, cultural, health-care, and charitable organizations. For example, Hillel Day School of Metro Detroit says it provides Hebrew and Jewish instruction alongside general studies for kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as early-childhood programs. Brilliant Detroit says it helps families and neighborhoods by supporting school readiness for children ages 0–5 and family health and stability. Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic says it provides classical music and funding for charitable purposes and scholarships.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $277,667 in 2024. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $55,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest were $55,000 to Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit for its annual campaign and challenge; $50,000 to American Israel Education Foundation for education; $33,500 to Hillel Day School of Metro Detroit for youth; and $30,000 to Brilliant Detroit for charitable purposes. Other 2024 grants included $10,000 each to Israel Guide Dog Center, Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, and University of Michigan Hillel.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 20% to recipients in Washington, DC, 13% to California, 6% to New York, and 4% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $278K (2024) to $456K (2023). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $278K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit ($55K). Together the top 10 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 155 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit Bloomfield Hills, MI | Annual Campaign, Challenge | $55,000 |
| American Israel Education Foundation Washington, DC | Education | $50,000 |
| Hillel Day School of Metro Detroit Farmington Hills, MI | YOUTH | $33,500 |
| Brilliant Detroit Detroit, MI | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Israel Guide Dog Center Warrington, PA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Rancho Mirage Writers Festival Rancho Mirage, CA | Religious | $10,000 |
| University of Michigan Hillel Ann Arbor, MI | Education | $10,000 |
| Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic Palm Desert, CA | MUSIC | $8,167 |
| Desert Community Foundation Palm Desert, CA | Charitable | $7,500 |
| Eisenhower Health Foundation Rancho Mirage, CA | Health Care | $6,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $277,667 | 28 |
| 2023 | $456,460 | 29 |
| 2022 | $404,600 | 33 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,748,367 | $8,301,482 | $8,552,548 |
| Revenue | $3,758,933 | $303,570 | $439,140 |
| Expenses | $312,313 | $554,596 | $461,691 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $284,831 | $480,669 | $410,418 |
| Net Investment Income | $274,602 | $270,941 | $318,924 |
| Distributable Amount | $589,252 | $368,825 | $372,261 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists D Larry Sherman as president/director; Jane Sherman as secretary/treasurer/director; and David F Sherman, Scott R Sherman, and Sylvia S Wolf as directors.
The Sherman Family Foundation is led by D. Larry Sherman, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
D. Larry Sherman
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David F. Sherman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane Sherman
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott R. Sherman
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvia S. Wolf
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: Two Towne Square Suite 900, Southfield, MI 48076
Phone: (248) 415-4000
Frequently asked questions about The Sherman Family Foundation
How much does The Sherman Family Foundation give each year?
The Sherman Family Foundation gave $278K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $456K across 29 grants.
What is The Sherman Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sherman Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,917, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sherman Family Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does The Sherman Family Foundation give grants?
The Sherman Family Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (20%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Farmington Hills, MI (3 grants), Palm Desert, CA (3 grants) and Rancho Mirage, CA (3 grants).
Does The Sherman Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Sherman Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (13 grants), "Education" (4 grants) and "Religious" (3 grants).
Who are The Sherman Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sherman Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit ($55,000), American Israel Education Foundation ($50,000) and Hillel Day School of Metro Detroit ($33,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Sherman Family Foundation?
The Sherman Family Foundation reported $11.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $285K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $589K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Sherman Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for educational, youth, cultural, health-care, and charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sherman 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 Sherman Family Foundation's EIN?
The Sherman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3505951. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Sherman Family 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.
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