The Sherman Family Foundation
The Sherman Family Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Southfield, Michigan. Established in 2000 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation operates as a grantmaking entity focused on supporting charitable, educational, religious, and community-based organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$278K
-39.2% YoY
Grant Count
28
-3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-37.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation funds charitable, religious, music, health care, education, assistance for people with special needs, youth, public television, food bank, elderly, and disability organizations. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Arts and creative endeavors
- Historic preservation
- Journalism
- Music
- Health care
- Youth services
- Disability services
- Religious organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
$5,000-$6,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan, California, and New York. Notable recent grants have supported institutions in Baltimore, Maryland, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11.7 million
- Total Revenue: $3.76 million
- Total Expenses: $312,313
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $8.3 million
- Total Giving: $456,000
- Total Expenses: $554,596
- Giving Rate: 5.5% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
155 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by the following board members:
- D. Larry Sherman — President/Director
- Jane Sherman — Secretary/Treasurer/Director
- David F. Sherman — Director
- Scott R. Sherman — Director
- Sylvia S. Wolf — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| D LARRY SHERMAN | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JANE SHERMAN | SECRETARY/TREASURER/DIRECT | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID F SHERMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SCOTT R SHERMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SYLVIA S WOLF | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant commitments to educational and cultural institutions:
**Baltimore Symphony Orchestra:** Awarded $5 million to build and sustain family and educational programming, including expansion of the OrchKids program
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Receives $5 Million from The Sherman Family**University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC):** Provided a $21 million gift to support PreK-12 research, teaching, and learning initiatives
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Receives $5 Million from The Sherman FamilySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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