The Sherwood Foundation
The Sherwood Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, established in 1999. The foundation provides grants to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, schools, and churches serving Nebraska. The organization operates with a small staff of 2 employees and is committed to making Nebraska a more equitable place to live, work, learn, and play.
Key facts about The Sherwood Foundation
- EIN
- 47-0824755
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $296,341,131
- Grants made (2025)
- 790
- Average grant
- $375,115
- Median grant
- $90,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (172 of 503, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- First-time applicants must email info@sherwoodfoundation.org before submitting to determine grant fit. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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.
Who The Sherwood Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Sherwood Foundation's 790 itemized 2025 grants were Nebraska (90%). The most frequent recipient cities were Omaha, NE (446 grants), Lincoln, NE (120 grants), Grand Island, NE (16 grants) and Washington, DC (14 grants). 52% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Binti Support" (7 grants), "Donation of Property" (6 grants) and "Capacity Building" (4 grants).
Is The Sherwood Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 172 of 503 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $325K; repeat grants $726K. How we count
Medians: $90K first-time, $150K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Sherwood Foundation
- How to evaluate The Sherwood Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$296.3M
+15.7% YoY
Grant Count
790
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$375K
+21.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Sherwood Foundation promotes equity through social justice initiatives that enhance the quality of life in Nebraska. The foundation defines social justice as the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Economic and Community Development
- Criminal Justice
- Health
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
The foundation gives through a social justice lens, prioritizing initiatives that address unmet needs and underserved communities.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$10,000 to $25.1 million
Review Cycle
- Due dates vary by grant type
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Sherwood Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Sherwood Foundation limits grants to organizations serving Nebraska. More than half of its grants stay in the Omaha and Lincoln areas of the state. The foundation also makes grants in Iowa and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 790 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $716,342,304 (2024)
Annual Giving:
- $256,149,756 (2024)
Total Revenues:
- $653,058,726 (2024)
Total Expenses:
- $267,908,764 (2024)
Funding History: The Sherwood Foundation was established in 1999 by Susan Alice Buffett with an initial gift of $1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock. In November 2022, the foundation received an additional 300,000 Class B shares in Berkshire Hathaway stock from Warren Buffett, reinforcing its long-term sustainability.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
3,352 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Sherwood Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Buffett Early Childhood Fund ($30,189,706 across 2 grants), Omaha Community Foundation ($17,754,433 across 7 grants), Southside Redevelopment Corporation ($15,039,381 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OMAHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Omaha, NE | OMAHA NORTH STADIUM/BUTLER GAST YMCA PROJECT | $15,106,582 |
| BUFFETT EARLY CHILDHOOD FUND Omaha, NE | 2025 OPERATING GRANT | $15,100,000 |
| BUFFETT EARLY CHILDHOOD FUND Omaha, NE | 2025 OPERATING GRANT | $15,089,706 |
| SOUTHSIDE REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Omaha, NE | CNI FUNDING | $15,004,381 |
| CONSERVATION FOUNDATION OF DICKINSON COUNTY Okoboji, IA | DONATION OF PROPERTY | $10,304,734 |
| RISE ACADEMY Omaha, NE | OMAHA CAMPUS CAPITAL GRANT | $10,026,860 |
| GIRLS INCORPORATED OF OMAHA Omaha, NE | NEW SOUTH CENTER CAPITAL GRANT | $7,006,972 |
| COMMUNITY INFORMATION TRUST Omaha, NE | OMAHA CENTRAL PUBLIC LIBRARY PROJECT | $5,579,890 |
| METROPOLITAN ENTERTAINMENT & CONVENTION AUTHORITY Omaha, NE | CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION CAPITAL GRANT | $5,086,663 |
| OMAHA PARKS FOUNDATION Omaha, NE | OMAHA CENTRAL BASEBALL/BOYD PARK | $5,011,904 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Sherwood Foundation is founded and chaired by Susan "Susie" Alice Buffett, the eldest child of Warren Buffett. Susie previously worked as a teacher in Omaha and now dedicates most of her time to philanthropy, overseeing multiple foundations.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan a Buffett | Chairman | 40 | $584,955 |
| Shari Lecci | VP of Finance | 40 | $254,928 |
| Richard Putnam | Secretary & Legal Counsel | 2 | — |
| Michael Greenberg | Member | 2 | — |
| Emily Greenberg | Member | 2 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the Sherwood Foundation made significant grants including:
The Sherwood Foundation \u2013 We provide grants that help ...$24,659,375 to the University of Nebraska Foundation for the Next Project (capital/construction fund)
$15,079,480 to the Buffett Early Childhood Fund (2024 operating grant)
$15,050,216 to the Buffett Early Childhood Fund (2024 operating grant)
The foundation also donated $1.1 million for direct support to Lexington Tyson employees affected by workforce disruptions.
Sherwood Foundation donates $1.1 million for direct support for LexingtonContact Information
- Address: 808 Conagra Drive, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68102
- Phone: (402) 341-1717
- Email: info@sherwoodfoundation.org
- Website: sherwoodfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Sherwood Foundation fund?
The Sherwood Foundation promotes equity through social justice initiatives that enhance the quality of life in Nebraska. The foundation defines social justice as the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Human Services • Economic and Community Development • Criminal Justice • Health • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantm…
How do I apply for a grant from The Sherwood Foundation?
First-time applicants must email info@sherwoodfoundation.org before submitting to determine grant fit. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Sherwood Foundation make grants?
The Sherwood Foundation limits grants to organizations serving Nebraska. More than half of its grants stay in the Omaha and Lincoln areas of the state. The foundation also makes grants in Iowa and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Sherwood Foundation award?
In 2025, The Sherwood Foundation awarded 790 grants totaling $296.3M — an average of about $375K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Sherwood Foundation's EIN?
The Sherwood Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0824755. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sherwood Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.