The Shores Foundation
The Shores Foundation is a private foundation, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $17.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $923K. Net investment income was $1.4M.
The Shores Foundation at a glance
In short: The Shores Foundation gave $923K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $231K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $923,104
- +53.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- -50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $230,776
- +207.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $166,552
- Total assets
- $17,564,721
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Shores Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The City ($575K). Together the top 4 received $923K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 34 (41%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Shores Foundation gives
- Giving grew 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $420K (2021) to $1.2M (2023). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $923K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The City New York, NY | Achieve Charitable Purpose | $575,000 |
| Tate Americas Foundation New York, NY | Achieve Charitable Purpose | $183,104 |
| Friends of the High Line New York, NY | Achieve Charitable Purpose | $150,000 |
| MIT Cambridge, MA | Achieve Charitable Purpose | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,564,721 | $1,494,755 | $1,067,910 | $923,104 | 4 | $928,605 | $1,413,966 | $1,042,749 |
| 2024 | $17,237,876 | $1,274,192 | $718,007 | $601,000 | 8 | $606,062 | $1,168,691 | $975,517 |
| 2023 | $16,581,691 | $908,882 | $1,277,406 | $1,218,334 | 12 | $1,222,484 | $829,558 | $882,323 |
| 2022 | $16,950,965 | $535,374 | $840,090 | $722,000 | 6 | $728,250 | $449,038 | $911,335 |
| 2021 | $17,251,959 | $1,464,771 | $528,970 | $420,000 | 4 | $556,750 | $1,248,934 | $1,142,975 |
| 2020 | $16,348,928 | $3,136,505 | $722,262 | $630,000 | 8 | — | $1,186,219 | $828,203 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shores Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Shores Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Jamie Alter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael L. Ryan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Shores Foundation
How much does The Shores Foundation give each year?
The Shores Foundation gave $923K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $601K across 8 grants.
What is The Shores Foundation's typical grant size?
The Shores Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $166,552, and its average grant was $230,776, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Shores Foundation give grants?
The Shores Foundation gives mostly in New York: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
How large is The Shores Foundation?
The Shores Foundation reported $17.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $929K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (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 is The Shores Foundation's EIN?
The Shores Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7159068. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Shores Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Shores Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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