William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation
The William and Gertrude Shelley Family is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports 20 grants totaling $150,000 to charitable organizations.
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation at a glance
In short: William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation gave $150K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), top state Vermont. 15% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $150,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,500
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,134,527
- +2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (3 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (41% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: Day Pitney One Federal St 29Th F, Boston, MA 02110
Phone: (617) 345-4766
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Camp Takumta ($25K). Together the top 10 received $120K.
Grant Size Distribution
104 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 104 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. Vermont received the largest share of grant dollars, at 41%, followed by Massachusetts at 14%, Arizona at 13%, California at 10%, and Florida at 7%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 20 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2019) to $150K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $150K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Takumta South Hero, VT | General Support | $25,000 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston, MA | General Support | $20,000 |
| Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Scottsdale, AZ | General Support | $20,000 |
| Preeclampsia Foundation Melbourne, FL | General Support | $10,000 |
| Aunt Dot's Place Essex Junction, VT | General Support | $10,000 |
| The Merrymac Farm Sanctuary Charlotte, VT | General Support | $10,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Children's Literacy Foundation Waterbury, VT | General Support | $5,000 |
| March of Dimes Arlington, VA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Friends of Orange County's Homeless Pets Menifee, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
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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 | $3,134,527 | $278,013 | $200,746 | $150,000 | 20 | $159,413 | $259,990 | $147,458 |
| 2024 | $3,056,904 | $890,257 | $169,491 | $150,000 | 20 | $157,564 | $878,159 | $134,878 |
| 2023 | $2,335,142 | $72,028 | $171,016 | $150,000 | 20 | $150,000 | $79,428 | $138,603 |
| 2022 | $2,436,053 | $134,136 | $171,863 | $150,000 | 20 | $158,152 | $121,802 | $146,179 |
| 2021 | $2,479,722 | $125,024 | $173,161 | $150,000 | 24 | $159,144 | $112,716 | $161,056 |
| 2020 | $2,527,859 | $95,268 | $174,198 | $150,000 | 23 | — | $81,715 | $144,833 |
| 2019 | $2,605,789 | $84,417 | $175,284 | $150,000 | 26 | — | $70,765 | $149,939 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $147K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including arts and culture, animal welfare, health, family support, and literacy. For example, Aunt Dot’s Place describes its work as providing food, personal care items, and community resource guidance to local individuals and families. The Children’s Literacy Foundation says it nurtures reading and writing among under-resourced children in New Hampshire and Vermont. The Preeclampsia Foundation describes its mission as reducing illness and death among mothers and infants related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 20 grants totaling $150,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest reported grants included $25,000 to Camp Takumta; $20,000 each to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation; and $10,000 each to the Preeclampsia Foundation, Aunt Dot’s Place, The Merrymac Farm Sanctuary, and the University of Washington Foundation. Other reported grants included $5,000 each to the Children’s Literacy Foundation, March of Dimes, Friends of Orange County’s Homeless Pets, Laura’s House, and Live Love Animal Rescue. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general support or general purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following trustees: William F Shelley Jr, Laurence M Netherton, Peter M Shapland, Leiha Macauley, Joan C Shelley, Elizabeth Shelley, and Bradford Netherton.
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 7 officers; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Peter M. Shapland
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William F. Shelley Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bradford Netherton
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Shelley
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan C. Shelley
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laurence M. Netherton
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leiha Macauley
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Cynthia A. Netherton (2019–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation
How much does William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation give each year?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation gave $150K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $150K across 20 grants.
What is William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's typical grant size?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,500, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation give grants?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's top state is Vermont, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (14%) and Arizona (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's largest grantees?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Camp Takumta ($25,000), Museum of Fine Arts ($20,000) and Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $159K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $147K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including arts and culture, animal welfare, health, family support, and literacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's EIN?
William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2152884. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does William and Gertrude Shelley 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.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 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 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-gertrude-shelley-family-foundation-morg_6c45e212c9a04efea5c394307e196692
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_462152884_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-gertrude-shelley-family-foundation-morg_6c45e212c9a04efea5c394307e196692},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from William and Gertrude Shelley Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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