Wilson Sheehan Foundation
The Wilson Sheehan Foundation is a private foundation based in Springfield, Ohio. Founded by Chris and Lorraine (Sheehan) Wilson, it supports organizations working to prevent and alleviate poverty, with a focus on education, economic mobility, and thriving families and children.
Wilson Sheehan Foundation at a glance
In short: Wilson Sheehan Foundation gave $10.7M across 79 grants in 2025 (avg $136K), top state Indiana. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,706,306
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 79
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $135,523
- -5.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $37,500
- Total assets
- $65,686,603
- +10.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (34 of 79, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (40% 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 Wilson Sheehan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests from organizations classified as tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3), provided the organization and project align with its priorities. First-time applicants begin through the online grant portal; those seeking $10,000 or less use the streamlined process, while requests above $10,000 use the first-time applicant process. The Foundation says a Letter of Inquiry is not required. Its stated application materials include, at a minimum, a current audited financial statement and a copy of the organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) acceptance letter. Returning grantees are asked to submit the previous grant’s annual report before a new request is considered.
- Review Cycle
- The Foundation accepts applications year-round and has no defined grant-cycle deadlines.
- Deadline
- The Foundation accepts applications year-round and has no defined grant-cycle deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Maureen Massaro
Mailing address: PO Box 3085, Springfield, OH 45501
Phone: (937) 244-7449
Website: https://wilsonsheehan.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wilson Sheehan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Notre Dame ($4.0M). Together the top 10 received $7.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
345 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 197 grants of 345 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in Springfield, Ohio. In filing year 2025, recipient-state shares of grant dollars were Indiana 40%, Ohio 16%, Pennsylvania 12%, Washington 5%, and New York 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 79 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wilson Sheehan Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 34 of 79 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $201K. How we count
Medians: $34K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 44% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 292% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.4M (2020) to $11.0M (2024). In 2025 it made 79 grants totaling $10.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Endowment of Excellence | $4,000,000 |
| The Drexel Funds (DBA the Drexel Fund) Philadelphia, PA | Multiple Schools Grant, Operations 2024-27 | $1,275,635 |
| World Vision Federal Way, WA | Zambia Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) | $500,000 |
| Modern Classrooms Project Washington, DC | Scaling Curriculum-Embedded Solutions | $333,334 |
| Per Scholas Columbus, OH | Building Capabilities to Scale Employer Partnerships | $333,333 |
| Rocking Horse Community Health Center Springfield, OH | James E. Sheehan Health Bus | $315,533 |
| Corner to Corner Nashville, TN | The Academy: Invitation into Sustaining Partnership | $300,000 |
| Partnership Schools New York, NY | Expanding the impact of partnership schools in cleveland and beyond | $300,000 |
| Catholic Charities USA Alexandria, VA | Lifting New Mothers Out of Poverty | $207,573 |
| Cristo Rey Network Chicago, IL | University Partners: Maximizing Impact | $190,881 |
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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 | $65,686,603 | $17,743,530 | $8,423,545 | $10,706,306 | 79 | $11,195,511 | $15,577,895 | $3,836,913 |
| 2024 | $59,701,254 | $9,463,097 | $6,576,807 | $10,999,027 | 77 | $11,485,780 | $4,348,958 | $3,580,102 |
| 2023 | $63,234,860 | $18,076,267 | $8,860,924 | $10,831,202 | 64 | $11,250,500 | $9,565,470 | $3,133,021 |
| 2022 | $57,339,515 | $15,119,930 | $28,311,819 | $9,066,812 | 66 | $9,582,521 | $11,495,675 | $3,491,676 |
| 2021 | $52,363,405 | $16,034,247 | $10,005,735 | $8,578,034 | 59 | — | $5,428,991 | $3,121,160 |
| 2020 | $45,915,392 | $9,590,147 | $4,634,255 | $3,366,711 | 54 | — | $3,802,400 | $2,408,676 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wilson Sheehan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M 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
The Foundation’s mission is to expand opportunity by investing in organizations that help prevent and alleviate poverty, focusing on education, economic mobility, and thriving families and children.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of work within those areas. Per Scholas describes its work as advancing economic mobility through technology training, professional development, and employer connections. Cristo Rey Network says it provides career-focused, college-preparatory education for students with limited economic resources. The Oaks Academy describes its mission as providing a Christ-centered, classical education to children from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Rocking Horse Community Health Center operates the Foundation-conceived James E. Sheehan Health Bus, which brings primary care to underserved neighborhoods in Springfield, Ohio.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation awarded 79 grants totaling $10,706,306. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $4,000,000, with a median of $37,500.
Among its largest reported 2025 grants were $4,000,000 to the University of Notre Dame for an endowment of excellence; $1,275,635 to The Drexel Fund for a multiple-schools grant and operations for 2024–27; $500,000 to World Vision for water, sanitation, and hygiene work in Zambia; and $333,334 to Modern Classrooms Project for scaling curriculum-embedded solutions. Other substantial grants included $333,333 to Per Scholas for building capacity to scale employer partnerships and $315,533 to Rocking Horse Community Health Center for the James E. Sheehan Health Bus.
The Foundation generally does not consider requests for individual scholarships, mass funding appeals, sponsorships, advertising for fundraising events, emergency relief, or non-domestic projects and programs. It does not fund individuals or political campaigns and activities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher E. Wilson and Lorraine Wilson as trustees and Maureen S. Massaro as executive director. The Foundation identifies Chris and Lorraine (Sheehan) Wilson as its founders.
Wilson Sheehan Foundation is led by Maureen S. Massaro, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Maureen S. Massaro
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$194K (2020) → $219K (2025)
Christopher E. Wilson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lorraine Wilson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $219K, to Maureen S Massaro (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Sheehan Foundation
How much does Wilson Sheehan Foundation give each year?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation gave $10.7M across 79 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $11.0M across 77 grants.
What is Wilson Sheehan Foundation's typical grant size?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $37,500, and its average grant was $135,523, across 79 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wilson Sheehan Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does Wilson Sheehan Foundation give grants?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation's top state is Indiana, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Ohio (16%) and Pennsylvania (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Springfield, OH (22 grants), Columbus, OH (6 grants), Dayton, OH (5 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).
Does Wilson Sheehan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 11% of Wilson Sheehan Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 79) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Wilson Sheehan Foundation's largest grantees?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Notre Dame ($4,000,000), The Drexel Funds (DBA the Drexel Fund) ($1,275,635) and World Vision ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wilson Sheehan Foundation?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation reported $65.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Wilson Sheehan Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to expand opportunity by investing in organizations that help prevent and alleviate poverty, focusing on education, economic mobility, and thriving families and children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wilson Sheehan Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests from organizations classified as tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3), provided the organization and project align with its priorities. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wilson Sheehan Foundation's EIN?
Wilson Sheehan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-6266976. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Wilson Sheehan Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wilson Sheehan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-sheehan-foundation-morg_843d986a7e2740daaacffb04ad821b15
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_326266976_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wilson Sheehan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-sheehan-foundation-morg_843d986a7e2740daaacffb04ad821b15},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Wilson Sheehan 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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