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Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.9M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.9M

Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~$2.9 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $28-37 million
  • Number of Grants: 93 (2024)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $870,000
  • Typical Grant Size: $10,000 - $50,000
  • Median Grant: $20,000
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Boston area, Palm Beach County (Florida), limited New York

Contact Details

Overview

The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation was established in 1961 by Carl Shapiro, a successful businessman who founded Kay Windsor, Inc. in 1939, one of the largest women's clothing companies in the country. The foundation is a private family foundation with approximately $28-37 million in assets that distributes around $2.9 million annually across approximately 93 grants.

The foundation aims to enhance the quality of life for Bostonians through strategic philanthropic partnerships with community organizations. Over its history, the foundation has given more than $80 million to hundreds of schools, hospitals, arts groups, and community-based nonprofits. Carl Shapiro passed away in March 2021 at age 108, and his wife Ruth died in 2012 after 73 years of marriage. The foundation is now led by their youngest daughter, Linda Waintrup, who became President in 2015, guiding the foundation through a transitional period to assess priorities and future directions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation's giving consists primarily of capital grants, large multi-year project grants, and four strategic initiatives:

  1. Disability Inclusion: $10,000 - $50,000 typical

    • Developing assistive technologies to improve quality of life for disabled individuals
    • Organizations that repair and redistribute assistive and adaptive equipment
    • Recent grantees: Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Disability Law Center

  2. Youth in the Arts: $10,000 - $50,000 typical

    • Developing artistic skills of at-risk youth in middle and high school
    • Recent grantees: Boston Children's Chorus, EdVestors (Boston Public Schools Arts Expansion Initiative), Boston City Youth Ballet

  3. Early Childhood Education: $10,000 - $50,000 typical

    • Programs addressing young children and families' unmet needs

  4. Empowerment/Access to Opportunity: $10,000 - $50,000 typical

    • Adult and postsecondary youth education
    • Pre-vocational training
    • Recent grantees: English for New Bostonians, Future Chefs, Boston Debate League

  5. Capital and Major Institutional Support: $100,000 - $870,000

    • Major healthcare institutions, museums, and educational organizations
    • Recent recipients: Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital ($870,000), Museum of Fine Arts Boston ($265,000), Brimmer and May School ($100,000)

  6. Jewish Causes and Social Welfare: Various amounts

    • Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($100,000 in 2024)
    • Hebrew Senior Life
    • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Priority Areas

  • Arts and culture
  • Health and hospitals
  • Early childhood education
  • Disability inclusion
  • Human services
  • Organizations focusing on racial equity and social justice
  • Jewish causes and community welfare

What They Don't Fund

  • Endowment requests - The foundation does not consider endowment requests
  • Unsolicited proposals - The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds
  • Organizations outside Greater Boston and Palm Beach County (with limited exceptions)

Governance and Leadership

Current Board of Trustees

  • Linda S. Waintrup - Secretary/President (youngest daughter of Carl and Ruth Shapiro)
  • Ellen S. Jaffe - Trustee (daughter of Carl and Ruth Shapiro)
  • Jennifer S. Herman - Trustee
  • Jonathan M. Segal - Trustee

Foundation History

The eldest daughter, Rhonda (Ronny) Zinner, was President of the Foundation from the late 1990s until her death in 2014. During her tenure, the Foundation developed four strategic initiatives and granted over $10 million to more than 100 community-based organizations in Boston. Linda Waintrup assumed the role of President in 2015.

Leadership Perspective

Marc Baker, President and CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, stated: "The Shapiros' philanthropy has benefitted thousands of children and families, making the arts and education more inclusive for all, helping those seeking employment and job training, and enriching Jewish life in Greater Boston and beyond."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation has clearly stated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

The foundation identifies and selects grant recipients through trustee networks, existing relationships with major Boston institutions, and recommendations from community partners. General questions can be directed to: info@shapirofamilyfdn.org

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's documented approach to identifying beneficiaries:

  1. Institutional Relationships: The foundation has deep, multi-generational relationships with major Boston institutions including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brandeis University, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Organizations connected to these networks may have visibility.

  2. Board and Family Networks: The Shapiro family members serve on boards of various Boston institutions. The family has particularly strong ties to Brandeis University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Jewish community organizations.

  3. Community-Based Work: In recent years, the foundation has significantly increased its community-based grantmaking, growing from supporting approximately 65 organizations to 93 grants in 2024. Organizations doing visible work in disability inclusion, youth arts, and empowerment in Greater Boston may be identified for support.

  4. Alignment with Strategic Initiatives: Organizations working in disability inclusion, youth arts, early childhood education, or empowerment that have demonstrated impact in Greater Boston may come to the foundation's attention through sector networks.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly documented. As a private foundation that does not accept unsolicited proposals, decision timelines are managed internally based on trustee meetings and discretionary processes.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on analysis of their grantmaking patterns, organizations that receive funding typically demonstrate:

Alignment Characteristics:

  • Deep roots in the Greater Boston community
  • Focus on serving disadvantaged, disabled, or disenfranchised populations
  • Track record of impact in youth arts, disability inclusion, or adult education/training
  • Connection to major Boston institutions the Shapiros have historically supported

Types of Projects Funded:

  • Capital projects at major institutions
  • Multi-year program grants
  • Community-based direct service programs
  • Programs addressing "unmet needs" rather than duplicating existing services

Recent Grant Examples (2024):

  • Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital: $870,000
  • Museum of Fine Arts Boston: $265,000
  • Combined Jewish Philanthropies: $100,000
  • Brimmer and May School: $100,000
  • Huntington Theater: $70,000

Grant Size Distribution (2024):

  • 54 grants in $5,000-$24,999 range
  • 25 grants in $25,000-$99,999 range
  • 10 grants in $500-$4,999 range
  • 3 grants in $100,000-$499,999 range
  • 1 grant over $500,000

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. No public application process: This foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals. Direct outreach requesting funding is unlikely to be successful.

  2. Relationship-driven grantmaking: The foundation operates through established networks centered on the Shapiro family's longstanding connections to Boston's healthcare, educational, cultural, and Jewish community institutions.

  3. Greater Boston focus: The vast majority of grants go to Greater Boston organizations (65 of 93 grants in 2024), with limited support for Palm Beach County, Florida.

  4. Growing community-based giving: Recent years show significant growth in community grantmaking—increasing from 65 grantees in 2022 to 93 in 2024—suggesting openness to identifying new organizations through the foundation's networks.

  5. Strategic initiative alignment: Organizations working in disability inclusion, youth arts, early childhood education, or empowerment align with the foundation's stated priorities.

  6. Jewish community connections: Despite not being listed as a formal strategic initiative, the foundation maintains substantial support for Jewish causes, including Combined Jewish Philanthropies and Hebrew Senior Life.

  7. Institutional longevity matters: The foundation has multi-generational relationships with institutions like Brandeis University (over $80 million given), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Museum of Fine Arts Boston—demonstrating preference for deep, long-term partnerships.

References

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