George L Shields Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity without an invitation should not send a cold application.
- Its recipients span schools, arts, environmental, health, community and animal or wildlife groups, but the filing states no subject-specific strategy, so fit depends on the work itself.
- About 8 in 10 of its 268 grants to organisations fall between $3,500 and $50,000, with a median of $15,000, so a modest request near that level is realistic; the $150,000 largest grant shows the band is not a ceiling.
- Most grant dollars in its latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so this is largely a repeat-giving funder and a first-time applicant is competing for a smaller share.
Overview
George L Shields Foundation is a US private foundation based in Bethesda, MD.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Across its filed grants, the foundation supports charitable organisations through programme-service grants. The recipients recorded include schools, colleges and universities; music and other arts organisations; environmental and conservation bodies; hospitals and health charities; and organisations providing food, housing, outreach and other community services. Animal shelters and wildlife organisations also appear among the recipients. The grant record spans many states, with its largest recipient-state totals in Maryland, Colorado, Illinois, New York and the District of Columbia; this is a pattern in past grants, not a stated geographic eligibility rule. The filing does not state a subject-specific funding strategy or grant size. It says contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations and that unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Maryland, Colorado, Illinois, New York and District of Columbia.
How to apply
It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 78% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 268 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 10%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 78% of grant dollars went to organisations George L Shields Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 82 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Aspen Music Festival and School · For program services$100,0002024 tax year
- Earth Conservation Corps · For program services$100,0002024 tax year
- New York Community Trust · For program services$100,0002024 tax year
- Frederick Community College Foundation · For program services$85,0002024 tax year
- Juilliard School · For program services$80,0002024 tax year
- Children's National Hospital Foundation · For program services$78,0002024 tax year
- Nature Conservancy · For program services$75,0002024 tax year
- Tahirih Justice Center · For program services$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Robert Brenengen — Director
- Carolyn Moore — Director
- Bruce Macdonald — Director
- Robert M Reiner — Secretary / Treasurer
- Ann Schein Carlyss — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,458,337 | $1,977,500 | $29,720,697 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,524,933 | $2,034,000 | $30,766,424 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,547,329 | $2,056,000 | $31,814,461 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to George L Shields Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD
Applying to George L Shields Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD