Thomas B. & Elizabeth M. Sheridan Foundation Inc.

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,073,707
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: Quarterly review cycle
Grant Range: $75 - $150,000
Median Grant: $32,500
Geographic Focus: Baltimore City and Baltimore County, Maryland

Contact Details

Address: 11350 McCormick Road, Suite 704, Hunt Valley, MD 21031

Phone: 410-771-0475

Email: jschram@sheridanfoundation.org

Website: www.sheridanfoundation.org

Application Contact: Jessica Schram, President

Overview

The Thomas B. & Elizabeth M. Sheridan Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation established in 1968, currently holding assets of approximately $16.7 million. The foundation distributes over $1 million annually in grants through approximately 26 awards per year. Its primary mission is to support independent, private middle and high schools in the Baltimore area by providing grants that will have a meaningful impact on schools and their students. The foundation maintains a secondary focus on supporting cultural arts organizations in Baltimore. The foundation operates with a relatively small staff, led by President Jessica Schram, and maintains a policy-driven approach to grant-making with clear eligibility criteria and funding cycles.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Private School Support ($30,000 - $150,000) The foundation's primary funding stream supports independent middle and high schools in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Applications are accepted quarterly via email submission.

Cultural Arts Support (amounts vary, typically $20,000+) Secondary funding stream for established cultural arts organizations in Baltimore. For grants of $20,000 or more, trustees give preference to infrastructure or technology improvements rather than general support or funding for new programs or exhibits.

Priority Areas

For Schools:

General scholarship support for students
Middle income and STEM scholarships
Building construction and improvements
Computer hardware/software and science instruments
School mini buses and minivans

For Cultural Arts Organizations:

Infrastructure improvements
Technology upgrades
Capital projects
Organizational capacity building

What They Don't Fund

Individuals (no grants to individual students, artists, or performers)
Organizations with less than 3-5 years of operating history
Schools or cultural institutions with whom the foundation has not previously engaged (currently a closed application pool)
New programs or exhibits at cultural organizations (preference is for infrastructure)
General operating support for cultural institutions
Organizations outside the Baltimore area

Governance and Leadership

Officers (2024):

Jessica S. Schram, President (compensation: $90,500)
John B. Sinclair, Vice President (compensation: $4,000)
Scott A. Wieler, Secretary (compensation: $4,000)

The foundation operates with a board of trustees who meet quarterly to review grant applications. The trustees demonstrate a preference for measurable impact and sustainability, particularly valuing proposals that address infrastructure needs and long-term organizational capacity rather than short-term program funding.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important Notice: The Sheridan Foundation is currently not considering grant applications from schools or cultural arts institutions with whom the foundation has not engaged in recent years. This effectively makes it an invitation-only or closed application process for new applicants.

For Organizations with Existing Relationships:

Applications should be submitted via email to jschram@sheridanfoundation.org. The foundation requests that organizations submit one copy of the proposal.

Application Deadlines: Quarterly review cycle with deadlines on:

February 1
May 1
August 1
November 1

Eligibility Requirements:

Must be designated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
Must be located in Baltimore, Maryland and surrounding area
For cultural arts: Must have 3-5 years of established operations
Must have a board of trustees and staff with demonstrated experience and leadership
Board members must demonstrate personal financial commitment to the organization

School-Specific Requirements:

All middle or high school applicants must submit:

Student population data for current/upcoming school year and past three years
Number and percentage of minority students
Tuition information
SAT scores contrasted with national and Maryland averages
Number and percentage of students on financial aid
Average financial award amounts

Proposal Guidelines:

The foundation encourages organizations to present more than one funding option in their proposal if practicable, allowing trustees to select the most appropriate level of support.

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed quarterly following the four annual deadlines. Specific notification timelines are not publicly disclosed, but decisions are made during quarterly trustee meetings following each deadline.

Success Rates

The foundation awards approximately 26 grants annually from its total application pool. Specific success rates and total application numbers are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Important Restriction: An organization receiving a Sheridan Foundation grant is not normally eligible for another grant from the foundation for four years. This policy significantly impacts the timing of reapplication for previous grantees.

Application Success Factors

For Private Schools

The foundation has consistently funded student financial aid programs at established Baltimore-area independent schools. Recent grant recipients (2023-2024) include:

Calvert School ($30,000 for financial aid)
Friends School of Baltimore ($35,000 for financial aid)
Garrison Forest School ($35,000 for financial aid)
Gilman School ($37,000 for financial aid)
McDonogh School ($30,000 for financial aid)
Notre Dame Preparatory School ($30,000 for financial aid)
Roland Park Country School (financial aid)

Success Pattern: The foundation shows a clear preference for supporting financial aid programs that expand access to quality private education in the Baltimore area. Schools receiving grants appear to be well-established institutions with strong academic reputations.

For Cultural Arts Organizations

Trustees' Stated Preferences:

For grants of $20,000 or more, strong preference for infrastructure or technology improvements over general support
Organizations must demonstrate established track record (3-5 years minimum)
Board members must show personal financial commitment through individual giving
Leadership must have demonstrated experience and skills

Critical Success Factors:

Multi-year track record: Organizations with less than 3-5 years of operation are highly unlikely to receive funding
Board engagement: Demonstrated trustee commitment through personal giving is essential
Infrastructure focus: Capital improvements and technology upgrades are preferred over programmatic support
Existing relationships: Currently only considering applications from organizations with previous engagement

General Application Guidance

The foundation's emphasis on presenting "more than one option for a grant if practicable" suggests that providing tiered funding scenarios (e.g., full project cost vs. partial funding options) may strengthen proposals by giving trustees flexibility in their decision-making.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Closed application pool: The foundation is currently not accepting applications from new organizations, making this primarily an invitation-only funder for organizations with existing relationships
Four-year waiting period: Previous grantees must wait four years before reapplying, making grant timing crucial for organizational planning
Quarterly cycle: Plan submissions around February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 deadlines
Financial aid priority for schools: The foundation has consistently funded student scholarship programs, particularly for established Baltimore independent schools
Infrastructure over programs: For cultural organizations seeking $20,000+, infrastructure and technology improvements are strongly preferred over programmatic support
Board commitment matters: Organizations must demonstrate trustee financial commitment through personal giving
Multiple options encouraged: Present tiered funding scenarios to give trustees flexibility in their decision-making
Geographic specificity: Focus is strictly on Baltimore City and Baltimore County organizations

References

Thomas B. & Elizabeth M. Sheridan Foundation website - www.sheridanfoundation.org (accessed January 2026)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF filing for Thomas B & Elizabeth M Sheridan Foundation Inc., EIN 52-6075270 (2024 tax year data, filed August 2024)
Candid Foundation Directory Online - The Thomas B. and Elizabeth M. Sheridan Foundation Inc. profile (accessed January 2026)
GrantExec Foundation Database - The Thomas B And Elizabeth M Sheridan Foundation Inc profile (accessed January 2026)
Cause IQ - Thomas B and Elizabeth M Sheridan Foundation organizational profile (accessed January 2026)