Shield-Ayres Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Shield-Ayres Foundation funds health and human services, environment, and education and arts, so a small charity should first check that its work fits one of those areas and its stated geographic focus of Bexar, Travis and Texas, with the Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast and Trans Pecos named as priorities for environmental work.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of the 351 grants to organisations across its recent filings fall between $10,000 and $20,000, with a median of $10,000, so a request of that order fits, although the largest grant was $500,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- Begin with a Letter of Inquiry due by February 15 or August 15, since only applicants with a favourable response may submit a full proposal; a university should first send a proposal summary, and multi-year funding is not typically considered for a first-time grantee.
- Repeat giving is significant, with 57% of grant dollars in the latest filing going to organisations it had also funded in the two earlier filings, so a relationship or clear alignment with its priorities will likely matter, and grantees should expect a brief report about ten months after the first payment.
- Do not apply if your work involves animal welfare or therapeutic animal programmes, a private primary or secondary school, an individual, a candidate for political office, or a private foundation; a university qualifies only for a university-sponsored programme aligned with a priority other than access to education.
Overview
Shield-Ayres Foundation is a US private foundation based in Austin, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation generally funds health, human services, environment, education and arts. In health and human services, it supports programmes serving vulnerable populations and addressing basic needs, financial and legal assistance, mental and physical healthcare, self-reliance, faith and spirituality, and public-policy advocacy for social justice. Its environmental work includes land and water conservation, endangered species protection, environmental education, access to natural spaces and public-policy advocacy for environmental stewardship. In education and arts, it supports programmes that provide underserved populations with educational opportunities or access to the arts. Its work serves communities in Bexar and Travis counties in Central Texas; proposals for other areas are by invitation. Environmental priorities focus on the Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast and Trans Pecos, with statewide consideration for conservation organisations working in environmental education and public policy.
Themes
- Health and human services
- Environment
- Education and arts
Geographic Focus
Bexar; Travis; Texas. Priority: Edwards Plateau; Gulf Coast; Trans Pecos.
What They Don't Fund
- Animal welfare programs
- Therapeutic animal programs
- Private primary or secondary schools
- Universities – The exception to this is university-sponsored programs that align with one of the Foundation’s funding priorities other than access to education
- Individuals
- Candidates for political office
- Private foundations
How to apply
Organisations begin with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Only applicants receiving a favourable response can access and submit a full grant proposal.
Deadlines: LOIs are due by February 15 and August 15 each year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 57% 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 351 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The organisation’s programme should be a clear and demonstrable match with the Foundation’s priorities.
- A multi-year request should make its case for multi-year funding clearly in the proposal.
- The Foundation typically does not consider multi-year funding for organisations it is funding for the first time.
- University applicants should contact the Foundation with a proposal summary before submitting an LOI, to confirm alignment.
- Grantees must submit a brief report about ten months after the initial grant payment; for a multi-year grant, the report is due before the next payment.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 57% of grant dollars went to organisations Shield-Ayres Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 8% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 121 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Shield Ranch Foundation · General support of the organization$500,0002024 tax year
- Doctors Without Borders · General support of the organization$45,0002024 tax year
- El Buen Samaritano · General support of the organization$40,0002024 tax year
- Bread for the World Institute · General support of the organization$30,0002024 tax year
- Nature Conservancy · General support of the organization$25,0002024 tax year
- Housing First Community Coalition · General support of the organization$25,0002024 tax year
- Mobile Loaves & Fishes · General support of the organization$20,0002024 tax year
- Community Foundation Of Western NC · General support of the organization$20,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Cindy Raab — Executive Director
- Gentry Shield Bowen — Trustee
- Elizabeth Ayres Domenech — Trustee
- Marshall Ayres Bowen — Secretary
- Robert Atlee Ayres — Treasurer
- Margaret Bowers Ayres — Vice President
- Vera Ayres Bowen — President
- Patricia Shield Ayres — Founder, Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,319,733 | $1,862,083 | $32,474,826 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,928,282 | $1,429,250 | $35,563,624 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,698,290 | $2,137,925 | $35,259,600 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Shield-Ayres Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (512) 467-4021
- info@shield-ayresfoundation.org
- Austin, TX
- shield-ayresfoundation.org
Applying to Shield-Ayres Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (512) 467-4021
- info@shield-ayresfoundation.org
- Austin, TX
- shield-ayresfoundation.org