The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation's giving spans arts, education and human services, so a small charity working in one of those fields is a plausible fit, but no geographic focus is stated, so location alone should not decide whether you apply.
- It states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and gives by invitation only, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
- Typical grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000, with a median of $25,000 and half of grants at $25,000 or less, so a modest request in that region suits it best, although its largest grant was $600,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- In its most recent filing, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the previous filing, so a first-time approach should be framed with that repeat pattern in mind.
Overview
The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation is a US private foundation based in Seattle, WA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (lifestylesmagazine.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation supports not-for-profit arts, educational and human service organisations. Its public description identifies these broad charitable fields. Its filed grants include art museums and arts organisations, educational institutions, and human-service organisations. Recorded purposes include general support as well as construction and specific project support. The filing describes contributions to preselected charitable organisations, indicating selective giving rather than a general public application route. The sources do not describe detailed selection criteria or a specific geographic limit. Its giving therefore spans more than one kind of charitable organisation and more than one form of support.
Themes
- Arts
- Education
- Human services
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Washington, New York and Pennsylvania.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 96% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 101 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
- The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 25% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 44 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- The Hill School · Annual giving - the hill fund $100,000 construction of the shirley quadrivium center $500,000$600,0002023 tax year
- Calder Foundation · General support $315,405, for mountains and clouds project $100,000$415,4052023 tax year
- New York Presbyterian Fund · The center for youth mental health$250,0002023 tax year
- Seattle Art Museum · Calder's mountains expenses $105,938, contributors circles 2023-2024 $100,000, strategic opportunity fund $1,000, spring into art 2024 sponsorship $1,500, party in the park $35,000, rice fellowship $5,000$248,4382023 tax year
- United Way of King County · For wa women in need (wwin)$100,0002023 tax year
- Henry Gallery Association Uw · Pledge paypment of 2 of 3$100,0002023 tax year
- International Sculpture Center · Support of 2025 isc student achievement in contemporary sculpture award exhibition $25,000, for night of excellence artist table $5,000$55,0002023 tax year
- KNKX · Pledge payment 2 of 3$50,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Jon A Shirley — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,569,520 | $2,529,808 | $40,265,633 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,814,921 | $2,729,787 | $46,312,874 | Filing for 2023 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 The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Seattle, WA
Applying to The Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Seattle, WA