S & G Foundation

The S & G Foundation, established by Shelby and Gale Davis, operates almost exclusively through one flagship initiative: the Davis United World College Scholars Program, the world's largest privately funded international scholarship program. Founded in 2000 alongside educator Phil Geier, the program now supports 4,600+ active scholars from 160+ countries attending more than 100 U.S. partner universities, with total scholarship distributions exceeding $900 million since inception.

The foundation's giving philosophy centers on catalytic, long-term institutional partnerships rather than open competitive grantmaking. There is no general application process for external organizations — the Davis family selects partner universities through direct invitation and negotiated agreements. All grant disbursements flow as block transfers to partner institutions, which then administer need-based awards to qualifying UWC graduates. Awards can reach up to $40,000 per student per year.

For universities, the path to partnership requires a demonstrated commitment to campus internationalization, strong financial aid infrastructure, and an existing or developing relationship with the UWC network. Partner institutions — including Vassar, Johns Hopkins, Lewis & Clark, and Princeton — receive multi-year cohort funding that is periodically renewed based on performance metrics such as scholar enrollment, graduation rates, and campus integration quality. First-time applicants should anticipate a relationship-building phase measured in years, not months.

For UWC students, no separate scholarship application exists. Students apply to partner universities through the standard admissions process, request need-based financial aid, and are nominated by the institution if eligible. The student-facing contact point is the on-campus Davis UWC Scholars Program Liaison, not the foundation's main office.

Beyond the scholars program, the foundation provides limited environmental conservation funding to organizations in Wyoming, Florida, and Maine — geographies with personal significance to the Davis family. These grants are similarly invitation-driven. The foundation's contact channels (info@davisuwcscholars.org; PO Box 860, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866) route through program operations, not a traditional grants office. With zero officer compensation across five family officers, this is a lean family foundation where Shelby Davis himself is the primary decision-maker.

The S & G Foundation's financial trajectory over the past decade has been exceptional. Total assets tripled from $538.9M in FY2013 to $1.791B in FY2024. Annual grant disbursements grew five-fold over the same period: from $25.8M in FY2013 to $133.9M in FY2024.

Grants paid by fiscal year: - FY2024: $133.9M (total giving $133.9M) - FY2023: $125.6M (total giving $148.7M) - FY2022: $80.8M (total giving $98.4M) - FY2021: $103.5M (total giving $114.4M) - FY2020: $81.2M (total giving $94.8M) - FY2019: $89.3M (total giving $98.4M) - FY2018: $81.0M (total giving $92.1M) - FY2014: $50.6M (total giving $54.1M) - FY2013: $25.8M (total giving $27.4M)

Median annual grants paid (FY2018-FY2024): approximately $89.3M, ranging from a low of $80.8M in FY2022 to a peak of $133.9M in FY2024. The foundation consistently distributes 7-9% of total assets annually — well above the required 5% minimum.

FY2024 was extraordinary: $550.4M in new contributions arrived (versus a historical norm of $0-$200M), pushing assets to a new high of $1.791B and net investment income to $182.3M. This suggests Shelby Davis made a landmark additional capital commitment tied to the program's 25th anniversary and record-setting 2025-26 scholar cohort.

All IRS 990 grantee records list recipients as 'Various — Stock (See Attachment)' or 'Various — Cash (See Statement),' reflecting the foundation's block-grant model where disbursements are aggregated across 100+ partner universities per transfer. Individual university allocations are determined by scholar enrollment counts and institutional agreements but are not publicly itemized. No small or one-off grants are visible in the 990 records — all giving flows through the scholars program at scale.

Zero officer compensation across all years confirms that nearly all capital reaches educational institutions with minimal administrative drag.

The S & G Foundation sits alongside several billion-dollar family and institutional foundations in the Philanthropy & Grantmaking NTEE category. The comparison below uses asset data from IRS filings; annual giving estimates for peers are approximated from publicly available 990 data.

The S & G Foundation gives more aggressively than its asset-comparable peers: at $133.9M on $1.79B in assets, it distributes roughly 7.5% of assets annually — significantly above the sector average of 5-6%. Wallace and Wyss operate at more conservative payout ratios.

The defining structural difference is program architecture. Where Weinberg and Wallace maintain open or semi-open grant processes with published RFPs and program staff managing competitive reviews, S & G channels nearly all capital through one integrated scholarship vehicle. This makes it function more like a single-program operating foundation than a traditional grantmaker — and means that relationship-building within the UWC ecosystem, not proposal quality, is the primary access lever for prospective partners.

The most significant recent development is the program's 25th anniversary, marked by a celebration at Wellesley College in July 2025 attended by alumni, university partners, and representatives from all 18 UWC high schools globally. UWC International Executive Director Faith Abiodun participated, and scholars described the Davis family's support in transformative terms. This event signals a foundation entering a legacy-building and alumni-engagement phase after two-and-a-half decades of growth.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the program enrolled a record 1,235 first-year scholars — the largest cohort in program history — studying across more than 100 partner institutions. This growth is directly enabled by the FY2024 capital infusion of $550.4M in new contributions, which expanded the foundation's endowment by 20% in a single year despite $133.9M in grants paid.

Vassar College recently received renewed cohort funding for six scholars representing Europe, Asia, and the USA — a routine renewal that illustrates the program's multi-year partner relationship model. The 2024 Annual Report 'Uniting the World' was released documenting cumulative impact: 15,000+ alumni, 160+ countries represented, and 4,600+ current scholars in active study.

Leadership has remained stable: Shelby Mc Davis holds the presidency (5 hours/week), Gale L Davis serves as Secretary, and Lansing A Davis is Treasurer. All positions carry zero compensation, consistent across every filing year reviewed.

For U.S. universities exploring Davis UWC Scholars partnership, the single most important prerequisite is an authentic commitment to global campus culture — not merely a desire for funding. The foundation consistently deepens relationships with partner institutions that treat international scholars as strategic campus assets: integrating them into honors programs, research labs, and student leadership pipelines. Universities that have built dedicated on-campus liaison positions and designed targeted orientation programming tend to receive renewed and expanded cohort funding.

Timing is critical. Initial outreach to the program office (info@davisuwcscholars.org; Lisa Viau, Program Director) should happen in the fall semester, 12-18 months before your desired first scholar cohort year. Institutions still building international financial aid capacity should resolve those infrastructure gaps before approaching — the foundation expects partners to be operationally ready.

What the program values in partner universities: - Demonstrated ability to support first-generation, multilingual students from 160+ countries - Financial aid systems capable of processing need-based awards up to $40,000/year per student - A designated on-campus Davis UWC Scholars Program Liaison (not optional) - Faculty and staff receptive to global perspectives across curricula and campus life - Existing or actively pursued connections with the UWC school network

Alignment language: Frame your institution's value proposition around 'transforming U.S. colleges and universities into more globally engaged spaces that benefit students from all backgrounds' — language drawn directly from the program's guiding principles. Avoid transactional framing about 'receiving scholarship funds'; position your institution as a co-sponsor of the mission.

Common mistakes to avoid: - Reaching out cold without a UWC network introduction - Emphasizing enrollment growth goals rather than mission alignment - Failing to budget for wraparound scholar support (advising, community programming, re-entry support) - Treating the relationship as a one-time grant cycle rather than a renewable multi-year partnership

For UWC students: Apply early to financial aid at a partner university. International students should use the institution-specific form or ISAFA at the time of admissions application. Your UWC counselor is your primary advocate and has direct communication channels with program staff that bypass the public inbox.

For environmental organizations: Target Wyoming, Florida, or Maine-based conservation projects. The Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a known prior grantee. A warm introduction through a Davis family or Saratoga Springs community connection significantly improves your odds.