Shamrock Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Shamrock Foundation is a private non-operating foundation based in Colorado Springs, CO, overseen by David A. Wismer Jr. With approximately $7.2 million in assets and a consistent annual grantmaking budget of $280,000-$575,000, the foundation focuses exclusively on substance abuse treatment access and mental health support for uninsured and low-income populations.

Key considerations for approaching this funder:

• Preselected grantees: As a private non-operating foundation (IRS code 4), Shamrock Foundation primarily funds pre-selected organizations. The website (shamrock-foundation.org) has been in "Coming Soon" mode since at least 2024, with no public application portal or contact form available. This strongly suggests the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

• Relationship-based funding: Organizations seeking support should focus on building a relationship with the foundation's leadership. The foundation is managed by David A. Wismer Jr. at 15555 State Highway 83, Colorado Springs, CO 80921.

• Mission alignment is critical: The foundation has a narrow, clearly defined focus on substance abuse and mental health treatment access for underserved populations. Only organizations with direct programmatic alignment in this space should pursue a relationship.

• Colorado nexus: While the foundation's geographic giving patterns are not fully documented, its Colorado base suggests a possible preference for Colorado-based or Rocky Mountain region organizations.

## Funding Patterns

Grantmaking History (11 years of IRS 990-PF data):

Key patterns: - Average annual grantmaking: Approximately $330,000 per year over the tracked period - Asset stability: Assets have remained steady in the $5.6M-$7.2M range, indicating disciplined endowment management - Peak giving year: 2020, with $576,580 in grants — likely a pandemic-related increase aligned with substance abuse crisis - No officer compensation: Zero compensation reported for officers, suggesting volunteer governance and maximum allocation to mission - Investment-driven: Revenue derives primarily from dividends ($116K) and capital gains ($498K in 2023), with zero contributions received — this is a self-sustaining endowment - Minimum distribution requirement: IRS-computed minimum investment return of $346,606 (FY2023), ensuring consistent annual grantmaking

## Peer Comparison

Among Colorado-based private foundations focused on substance abuse and behavioral health, the Shamrock Foundation occupies a notable niche:

• Asset size: At $7.2M in assets, Shamrock Foundation is a mid-sized private foundation. It is smaller than major Colorado health funders like the Colorado Health Foundation ($2.5B+) or the Anschutz Foundation, but larger than most family foundations in the state.

• Focus specificity: Unlike broader health-focused foundations, Shamrock Foundation maintains a laser focus on substance abuse treatment access for low-income and uninsured populations. This narrow focus is relatively uncommon and makes it a valuable funder for organizations working specifically in addiction treatment and recovery.

• Grantmaking intensity: With an average payout of ~$330,000 annually on $7.2M in assets, the foundation distributes approximately 4.6% of assets — close to the IRS-required 5% minimum for private foundations, which is typical for endowment-based private foundations.

• Governance: The foundation operates with no officer compensation, distinguishing it from many similarly-sized foundations that allocate 5-15% of expenses to administrative salaries. This lean structure maximizes charitable impact per dollar.

• NTEE classification: T90 (Named Trusts/Foundations Not Elsewhere Classified) — the generic classification suggests the foundation has not sought a more specific designation, consistent with a low-profile, family-run operation.

## Recent Activity

FY2023 (most recent filing, tax period ending June 2024): - Distributed $295,500 in grants, a slight increase from $280,000 in FY2022 - Total assets grew from $5.6M to $6.3M, a strong 12% recovery from prior-year market losses - Investment portfolio valued at $8.08M (fair market value), held primarily in corporate stocks ($5.68M at cost basis) - Net investment income of $544,717, well exceeding the minimum distribution requirement - Zero contributions received — the foundation is entirely self-funded through investment returns - Total exempt purpose expenditures of $302,262

Website status: The foundation launched a WordPress.com website at shamrock-foundation.org, but it remains in "Coming Soon" mode as of March 2026. The meta description indicates the foundation describes its purpose as providing "treatment access for uninsured and low-income sufferers of drug and alcohol abuse." The site also references substance use disorder as "a public health emergency in the United States."

Operational notes: The foundation continues to operate as a non-operating private foundation with no staff compensation costs, filing Form 990-PF annually with a June fiscal year end.

## Application Tips

Important: This foundation likely does not accept unsolicited applications.

The Shamrock Foundation shows all hallmarks of a preselected-only private foundation: 1. No public application portal or process on the website (site is "Coming Soon") 2. Private non-operating foundation structure (IRS code 4) 3. No publicly listed contact email or phone number 4. Small, family-managed governance structure

If you believe your organization is a strong fit:

1. Do your homework first. Review the foundation's 990-PF filings on ProPublica (https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/311715049) to identify past grant recipients. This will reveal which organizations the foundation has funded and at what levels.

2. Seek a warm introduction. Reach out through professional networks in the Colorado Springs substance abuse treatment community to connect with David A. Wismer Jr. or other foundation contacts.

3. Demonstrate direct impact. Given the foundation's focus on treatment access for uninsured/low-income populations, prepare data showing: (a) number of uninsured/low-income clients served, (b) treatment outcomes and recovery rates, (c) cost per client served, and (d) geographic service area.

4. Align with grant size expectations. Based on historical patterns, individual grants likely range from $5,000-$100,000, with most grants in the $20,000-$50,000 range (given $295,500 distributed across multiple recipients).

5. Timing: The foundation's fiscal year ends in June. Approach in early calendar year (January-March) to align with annual grantmaking planning.

6. Written correspondence: Consider sending a brief letter of inquiry to the foundation's physical address: 15555 State Highway 83, Colorado Springs, CO 80921, Attn: David A. Wismer Jr.