Shear Family Foundation Inc.

The Shear Family Foundation operates as a strictly invitation-only grantmaker. IRS filings and multiple grant databases confirm it makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests — placing it entirely outside the traditional RFP-driven grant-seeking pipeline. This requires a fundamentally different engagement strategy centered on relationship cultivation rather than proposal submission.

The foundation was established in 2015 with a founding endowment of approximately $160.5 million contributed primarily by the Shear family. Herbert S. Shear (Treasurer), Barbara S. Shear (President), Gerald A. Shear (Vice President), and John A. Shear (Vice President) all serve without compensation, indicating this is a deeply personal family philanthropic vehicle. Andrea Glickman, the paid Secretary at $140,670 (FY2022), functions as the day-to-day program manager and is the most accessible point of professional contact.

The foundation's giving philosophy centers on a small, stable portfolio of trusted long-term relationships. Grantee analysis shows that virtually every top-50 recipient has received 3 consecutive annual grants across the full data span — the foundation builds sustained partnerships rather than making one-time project grants. First-time applicants must therefore enter via existing relationship channels: current grantees, family board members, or intermediaries within the Pittsburgh Jewish philanthropic network, the University of Pittsburgh development office, or the broader national Jewish/Israel organizational ecosystem.

Organizations best positioned for consideration fall into three primary categories: (1) Jewish-affiliated or Israel-focused nonprofits — the single largest thematic concentration at approximately 30% of total documented giving; (2) medical research institutions, particularly university-based programs in Pittsburgh, Colorado, Nevada, and Chicago; and (3) food security and human services organizations serving the foundation's core geographic markets — western Pennsylvania, the Chicago metro, South Florida (Palm Beach County), and Utah/Nevada.

The geographic primary focus is Pennsylvania (69 of 192 identified grants, 36%), with meaningful footprints in Illinois (29 grants, 15%), Florida (21 grants, 11%), Nevada (14 grants, 7%), and Utah (13 grants, 7%). Nationally recognized Jewish organizations transcend geography. Any organization without an existing connection to the Shear family or Andrea Glickman should plan a 12-24 month relationship-building timeline before expecting grant consideration.

Total grants paid have grown consistently from $7.4 million (FY2020) to $8.5 million (FY2021), $9.5 million (FY2022), and $9.1 million (FY2023), with FY2024 reporting $9.04 million across 78 awards. Total giving — which includes grants plus donor-advised fund transfers to Charles Schwab and Schwab Charitable Fund totaling ~$1.7 million — reached $14.4 million (FY2022) and $14.2 million (FY2023). Assets have grown from $160.7 million at founding (2015) to $225.8 million (FY2024).

The median grant is $75,000, with an average of $130,385 — the disparity reflecting a concentrated group of large anchor grants. Documented grants range from $2,500 (minimum) to $1,226,820 (maximum). The top recipient, University of Pittsburgh, received 3 grants totaling $3,551,820 (~$1.18M per grant). American Friends of Leket Israel received 3 grants totaling $1,908,000 (~$636K per grant). American Israel Education Fund (AIEF) received $1,200,000 across 3 grants ($400K each).

Breakdown by program area (estimated from grantee purposes across 192 grants, $25.4M total documented):

• Jewish/Israel causes: ~30% — JNF $1.14M, Magen David Adom $1.06M, FIDF $793K, Friends of Ir David $525K, Foundation for Defense of Democracies $525K, Secure Community Network $175K, plus 8+ smaller allocations
• Medical research and healthcare: ~20% — University of Colorado $750K, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh $650K, UCLA (CAPPS) $625K, Children's Hospital Chicago $500K, Steadman Clinic $325K
• Food security: ~15% — Leket Israel food distribution $1.91M, Greater Pittsburgh Foodbank $752K, Greater Chicago Food Depository $578K, Palm Beach County Food Bank $500K, Three Square $300K
• Mental health: ~8% — NAMI $565K (5 grants), One Mind Institute $550K, UNLV Practice $525K
• Higher education: ~14% — University of Pittsburgh dominates at $3.55M; University of Colorado, UCLA, UNLV also receive significant support
• Human services and other: ~13% — BBBS Utah $165K, JFCS Pittsburgh $975K, Grow Pittsburgh $380K, animal rescue, police/fire foundations

Grant timing reflects a rolling annual cycle with no formal application deadlines. Multi-year consecutive support is the norm for significant grantees.

Five foundations with comparable asset levels in the Human Services NTEE category provide useful benchmarks for situating Shear Family Foundation:

Shear stands apart from most Human Services peers by its strong Jewish/Israel philanthropic identity — a distinguishing characteristic that aligns it more closely with major Jewish Federation endowment vehicles than with general community foundations of similar asset size. Its annual giving ratio of approximately 4-6% of assets is at the low end for a private foundation but reflects prudent multi-generational stewardship of a family endowment established only in 2015. Unlike the Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation (a corporate vehicle) or Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation (which operates competitive grant rounds), Shear maintains a strictly closed, relationship-based model typical of single-family foundations. Among its geographic peers in the Pittsburgh region, it is one of the largest independent family foundations and a significant anchor institution for the western Pennsylvania Jewish community.

No press releases, media coverage, or public program announcements from the Shear Family Foundation Inc. were found for 2025-2026. The foundation maintains an extremely low public profile consistent with its strictly private, invitation-only model — it has no apparent social media presence, no grants portal, and no published annual report.

The most recent confirmed activity is the FY2024 Form 990-PF, filed October 23, 2025, reporting 78 grants totaling $9,042,000 with assets of $225,788,687. Assets grew from $207.8 million (FY2022) to $225.8 million (FY2024), reflecting investment portfolio recovery following the 2022 market downturn.

Andrea Glickman has served continuously as Secretary since at least FY2020, with compensation rising from $105,000 (FY2020) to $140,670 (FY2022) — suggesting the role has expanded as foundation assets and grant volume have grown. No leadership transitions among the Shear family officers are evident in the reviewed period.

The most notable recent large commitments visible in grantee data include: the Pittsburgh Study (TPS) launch at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation ($650,000, 3 grants), the ASPIRE mental health program at One Mind Institute ($550,000, 2 grants), and the CAPPS research program at UCLA Foundation ($625,000, 3 grants). These multi-year research investments signal the foundation is increasing its commitment to longitudinal translational research in pediatric health and mental health. The sustained $1.9 million commitment to Leket Israel for food distribution (including COVID support) through 3 consecutive grant cycles also reflects an ongoing flagship international food security relationship.

Given that the Shear Family Foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional grant-seeking approaches — cold letters of inquiry, online portal submissions, email proposals — are not viable and will be ignored or declined. Organizations must pursue relationship-based pathways and operate on a long timeline.

Identify the right entry point. The most productive contacts are: (1) existing grantees with established multi-year relationships, particularly the University of Pittsburgh development office, Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, Jewish Family & Children's Services of Pittsburgh, Greater Pittsburgh Community Foodbank, and NAMI's national or Pennsylvania chapter — these organizations have direct lines to the Shear family; (2) Andrea Glickman, the paid Secretary and sole compensated staff member, reachable at (412) 580-6297 or the 103 Gamma Drive Suite 120, Pittsburgh PA 15238 address — she is the appropriate first professional contact for any relationship inquiry; and (3) Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania (gwpa.org), which lists the foundation as a member and hosts peer convenings where foundation staff and board members may be present.

Frame your mission in the foundation's documented language. Their giving language centers on: 'food insecurity,' 'medical research,' 'mental illness support,' 'coronavirus support,' 'mobile intensive care,' 'LOTEM,' 'special in uniform,' and for Jewish causes, specific program names. Organizations in food security, pediatric medical research, or Jewish/Israel services should use these framings rather than generic terms.

Geography is a prerequisite. The foundation gives almost exclusively in communities where the Shear family has documented ties: Pittsburgh/western Pennsylvania, the Chicago metro, South Florida (Palm Beach County specifically), Utah (Salt Lake City/Park City), and Nevada (Las Vegas). Jewish/Israel-focused organizations may qualify nationally regardless of geography.

Pitch long-term partnerships. Every significant grantee has 2-3+ consecutive grant cycles. Frame your organization as a multi-year partner, emphasizing institutional stability, leadership continuity, and measurable outcomes over time. Avoid language implying this would be a one-time project grant.

Timing. No formal grant rounds or published deadlines exist. The FY2024 990-PF (filed October 2025) suggests decisions occur throughout the year on a rolling basis. Begin relationship cultivation at least 12-18 months before expecting any grant commitment.