The Aaron Ross Shapiro Foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on supporting Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, providing general operations funding and targeted support for its occupational therapy program. Grants are local and institution-focused, indicating a preference for sustaining higher education capacity and allied health training at a single regional university. The foundation’s giving is highly concentrated rather than broadly distributed across causes or geographies.
A small number of relatively large, concentrated grants directed repeatedly to a single primary grantee (Appalachian State University) with occasional program-specific funding; consistent, local-focused philanthropy.
The Aaron Ross Shapiro Foundation’s giving is built around a single institutional relationship: Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Across the recent grants listed, the foundation has supported the university with operating grants in multiple years and also backed specific academic units, including occupational therapy and health sciences. The pattern points to a funder that is focused on sustaining higher-education capacity rather than spreading its grants across many organizations. Recent awards show both scale and continuity. The largest listed grant was $83,333 in 2025 to Appalachian State University for operations, following a $45,000 operating grant in 2024 and a $15,000 operating grant in 2023. In the same 2023 cycle, the foundation also gave $9,333 to Appalachian State Univ - Ot Prog and $1,564 to Appalachian State Univ - Health Sci, indicating support for allied health training alongside general institutional funding. The only other recent recipient in the list was Vallecito Elementary School in San Rafael, California, at $100, which stands apart from the foundation’s otherwise local North Carolina pattern.
A central theme in the foundation’s grantmaking is university operating support. Appalachian State University received $83,333 in 2025 for operations, $45,000 in 2024 for operations, and $15,000 in 2023 for operations, showing sustained backing for the institution’s core functions. A second focus is allied health education. In 2023, the foundation gave $9,333 to Appalachian State Univ - Ot Prog for operations and $1,564 to Appalachian State Univ - Health Sci for operations. Those grants tie the foundation to occupational therapy and health sciences training within the same campus setting. The grants also reflect a Boone-centered higher-education emphasis. The university and its program units are all located in Boone, which matches the foundation’s local giving pattern and its concentration on a single regional institution.
The foundation’s typical grant size is modest but variable: the 25th percentile is $1,564, the median is $9,333, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. That distribution is consistent with a small set of institution-focused grants rather than a broad portfolio of awards. The recent list shows repeat support to the same university across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including multiple operating grants. The foundation appears to give directly rather than through an open application process, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$154K
$290K
$113K
$85K
Most grants fall between $2K and $15K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$15K
About 80% of grants go to recipients in NC.
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Notable grantees: Appalachian State University (main campus operations), Appalachian State University - Occupational Therapy Program, Appalachian State University — campus programs (collective/recurring recipient)
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in North Carolina: 80% of grants in the recent data went to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Boone is the main recipient city, appearing on the university and program-unit grants. One small grant went outside the state to San Rafael, California, but the overall pattern is local and North Carolina-centered. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
It mainly supports Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The recent grants list shows repeated operating support for the university itself, plus support for occupational therapy and health sciences units within the same institution.
Its typical grant size is relatively small to moderate: the 25th percentile is $1,564, the median is $9,333, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. The recent list also includes one much larger operating grant of $83,333.
Yes. Appalachian State University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 with operating grants, showing a repeated pattern of support rather than one-time giving.
It gives most often in North Carolina. In the recent data, 80% of grants went to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and the main recipient city is Boone.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY | BOONE, NC | $83,333 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY | BOONE, NC | $45,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| VALLECITO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $100 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY | BOONE, NC | $15,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIV - OT PROG | BOONE, NC | $9,333 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
| APPALACHIAN STATE UNIV - HEALTH SCI | BOONE, NC | $1,564 | 2023 | OPERATIONS |
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$83,333OPERATIONS
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$45,000OPERATIONS
VALLECITO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$100OPERATIONS
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$15,000OPERATIONS
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIV - OT PROG
$9,333OPERATIONS
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIV - HEALTH SCI
$1,564OPERATIONS