The Robert Swanson and Cynthia Shevlin Charitable Foundation makes a small number of relatively large, general-purpose grants to a mix of arts, faith-based and international/education-oriented organizations. The foundation’s giving is highly concentrated—one large line item labeled “See attached schedule” dominates total dollars—while the remainder supports a few distinct nonprofits such as an orchestra and overseas education/relief programs. Grants are provided as general support rather than program-specific funding.
A large single line item labeled "See Attached Schedule" accounts for most of the foundation’s recent grant dollars, a sign that Robert Swanson and Cynthia Shevlin Charitable combines concentrated pass-through giving with a small set of named grants. Outside that schedule-based award, the 2025 record shows support for arts groups, faith-based media, and international education work, all at relatively similar grant sizes. The foundation’s named grantees include Project Zawadi in Saint Paul, which received two general-support grants of $30,000 each, and Daystar US in Bloomington, which also received two $30,000 awards. That pattern suggests a portfolio built around repeated support for selected organizations rather than many small awards. The named recipients also show a clear preference for unrestricted or general-purpose funding. Scottsdale Arts, The Phoenix Symphony, Musical Instrument Museum, Arizona Musicfest, The Marvelwood School, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Arizona Community Foundation, and Veterans Heritage Project all appear in the recent grants list with general or general-support awards. The foundation’s giving is regional in scope and centered on a modest number of nonprofits, with the largest recent awards far above the typical check size.
In international education and empowerment, Robert Swanson and Cynthia Shevlin Charitable gave $30,000 to Project Zawadi and another $30,000 to Project Zawadi Inc, both in Saint Paul. The repeated awards point to sustained support for that organization. Arts funding is another visible thread. Scottsdale Arts received $25,000 and later $10,000, while The Phoenix Symphony, Musical Instrument Museum, and Arizona Musicfest each received $25,000 grants. Santa Barbara Museum of Art also appears with a $10,000 general-support grant. Faith-based media and ministry show up through Daystar US in Bloomington, which received two $30,000 grants in 2025. Education support is also present through The Marvelwood School in Kent, which received two $15,000 grants.
Typical grant size clusters tightly around the low tens of thousands: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. That makes the foundation’s named awards fairly uniform even though a separate schedule-based payment in 2024 was much larger. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same organizations within the same year, including Project Zawadi, Daystar US, Scottsdale Arts, The Marvelwood School, The Phoenix Symphony, Musical Instrument Museum, Arizona Musicfest, and Arizona Community Foundation. Grants are given as general or general-support awards, which points to unrestricted funding rather than project-specific financing.
$180K
$1.2M
$101K
$189K
Most grants fall between $20K and $30K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$30K
About 10% of grants go to recipients in AZ.
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Highly concentrated giving with very few grants: one large unspecified/aggregate award accounts for most dollars, supplemented by several single-year general support grants to mission-driven nonprofits. Emphasis on general operating support rather than restricted/project funding.
Notable grantees: SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE (large aggregate/recipient list), Project Zawadi, Daystar US, The Phoenix Symphony
Grants are concentrated in the United States, and Minnesota is the top state by grant count. Among named recipient cities, Phoenix and Scottsdale appear repeatedly in Arizona, while Saint Paul and Bloomington appear in Minnesota. Other recipient locations in the recent list include Kent, Connecticut; Santa Barbara, California; and Sierra Vista, Arizona. Illinois appears in the data as the HQ state, but the grant pattern is broader than that single location.
The recent grants list shows support for arts organizations, faith-based media, education, and international youth empowerment. Named recipients include Scottsdale Arts, The Phoenix Symphony, Musical Instrument Museum, Daystar US, The Marvelwood School, and Project Zawadi. Awards are generally listed as general or general-support funding.
The typical grant size is fairly consistent: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. Recent named grants mostly fall within that range.
Yes. The 2025 record shows repeat awards to several recipients, including Project Zawadi, Daystar US, Scottsdale Arts, The Marvelwood School, The Phoenix Symphony, Musical Instrument Museum, Arizona Musicfest, and Arizona Community Foundation. This suggests a pattern of ongoing support rather than one-time awards.
Minnesota is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Saint Paul and Bloomington in Minnesota, Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona, Kent in Connecticut, Santa Barbara in California, and Sierra Vista in Arizona. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAYSTAR US | BLOOMINGTON, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PROJECT ZAWADI INC | SAINT PAUL, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERALSUPPORT |
| PROJECT ZAWADI | SAINT PAUL, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DAYSTAR US | BLOOMINGTON, MN | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA MUSICFEST | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SCOTTSDALE ARTS | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ARIZONA MUSICFEST | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE MARVELWOOD SCHOOL | KENT, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MARVELWOOD SCHOOL | KENT, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SCOTTSDALE ARTS | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SIERRA VISTA, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SIERRA VISTA, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VETERANS HERITAGE PROJECT | PHOENIX, AZ | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE | SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE, IL | $530,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE | SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE, IL | $225,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
DAYSTAR US
$30,000GENERAL
DAYSTAR US
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY
$25,000GENERAL
THE MARVELWOOD SCHOOL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE MARVELWOOD SCHOOL
$15,000GENERAL
ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL
ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VETERANS HERITAGE PROJECT
$5,000GENERAL
SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE
$530,000GENERAL
SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE
$225,000GENERAL