The Patricia and Mark Joseph Shelter Foundation focuses heavily on Greater Baltimore institutions, with a strong emphasis on cultural philanthropy (museums, symphonies, orchestras) and education — especially K–12 arts, charter and leadership schools. They also fund youth-focused social services and community supports (youth homelessness, mentoring, workforce development), plus some civic journalism and Jewish community causes. Their giving mixes high-profile gala/event support with direct program and operating contributions to repeat local partners.
Patricia and Mark Joseph Shelter Foundation Inc. stands out for its outsized support of Baltimore’s safety net, led by a $2,000,000 contribution to Thread Inc in 2024. That level of giving sits alongside substantial commitments to arts and education organizations in the city, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Museum of Art. The foundation’s recent grant list shows a pattern of funding institutions that combine public programming, annual fundraising, and direct operating support. Arts philanthropy is a major thread in the portfolio. The foundation backed the Baltimore Museum of Art multiple times across 2023 to 2025, and supported the Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation through student film and event-related grants. Education giving is similarly institution-centered, with support for K-12 and higher-education partners such as Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Kipp Baltimore, and University of Baltimore Foundation. The foundation also funds youth services, community institutions, and Jewish communal organizations. Recent awards include support for Center for Urban Families, Living Classrooms Foundation Inc, The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore, and The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. Across these gifts, the foundation appears to favor established local partners and repeat relationships.
In youth homelessness and broader youth support, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to Thread Inc for contribution, making this one of the clearest anchors in its social-services portfolio. It also supported Center for Urban Families with matching grants of $100,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing repeated backing for family-support work in Baltimore. Arts and cultural education is another core area. The Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation received $540,000 for student films in 2023, plus $75,200 in 2024 for donation and $40,000 in 2025 for BSA Expressions 2024. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra also received major support tied to gala and annual-fund activity. In education and leadership, the foundation funded Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women with $170,000 for the (EM) Power Breakfast and gave $100,000 to Living Classrooms Foundation Inc for Crossroad School. It also backed Brown University and St Stephen's and St Agnes School Foundation.
$2.6M
$47.1M
$5.5M
$5.2M
Most grants fall between $10K and $62K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$62K
MARK K JOSEPH
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Concentrated local giving with several large multi-figure gifts alongside many mid-size, repeat grants; a mix of event/gala sponsorships and unrestricted or program support. The foundation repeatedly funds a core set of Baltimore organizations while also making occasional larger strategic commitments (notably one multi-million-dollar contribution).
Notable grantees: Baltimore Museum of Art, THREAD Inc, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation, Center for Urban Families
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $18,240 at the median, and $62,000 at the 75th percentile, although the recent list includes several much larger institutional gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and its recent record shows recurring support for several recipients over multiple years, including Baltimore Museum of Art, Center for Urban Families, Teach for America, and Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation. The pattern mixes contribution grants with event-linked support, annual-fund gifts, matching grants, and operating-style awards.
Giving is heavily concentrated in Maryland, with 75% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and MD as the top state by grant count. Baltimore dominates the recipient map, including Thread Inc, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation, and the Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore. Outside Maryland, recent grants went to Providence, Rhode Island; Alexandria, Virginia; and Boston, Massachusetts. All recorded recipient-country activity is in the US.
Its recent giving centers on Baltimore arts institutions, K-12 education and leadership schools, youth services, and Jewish communal organizations. Examples in the record include the Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation, Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Center for Urban Families, and The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Center for Urban Families in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Teach for America in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $10,000, a median of $18,240, and a 75th percentile of $62,000. The recent list also includes larger awards, such as $2,000,000 to Thread Inc and $1,085,000 to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Maryland is the top state by grant count, and 75% of grants are made to recipients in the HQ state. Baltimore is the main recipient city in the recent grants list, with additional awards going to Providence, Alexandria, and Boston.
Its grants often take the form of contributions, annual-fund gifts, matching grants, and event-related sponsorships. The recent record includes gala support for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a matching grant for Center for Urban Families, and annual-fund support for The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BALTIMORE, MD | $1,085,000 | 2025 | GALA AND ANNUAL FUND |
| BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART | BALTIMORE, MD | $566,000 | 2025 | BMA GALA, ANNUAL FUND, TABLE SPONSOR BMA BALL |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $150,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CENTER FOR URBAN FAMILIES | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | MATCHING GRANT |
| THE ASSOCIATED JEWISH FEDERATION OF BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BALTIMORE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $40,000 | 2025 | BSA EXPRESSIONS 2024 |
| THE SEED SCHOOL OF MARYLAND | BALTIMORE, MD | $30,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| J STREET EDUCATION FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| KIPP BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $30,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| SPRINGBOARD COLLABORATIVE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $17,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| MARYLAND PHILANTHROPY NETWORK | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,480 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BALTIMORE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | BALTIMORE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL (EM)POWER |
| PROJECT PNEUMA INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BALTIMORE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE BROTHERHOODSISTER SOL | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT BALTIMORE | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ASSOCIATED BLACK CHARITIES | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | 2024 GALA, GIVING TUESDAY |
| GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL MEETING |
| MARYLAND FOOD BANK | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA | BALTIMORE, MD | $12,500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| JEREMIAH PROJECT | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ADELANTE LATINA | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| FUND FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ARTS EDUCATION IN MARYLAND SCHOOLS | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| COLLEGEBOUND FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| MENTOR THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ST STEPHEN S AND ST AGNES SCHOOL FOUNDATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| WYPR (YOUR PUBLIC RADIO CORPORATION) | BALTIMORE, MD | $7,500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| ARTS EVERY DAY | BALTIMORE, MD | $7,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| LIVE BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $7,000 | 2025 | DONATION |
| BALTIMORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $6,200 | 2025 | BCF CIVIC LEADERSHIP |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | BALTIMORE, MD | $5,500 | 2025 | DONATION |
| THREAD INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $2,000,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART | BALTIMORE, MD | $1,020,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $301,500 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| BALTIMORE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN | BALTIMORE, MD | $170,000 | 2024 | (EM) POWER BREAKFAST |
| THE ASSOCIATED JEWISH FEDERATION OF BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | 2024 ASSOCIATED PLEDGE |
| CENTER FOR URBAN FAMILIES INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | MATCHING GRANT |
| BALTIMORE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,200 | 2024 | DONATION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2024 | DONATION |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $70,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| TAKI ALSOP CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2024 | GRANT |
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2024 | 2023 GALA |
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$1,085,000GALA AND ANNUAL FUND
BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART
$566,000BMA GALA, ANNUAL FUND, TABLE SPONSOR BMA BALL
DONATION
BALTIMORE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL (EM)POWER
PROJECT PNEUMA INC
$15,000DONATION
BALTIMORE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
$15,000CONTRIBUTION
GREATER BALTIMORE COMMITTEE
$15,000ANNUAL MEETING
AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM
$10,000DONATION
ARTS EVERY DAY
$7,000DONATION
LIVE BALTIMORE
$7,000DONATION
BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART
$1,020,000CONTRIBUTION
TAKI ALSOP CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP INC
$50,000GRANT
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$50,0002023 GALA