Parks & Paula Sheller Adams Family Foundation Incorporated
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting a variety of causes, primarily focusing on environmental conservation, civil rights, and food security. It provides operational funding to organizations that advocate for social justice and community service. The foundation has a strong commitment to environmental issues, as evidenced by its support for multiple environmental groups, and it also funds civil rights organizations like the ACLU. Additionally, it addresses food insecurity through grants to food banks. Overall, the foundation's mission reflects a dedication to enhancing community welfare and promoting social equity.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-midsize U.S. nonprofit working in environmental conservation, civil rights, food security, or community services that fits the foundation’s modest unrestricted operations grant sizes and can be reached via introductions or existing networks.
Good Fit
- • Mission alignment with environment, civil rights, food security, or community service work.
- • Need for general operating support in the $5k–$12k range.
- • A track record that could be recognized by an intermediary or introducer (foundation uses preselection).
- • Willingness to accept invitation-only funding and provide standard 990PF reporting details.
Geography
Observed giving in the latest year reached 12 distinct states (with the largest state share at about 27%), showing a broadly multi-state footprint rather than a single-city focus.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation made 20 grants to 20 distinct, mostly independent recipients across varied sectors (environment, civil rights, food banks, community groups), indicating a broad recipient set for its size.
New Applicants
Direct evidence shows many new recipients in the latest year, but the foundation explicitly restricts funding to preselected applicants and provides no public application route; therefore unfamiliar applicants are unlikely to gain entry via an open submission.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
