The Betty R Sheffer Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Palm Springs, California. Previously, the foundation was based in Westport, Connecticut, where the foundation’s namesake once lived.

While most of the foundation’s donations and grants are to noncontroversial cultural and education causes, the foundation does contribute to left-of-center causes, including pro-abortion organizations and environmentalist organizations. ¹

In 2016, the foundation awarded a $1,000 grant to the pro-immigration expansionist National Immigration Law Center. ² The National Immigration Law Center has joined with other center-left to radical-left organizations in a Los Angeles, California based coalition called “Check the Sheriff.” The coalition seeks the resignation of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (D) and an investigation of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office by the California Attorney General. ³

Overview

The Betty R Sheffer Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Palm Springs, California. The foundation was previously headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, where Betty Sheffer, the foundation’s namesake, lived until her death. The foundation has been in existence since at least 1992. ⁴

The foundation makes most of its contributions in areas such as the arts, cultural institutions, and education. The foundation also supports socially liberal causes such as the pro-abortion movement, the environmentalist movement, the anti-gun movement, and other identity politics-related causes. ⁵

Leadership

The only listed officer of the foundation is Ann Sheffer. Sheffer is listed as the secretary of the foundation. She moved the foundation from Westport, Connecticut, to Palm Springs, California. ⁶

Sheffer has a theater and French degree from Smith College, a master’s in arts administration from Tufts University, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Washington. ⁷

Sheffer is a former politician, having been elected to the Westport, Connecticut Representative Town Meeting from 1993 to 2005. While in elected office, she served as chair of the Library, Museum, and Arts Committee. In addition to being in elected office, she has been appointed to boards on both the national and state level. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed her to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities on which she served until 2000. In 2005, she was appointed to the Connecticut Commission on Arts and Tourism; she served until 2013. ⁸

After relocating to Palm Springs, California, she was appointed chair of the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission. She is also on the board of the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Desert AIDS Project. ⁹

Finances

According to the 2019 tax returns, the foundation received $190,756 in contributions, spent $538,142, and had $450,895 in assets. ¹⁰

Some of the largest contributions were to organizations that Ann Sheffer is personally involved with such as $115,000 donations apiece to the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Desert AIDS Project. ¹¹

In 2019, it made a $5,000 donation to the anti-gun organization March for Our Lives. ¹²

In 2018, it made a $1,000 donation to the Center for Women’s Rights and a $1,000 donation to the Natural Resources Defense Council. ¹³

In 2017, it made a $1,000 donation to the Center for Reproductive Rights. ¹⁴

In 2016, it made a $1,000 donation to the ACLU Foundation, a $1,000 to the Center for Reproductive Rights, a $1,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a $1,000 donation to the National Immigration Law Center, a $1,000 donation to the Natural Resources Defense Council, and a $1,000 to Planned Parenthood. ¹⁵

The National Immigration Law Center has joined with other center-left to radical-left groups in a Los Angeles-based coalition called “Check the Sheriff.” The coalition seeks the resignation of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (D)and the investigation of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office by the California Attorney General. ¹⁶

1. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2016 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/01_2018_prefixes_04-06%2F061326162_201612_990PF_2018013115158213.
2. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2016 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/01_2018_prefixes_04-06%2F061326162_201612_990PF_2018013115158213.
3. “About”. 2021. Check The Sheriff Coalition. Accessed September 27. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.
4. “Betty Sheffer”. 2020. 06880. https://06880danwoog.com/tag/betty-sheffer/.
5. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2016 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/01_2018_prefixes_04-06%2F061326162_201612_990PF_2018013115158213.
6. Form 990. 2019. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/061/326/2019-061326162-202013219349100406-F.pdf?_gl=1*1puhvy*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzMjc2NzM1OC4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzMjc2NzM1OS4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA.
7. “Ann Sheffer, Treasurer –”. 2021. The Campaign School At Yale University. Accessed September 27. https://tcsyale.org/about-us/board/ann-sheffer/.
8. “Ann Sheffer, Treasurer –”. 2021. The Campaign School At Yale University. Accessed September 27. https://tcsyale.org/about-us/board/ann-sheffer/.
9. “Ann Sheffer, Treasurer –”. 2021. The Campaign School At Yale University. Accessed September 27. https://tcsyale.org/about-us/board/ann-sheffer/.
10. Form 990. 2019. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/061/326/2019-061326162-202013219349100406-F.pdf?_gl=1*1puhvy*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzMjc2NzM1OC4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzMjc2NzM1OS4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..
11. Form 990. 2019. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/061/326/2019-061326162-202013219349100406-F.pdf?_gl=1*1puhvy*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzMjc2NzM1OC4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzMjc2NzM1OS4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA. .
12. Form 990. 2019. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/061/326/2019-061326162-202013219349100406-F.pdf?_gl=1*1puhvy*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzMjc2NzM1OC4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzMjc2NzM1OS4zNC4xLjE2MzI3Njc0NzYuMA..
13. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2018 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/01_2020_prefixes_04-06%2F061326162_201812_990PF_2020012117047944.
14. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2017 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/03_2019_prefixes_04-13%2F061326162_201712_990PF_2019030416140045.
15. “Betty R Sheffer Foundation 2016 Form 990”. 2021. Propublica. Accessed September 27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61326162/01_2018_prefixes_04-06%2F061326162_201612_990PF_2018013115158213.
16. “About”. 2021. Check The Sheriff Coalition. Accessed September 27. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.