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John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$217k
Granted FY2025still arriving
14
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$60k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0194% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$424kEducation$221kEnvironment$102kHealth$71kHuman Services$48kReligion$25kYouth Development$9kRecreation & Sports$7kOther$0
02FY2025 · 14 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k3 grants · $8k
  • $10k–50k10 grants · $149k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $60k
$10,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$3.2M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ST CHARLES FOUNDATION$60,000
HIGH DESERT MUSEUM$30,000
CROOK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY$20,000
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY$20,000
SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST$15,000
OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY$14,200
Individual grant recipient$10,000
ST VINCENT DE PAUL$10,000
DESCHUTES LAND TRUST$10,000
WORLD FORESTRY CENTER$10,000
PRINEVILLE SENIOR CENTER$10,000
REDMOND SENIOR CENTER$5,000
CROOK COUNTY PARKS AND REC DISTRICT$2,000
OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING$1,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY18–24, $20k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%HEART OF GRANT COUNTY: $5k → 16%Saving Grace: $2k → 10%MOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY: $7k → 10%Heart of Grant County: $1k → 16%Mountain Star Family Relief Nursery: $2k → 10%Family Access Network: $2k → 10%Mountain Star Family Relief Nursery: $1k → 10%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

90%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$839k · 24 repeat orgs$93k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +60% since the first grant, against +26% for those funded once.

24 repeat relationships: 9 still active in FY2025, 15 since wound down; 5 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

24
26

Total granted

$839k
$55k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+60%
+26%

Still filing today

58%
38%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 83% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $38k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
EnvironmentArts & CultureHuman ServicesEducationCommunity ImprovementCivil RightsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • OH
    OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
    9× · 2017–2025 · $225k · revenue +38%
  • WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
    6× · 2018–2025 · $200k · revenue +32%
  • HIGH DESERT MUSEUM
    5× · 2018–2025 · $57k · revenue +228%

Funded once

  • PI
    Partners in Care - Hospice House
    one grant, 2021 · $10k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2022 · $10k
  • JA
    JUNIPER ARTS COUNCIL INC
    one grant, 2019 · $4k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Oregon Natural Resources Council Fund Oregon Wild

Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon's wildlands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy for future generations.

Environment
2
Oregon Agricultural Trust

Oregon agricultural trust partners with farmers and ranchers to protect agricultural lands for the benefit of oregons economy, communities, and landscapes.

Environment
3
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy Inc

To conserve and enhance land in southern oregon to sustain our human and natural communities forever.

Environment
4
Conservation Nw

We protect, connect and restore wildlands and wildlife from the washington coast to the british columbia rockies.

Environment
5
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council

The Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council is a local nonprofit organization that strives to enhance and restore habitat for fish and wildlife our community and for future generations. Our Board of Directors consists of seven members with…

Environment
6
North Clackamas Urban Watersheds Council

Public charity watershed council Clackamas County, OR

Public Benefit
7
Clackamas River Basin Council Inc

The council is organized to foster partnerships for clean water, healthy streams, and abundant fisheries in the Clackamas Watershed

Environment
8
Rogue Climate

Rogue Climate's mission is to empower Southern Oregon communities most impacted by climate change including low-income, rural, youth, seniors & communities of color, to win climate justice by organizing for clean energy, sustainable jobs &…

Education
9
Western Rivers Conservancy

Western rivers conservancy's mission is to protect outstanding river ecosystems in the western united states. continued on schedule o.we acquire land to conserve critical habitat, provide public access for compatible use and enjoyment, and…

Environment
10
Oregon Justice Network

Oregon Justice Network is an alliance built and staffed by criminal legal system impacted people advocating for the well-being of people affected or at-risk of being affected by carceral systems. Our work centers around restorative…

Human Services
11
The Oregon Zoo Foundation

To foster community pride and involvement in the oregon zoo and to secure financial support for the zoo's conservation, education and animal well-being programs.

Animals
12
Trailkeepers of Oregon

Trailkeepers of oregon is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and enhance the oregon hiking experience through stewardship, advocacy, outreach and education.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is 1000 Friends of Oregon; the most unlike its peers is Bridge Builders Leadership Initiative. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

29 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 29 of the 57 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
9
Early backer (in before they grew)
28/29
Grantees still filing
19/29
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $225,450 · Arts & CultureOREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETYHIGH DESERT MUSEUM: $57,000 · Arts & CultureHIGH DESERT MUSEUM+3 more: $8,000 · Arts & CultureA R BOWMAN MEMORIAL MUSEUM: $107,000 · OtherA R BOWMAN MEMORIAL MUSEUMST VINCENT DE PAUL: $25,000 · OtherST VINCENT DE PAULCROOK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $20,000 · OtherCROOK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETYPRINEVILLE SENIOR CENTER: $12,000 · OtherTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $11,000 · OtherBAKER TECHNICAL INSTITUTE: $10,000 · OtherPartners in Care - Hospice House: $10,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $10,000 · OtherSt Vincent de Paul Crook County: $10,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $10,000 · Other+27 more: $52,500 · Other+27 moreWILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: $200,000 · EducationWILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY+1 more: $2,000 · EducationSt Charles Foundation Inc: $61,000 · HealthWORLD FORESTRY CENTER: $26,000 · EnvironmentDeschutes Land Trust: $23,000 · EnvironmentDESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY: $6,000 · EnvironmentCentral Oregon Trail Alliance: $2,000 · Environment+2 more: $1,400 · EnvironmentSUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST: $33,000 · Community ImprovementCROOK COUNTY FOUNDATION: $2,000 · Community ImprovementMOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY: $10,000 · Human ServicesHEART OF GRANT COUNTY: $6,000 · Human ServicesFamily Access Network Foundation: $2,000 · Human ServicesSAVING GRACE: $2,000 · Human Services
Arts & Culture$290,450Other$277,500Education$202,000Health$61,000Environment$58,400Community Improvement$35,000Human Services$20,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetOREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $225,450 over 9y, 0.5% of budgetWILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: $200,000 over 6y, 0.9% of budgetSt Charles Foundation Inc: $61,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHIGH DESERT MUSEUM: $57,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetSUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST: $33,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetWORLD FORESTRY CENTER: $26,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetDeschutes Land Trust: $23,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCROOK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $20,000 over 1y, 13% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $11,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY: $10,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetDESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY: $6,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetHEART OF GRANT COUNTY: $6,000 over 2y, 1.2% of budgetKIWANIS CLUB OF PRINEVILLE: $5,500 over 2y, 11% of budgetOREGON NEWSPAPERS FOUNDATION INC: $4,000 over 3y, 3.0% of budgetFOUR RIVERS CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM: $3,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICAN ENDURANCE RIDE CONFERENCE: $3,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetCASA OF JACKSON COUNTY INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetFamily Access Network Foundation: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSAVING GRACE: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCROOK COUNTY FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetCentral Oregon Trail Alliance: $2,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetOREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget1000 FRIENDS OF OREGON: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetOregon Parks Forever: $400 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds St Charles Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds HIGH DESERT MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST ↗
  • Who funds WORLD FORESTRY CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Deschutes Land Trust ↗
  • Who funds CROOK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds MOUNTAINSTAR FAMILY RELIEF NURSERY ↗
  • Who funds DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds HEART OF GRANT COUNTY ↗
  • Who funds KIWANIS CLUB OF PRINEVILLE ↗
  • Who funds OREGON NEWSPAPERS FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds FOUR RIVERS CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN ENDURANCE RIDE CONFERENCE ↗
  • Who funds CASA OF JACKSON COUNTY INC ↗
  • Who funds Family Access Network Foundation ↗
  • Who funds BRIDGE BUILDERS LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE ↗
  • Who funds GRANT COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds SAVING GRACE ↗
  • Who funds CROOK COUNTY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Central Oregon Trail Alliance ↗
  • Who funds THE OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Oregon Community …The Roundhouse Founda…The Ford Family Found…Maybelle Clark Macdon…First Interstate Banc…Meyer Memorial TrustThe Autzen FoundationThe Anjulicia Foundat…Marie Lamfrom Charita…Aria Foundation Co Tg…Ronald W Naito Md Fou…The Collins Foundation
The Oregon Community FoundationOR44× affinity23 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Oregon Community Foundation · The Roundhouse Foundation · The Ford Family Foundation · Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund · First Interstate BancSystem Foundation Inc · Meyer Memorial Trust · The Autzen Foundation · The Anjulicia Foundation · Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation Trust · Aria Foundation Co Tg Tax & Accounting Services LLC · Ronald W Naito Md Foundation · The Collins Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 50%1%4%8%15%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 5%
  • Deschutes River Conservancy: 100% of income from government
  • Mountainstar Family Relief Nursery: 60% of income from government
  • Heart of Grant County: 54% of income from government
  • Saving Grace: 48% of income from government
  • Deschutes Land Trust: 46% of income from government
  • High Desert Museum: 11% of income from government
  • Oregon Historical Society: 10% of income from government
  • Sustainable Northwest: 5% of income from government
  • The Oregon Community Foundation: 2% of income from government
  • Frontier Casa: 2% of income from government
  • Crook County Foundation: 2% of income from government
  • Willamette University: 1% of income from government
  • Central Oregon Trail Alliance: 1% of income from government
  • Oregon Public Broadcasting: 1% of income from government
  • Casa of Jackson County Inc: 0% of income from government
  • World Forestry Center: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
5get no government money at all
3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
3rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc?

Find your warmest path to John and Linda Shelk Foundation Inc through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 57 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on John and Linda Shelk’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home