John and Deborah Gillis Foundation
The John and Deborah Gillis Foundation is a private foundation based in Sulphur Springs, Texas. It supports educational opportunities for Hopkins County students, principally through scholarships for graduating seniors and grants to eligible local schools and districts.
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation at a glance
In short: John and Deborah Gillis Foundation gave $386K across 48 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $385,883
- +7.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- +4700.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,039
- -97.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,378
- Total assets
- $3,893,304
- -16.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to John and Deborah Gillis Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website describes an online application process for the Bright Stars Scholarship Program and a separate application process for eligible schools and districts through the Grants to Schools Program.
- Contact
Mailing address: 216 College Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
Phone: (972) 849-8524
Website: https://jdgillisfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John and Deborah Gillis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Christian Gibreath ($11K).
Organizations only. It also paid 47 individual scholarships ($374,883), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 150 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated programs serve Hopkins County, Texas. Its 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Texas recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How John and Deborah Gillis Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 236% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $228K (2020) to $418K (2022). In 2025 it made 48 grants totaling $386K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 47 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $374,883 |
| Christian Gibreath Sulphur Springs, TX | Grant Funding for Student Scholarships | $11,000 |
Ready to take the next step with John and Deborah Gillis Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,893,304 | $322,705 | $652,422 | $385,883 | 48 | $548,340 | $212,870 | $232,835 |
| 2024 | $4,687,726 | $377,101 | $603,941 | $360,623 | 1 | $514,324 | $287,485 | $237,210 |
| 2023 | $4,933,021 | $123,194 | $650,373 | $404,677 | 47 | $563,099 | $37,182 | $243,070 |
| 2022 | $5,058,258 | $104,126 | $699,051 | $417,751 | 32 | $582,825 | — | $267,504 |
| 2021 | $5,653,183 | $439,769 | $599,382 | $335,943 | 22 | $493,474 | $333,814 | $305,385 |
| 2020 | $5,812,796 | $38,700 | $407,121 | $227,590 | 21 | — | $21,347 | $288,831 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John and Deborah Gillis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $233K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide educational opportunities that help Hopkins County students become college and career ready and competitive in a global society. Its programs include the Bright Stars Scholarship Program for students and a Grants to Schools Program for eligible Hopkins County school districts and schools.
The school-grant program is intended to support instructional program development, staff professional development, or other initiatives aligned with the foundation’s mission. Eligible districts listed by the foundation are Como-Pickton CISD, Cumby ISD, Miller Grove ISD, North Hopkins ISD, Saltillo ISD, an individual recipient ISD, and Sulphur Springs ISD.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 48 grants totaling $385,883. Individual grants ranged from $134 to $18,598, with a median of $8,378. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Texas. The largest listed grants were to individual recipients for student scholarships: $18,598, $18,175, $16,062, $15,966, and $15,000.
The Bright Stars Scholarship Program provides renewable scholarships to eligible graduating seniors. The foundation’s 2026 program handout describes a goal of at least ten annual scholarships, renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters, and awards of up to $5,000 per semester. The foundation also operates a direct scholarship program that includes eligibility review, applications and interviews, academic-progress monitoring, orientations, mentoring, and recipient recognition.
The Grants to Schools Program’s stated goal is to fund up to $100,000 annually in three-year grants. The foundation’s published school-grant materials describe applications reviewed and scored by three qualified evaluators who reside outside Hopkins County and have education and grant-related experience. The materials call for proposals addressing need, goals and outcomes, a three-year project plan and budget, a strategic action plan, monitoring and evaluation, sustainability, and alignment with the foundation’s mission. The website’s listed school-grant application deadline of January 8, 2021 is a past cycle. The Bright Stars handout lists March 2, 2026 as the scholarship deadline; that date has also passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Deborah Gillis as president; Suzy Rost and Chandra Crawford as directors; Butch Burney as treasurer; Robin Shrode as executive director; and Ruth Newman as secretary.
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation is led by Robin Shrode, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robin Shrode
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$108K (2020) → $138K (2025)
Deborah Gillis
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chandra Crawford
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzy Rost
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Newman
Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Butch Burney
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: John Douglas Perry (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: John Gillis (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $138K, to Robin Shrode (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about John and Deborah Gillis Foundation
How much does John and Deborah Gillis Foundation give each year?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation gave $386K across 48 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $361K across 1 grant.
What is John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's typical grant size?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,378, and its average grant was $8,039, across 48 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John and Deborah Gillis Foundation give grants?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does John and Deborah Gillis Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant Funding for Student Scholarships" (48 grants).
How large is John and Deborah Gillis Foundation?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $548K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $233K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John and Deborah Gillis Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide educational opportunities that help Hopkins County students become college and career ready and competitive in a global society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John and Deborah Gillis Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's EIN?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5115039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does John and Deborah Gillis Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 29, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work John and Deborah Gillis Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Glaser Family Charitable Foundation
Bonham, TX
The Glaser Family Charitable Foundation supports children’s services, community organizations, church ministries, education, cultural opportunities, and post-secondary scholarships. In 2025, it made 52 grants ranging from $25 to $21,657, with a median of $1,000; most funding went to Texas, and at least 80% of scholarships are for Fannin County students. The foundation accepts requests by letter to Cynthia Bankston; no deadline is listed.
Assets
$871K
Grants
52
Total Given
$111K
The Buddy Bostick Foundation
Waco, TX
The Buddy Bostick Foundation primarily funds scholarships, with 2024 grants ranging from $500 to $86,000 and a median award of $3,600. It is based in Waco, Texas, and most funding goes to Texas recipients, with some grants in other states. It accepts unsolicited requests from 501(c)(3) organizations by letter with information about need, planned use, and requested amount, plus an IRS determination letter and recent financial statement.
Assets
$12.4M
Grants
50
Total Given
$494K
Irene S Wischer Education Foundation #FA945
San Antonio, TX
The foundation funds scholarships for students pursuing higher education, with eligibility requirements including Texas residency, U.S. citizenship, full-time enrollment, financial need, and Christian faith. Its 2025 awards ranged from $10,000 to $20,000, and most funding went to Texas recipients. Applicants are directed to use the foundation’s online scholarship application.
Assets
$12.4M
Grants
50
Total Given
$513K
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?