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 through scholarships and a program of grants to eligible schools and districts.
Key facts about John and Deborah Gillis Foundation
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.
- EIN
- 82-5115039
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $385,883
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- Average grant
- $8,039
- Median grant
- $8,378
- Total assets
- $3,893,304
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.9M
-16.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$386K
+7.0% YoY
Grant Count
48
+4700.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-97.8% YoY
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.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says its mission is to provide educational opportunities that amplify, strengthen, and empower Hopkins County students so they can be college and career ready and competitive in a global society. Its stated activities include scholarships for graduating Hopkins County seniors and grants to eligible Hopkins County schools and districts for instructional program development, staff professional development, or other initiatives aligned with that mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 48 grants totaling $385,883. The 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 awards were to Jackson Petty ($18,598), Cable Glenn ($18,175), Katie Tifft ($16,062), Daniel Corral ($15,966), and Luke Ritter ($15,000). The stated purpose for each was student scholarship funding.
Review Cycle
shown on the website was January 8, 2021, a past cycle.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Hopkins County, Texas, graduates as eligible for its scholarship program and names seven Hopkins County school districts and their schools as eligible for the Grants to Schools Program. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to Texas recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 48 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JACKSON PETTY Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $18,598 |
| CABLE GLENN Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $18,175 |
| KATIE TIFFT Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $16,062 |
| DANIEL CORRAL Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $15,966 |
| LUKE RITTER Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $15,000 |
| ZOE CRUMP Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $14,853 |
| IAN WESTLUND Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $14,448 |
| JASMIN WADE Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $13,905 |
| KEZIAH SIMS Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $12,740 |
| MICHELLE TIJERIN Sulphur Springs, TX | GRANT FUNDING FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS | $12,011 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,893,304 | $322,705 | $652,422 | $385,883 (48 grants) |
| 2024 | $4,687,726 | $377,101 | $603,941 | $360,623 (1 grant) |
| 2023 | $4,933,021 | $123,194 | $650,373 | $404,677 (47 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,893,304 | $4,687,726 | $4,933,021 |
| Revenue | $322,705 | $377,101 | $123,194 |
| Expenses | $652,422 | $603,941 | $650,373 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $548,340 | $514,324 | $563,099 |
| Net Investment Income | $212,870 | $287,485 | $37,182 |
| Distributable Amount | $232,835 | $237,210 | $243,070 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- 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
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation is led by Robin Shrode, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2022 is compensated.
Officers on the 2022 filing
Robin Shrode
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$108K (2020) → $108K (2022)
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
John Gillis
Director
President → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzy Rost
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Douglas Perry
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Newman
Secretary
New on the 2022 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2022. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 216 College Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
Phone: (972) 849-8524
Website: https://jdgillisfoundation.org
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. The most frequent recipient cities were Sulphur Springs, TX (48 grants).
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).
Who are John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's largest grantees?
John and Deborah Gillis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jackson Petty ($18,598), Cable Glenn ($18,175) and Katie Tifft ($16,062), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
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 says its mission is to provide educational opportunities that amplify, strengthen, and empower Hopkins County students so they can be college and career ready and competitive in a global society. Its stated activities include scholarships for graduating Hopkins County seniors and grants to eligible Hopkins County schools and districts for instructional program development, staff professional development, or other initiatives aligned with that mission.
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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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