Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation
The Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2025, it reported 45 grants totaling $230,250 to organizations including nonprofits, universities, and other institutions.
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation at a glance
In short: Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation gave $230K across 45 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Ohio. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $230,250
- +48.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 45
- +28.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,117
- +15.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,000,020
- -1.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (11 of 45, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists the trustees as the contact. It lists forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as N/A. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Trustees
Mailing address: 383 South Third Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 221-4547
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New Albany Pet Rescue ($40K). Together the top 10 received $183K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
202 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 199 grants of 202 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 8% to New York, 4% to Texas, and 2% each to Colorado and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 45 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $148K (2020) to $230K (2025). In 2025 it made 45 grants totaling $230K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Albany Pet Rescue New Albany, OH | General Operating Support | $40,000 |
| The Ohio State University Foundation Columbus, OH | General Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Lifetown New Albany, OH | General Operating Support | $27,500 |
| Ohio State University Hospital Columbus, OH | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Barnard Annual Gala New York, NY | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Ohio Regional Training Center Columbus, OH | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Ohio State University - Wrestling Columbus, OH | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Columbus Z00 Powell, OH | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| University of Texas-Women's Swim & Dive Austin, TX | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Capa Colmbus, OH | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
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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 | $1,000,020 | $610,837 | $635,033 | $230,250 | 45 | $253,969 | $236,953 | $258,415 |
| 2024 | $1,016,541 | $610,073 | $530,608 | $154,850 | 35 | $180,240 | $259,705 | $255,459 |
| 2023 | $940,700 | $573,202 | $534,702 | $192,850 | 45 | $180,970 | $216,350 | $162,699 |
| 2022 | $901,022 | $558,073 | $723,878 | $168,900 | 44 | $171,788 | $3,095 | $171,603 |
| 2021 | $1,069,804 | $539,357 | $505,523 | $148,150 | 33 | $150,770 | $181,984 | $171,582 |
| 2020 | $1,028,236 | $527,970 | $540,563 | $148,089 | 29 | — | $142,076 | $151,045 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation reported a distributable amount of $258K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Ohio Regional Training Center describes its mission as producing Olympic champions and improving training for developmental wrestlers. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises, while Freestore Foodbank says it works to eliminate hunger in partnership with its community. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions address maternal and infant care, mountain rescue and safety education, and arts and STEM access.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 45 grants totaling $230,250. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $40,000, with a median of $1,000.
The largest reported grants included $40,000 to New Albany Pet Rescue, $30,000 to The Ohio State University Foundation, $27,500 to Lifetown, and $25,000 to Ohio State University Hospital. Each was listed for general operating support. Other notable grants included $15,000 to Barnard Annual Gala and $10,000 each to Ohio Regional Training Center, Ohio State University - Wrestling, Columbus Zoo, and University of Texas-Women's Swim & Dive.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Stephen A. Skilken and Lynne Skilken as directors.
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynne E. Skilken
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stephen A. Skilken
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation
How much does Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation give each year?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation gave $230K across 45 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $155K across 35 grants.
What is Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $5,117, across 45 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation give grants?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (11 grants), New Albany, OH (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Cincinnati, OH (3 grants).
Does Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include New Albany Pet Rescue ($40,000), The Ohio State University Foundation ($30,000) and Lifetown ($27,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $254K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $258K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Ohio Regional Training Center describes its mission as producing Olympic champions and improving training for developmental wrestlers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation?
The filing lists the trustees as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's EIN?
Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6050827. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joseph & Helen Skilken Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-helen-skilken-foundation-morg_924a3b9f21db46e7905e8bc67bd42c8a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316050827_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joseph \& Helen Skilken Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-helen-skilken-foundation-morg_924a3b9f21db46e7905e8bc67bd42c8a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Joseph & Helen Skilken 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.
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