Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation
The Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation is a private foundation based in Spokane, Washington. Its 2025 filing reports contributions to philanthropic organizations, including grants to organizations in several states.
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation at a glance
In short: Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation gave $168K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Montana. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $168,200
- +32.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- -4.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,645
- +38.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,415,892
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Montana (52% 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 Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists Steve Hoiness as the contact and “the organization” as the form and materials. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Steve Hoiness
Mailing address: 4108 S Myrtle St, Spokane, WA 99223
Phone: (509) 891-3890
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Spokane Hope ($21K). Together the top 10 received $128K.
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 121 grants of 121 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana (52%) and Washington (39%). Recipients in Arizona, Tennessee, and Texas each accounted for 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 22 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $121K (2020) to $168K (2025). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $168K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane Hope Spokane, WA | Philanthropic Purposes | $20,700 |
| Education Foundation for Billings Public School Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $20,000 |
| 2ND Harvest Food Bank Spokane, WA | Philanthropic Purposes | $15,000 |
| Christikon Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $15,000 |
| Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $15,000 |
| American Lutheran Church Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $10,000 |
| Billings YMCA Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $10,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House Spokane, WA | Philanthropic Purposes | $10,000 |
| St John's Lutheran Ministries Billings, MT | Philanthropic Purposes | $7,500 |
| AZ Helping Hands Phoenix, AZ | Philanthropic Purposes | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Melvin & Lois Hoiness 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 | $2,415,892 | $208,357 | $214,234 | $168,200 | 22 | $175,470 | $175,171 | $133,823 |
| 2024 | $2,426,594 | $436,129 | $157,432 | $126,750 | 23 | $128,940 | $409,283 | $125,310 |
| 2023 | $2,146,830 | $132,839 | $178,349 | $133,000 | 21 | $139,985 | $96,614 | $122,934 |
| 2022 | $2,192,340 | $175,517 | $172,449 | $137,000 | 27 | $138,805 | $144,895 | $129,907 |
| 2021 | $2,189,272 | $189,239 | $169,737 | $124,500 | 28 | $131,288 | $151,711 | $143,498 |
| 2020 | $2,169,770 | $100,203 | $150,002 | $121,000 | 27 | — | $65,770 | $128,699 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation reported a distributable amount of $134K 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
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its reported grants include support for organizations working in areas such as education, food assistance, youth services, and health and community support; the filing lists the purposes of the largest grants as “philanthropic purposes.”
Among its grantees, St. John’s Lutheran Ministries describes its mission as providing living opportunities in nurturing environments of hope, dignity, and love. Cancer Can’t says it helps people fighting cancer in the Inland Northwest by improving their daily lives and circumstances. Hospice of Spokane describes its work as providing holistic end-of-life care addressing the needs of terminally ill people and their loved ones.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $168,200. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $20,700, with a median of $5,000. The filing also describes direct charitable activity as contributions to 23 organizations.
Largest reported grants included $20,700 to Spokane Hope; $20,000 to the Education Foundation for Billings Public School; $15,000 each to 2nd Harvest Food Bank, Christikon, and Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch; and $10,000 each to American Lutheran Church, Billings YMCA, and Ronald McDonald House. Cancer Can’t and Hospice of Spokane each received $2,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Chris Hoiness and Steve Hoiness as directors.
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris Hoiness
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2025)
Steve Hoiness
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2025)
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 $5K, to Chris Hoiness (Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation
How much does Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation give each year?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation gave $168K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $127K across 23 grants.
What is Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's typical grant size?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,645, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation give grants?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Washington (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Billings, MT (9 grants) and Spokane, WA (7 grants).
Does Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Philanthropic Purposes" (22 grants).
Who are Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's largest grantees?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Spokane Hope ($20,700), Education Foundation for Billings Public School ($20,000) and 2ND Harvest Food Bank ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $175K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $134K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its reported grants include support for organizations working in areas such as education, food assistance, youth services, and health and community support; the filing lists the purposes of the largest grants as “philanthropic purposes.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's EIN?
Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2077236. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Melvin & Lois Hoiness 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Melvin & Lois Hoiness Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/melvin-and-lois-hoiness-foundation-morg_50d10aec09b640f0b5ab9cd9d89e211f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_452077236_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Melvin \& Lois Hoiness Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/melvin-and-lois-hoiness-foundation-morg_50d10aec09b640f0b5ab9cd9d89e211f},
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 Melvin & Lois Hoiness 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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