Paul a Funk Foundation
The Paul A Funk Foundation is a private foundation based in Bloomington, Illinois. Its 2024 filing describes direct charitable activity as operating a historical home site and gem and mineral museum; its 2025 grants supported organizations in Illinois.
Paul a Funk Foundation at a glance
In short: Paul a Funk Foundation gave $223K across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Illinois. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $222,860
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,065
- -4.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $8,650,565
- +0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (3 of 43, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Paul a Funk Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3217, Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 829-4303
Website: https://funkfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Paul a Funk Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Heartland Community College Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $150K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
225 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 220 grants of 225 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Paul a Funk Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 43 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 91% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $223K (2025) to $242K (2022). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $223K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Community College Foundation Normal, IL | Educational Fund | $50,000 |
| University of Illinois College of Aces 65 Munford Hall Urbana, IL | Agricultural Scholarships | $35,000 |
| YMCA Bloomington, IL | Strong Kids Program | $12,500 |
| Baby Fold Normal, IL | Adoption Services | $10,000 |
| ISU Foundation Rambo House Normal, IL | Scholarship | $10,000 |
| United Way of McLean County Bloomington, IL | General | $10,000 |
| McCormick Foundation Chicago, IL | Tutoring Program | $7,000 |
| Boy Scouts of America WD Bouce Council Bloomington, IL | General | $5,000 |
| Childrens Discovery Museum Normal, IL | Educational Fund | $5,000 |
| Children's Home Aid Bloomington, IL | Stuff the Bus Program | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Paul a Funk 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 | $8,650,565 | $588,694 | $567,223 | $222,860 | 44 | $527,887 | $557,721 | $574,558 |
| 2024 | $8,633,853 | $1,043,942 | $634,674 | $228,500 | 43 | $673,624 | $1,036,008 | $527,059 |
| 2023 | $8,224,233 | $309,589 | $623,192 | $230,500 | 45 | $621,102 | $295,708 | $531,219 |
| 2022 | $8,538,261 | $466,287 | $562,157 | $241,500 | 47 | $568,195 | $459,014 | $557,358 |
| 2021 | $8,634,043 | $360,171 | $535,943 | $224,000 | 46 | — | $352,692 | $513,136 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paul a Funk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $575K 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 2024 filing lists operation of a historical home site and gem and mineral museum as its direct charitable activity. Its 2025 grants included support for educational funds and scholarships, adoption services, youth programs, and community organizations.
Among its grantees, Heartland Community College Foundation says it works to develop the college’s facilities and provide scholarships to students. United Way of McLean County says it works to improve lives by mobilizing community resources for the common good. McLean County Historical Society says it educates the public about county history through museums, libraries, programs, research collections, publications, and preservation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 44 grants totaling $222,860. Awards ranged from $360 to $50,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Notable grants included $50,000 to Heartland Community College Foundation for an educational fund; $35,000 to the University of Illinois College of ACES for agricultural scholarships; $12,500 to the YMCA for its Strong Kids Program; and $10,000 each to Baby Fold for adoption services, ISU Foundation Rambo House for a scholarship, and United Way of McLean County for general support.
Other 2025 grants included $7,000 to McCormick Foundation for a tutoring program, $5,000 to Children’s Discovery Museum for an educational fund, and $5,000 to Illinois 4-H Foundation for a scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Duncan Funk, Clint Rehtmeyer, Rey Jannusch, Leigh Ann Sharp, Amy Wells Gruner, and Bradley Kuehl as trustees.
Paul a Funk Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rey Jannusch
Trustee
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$25K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Clint Rehtmeyer
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Duncan Funk
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leigh Ann Sharp
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Wells Gruner
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bradley Kuehl
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Justin McLaughlin (2021–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $25K, to Rey Jannusch (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Paul a Funk Foundation
How much does Paul a Funk Foundation give each year?
Paul a Funk Foundation gave $223K across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $229K across 43 grants.
What is Paul a Funk Foundation's typical grant size?
Paul a Funk Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,065, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Paul a Funk Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Paul a Funk Foundation give grants?
Paul a Funk Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bloomington, IL (17 grants), Normal, IL (9 grants), Heyworth, IL (4 grants) and McLean, IL (4 grants).
Does Paul a Funk Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 20% of Paul a Funk Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Food Pantry" (13 grants), "Rescue Squad" (4 grants) and "Educational Fund" (3 grants).
Who are Paul a Funk Foundation's largest grantees?
Paul a Funk Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Heartland Community College Foundation ($50,000), University of Illinois College of Aces 65 Munford Hall ($35,000) and YMCA ($12,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Paul a Funk Foundation?
Paul a Funk Foundation reported $8.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $528K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $575K (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 Paul a Funk Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists operation of a historical home site and gem and mineral museum as its direct charitable activity. Its 2025 grants included support for educational funds and scholarships, adoption services, youth programs, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Paul a Funk Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Paul a Funk Foundation's EIN?
Paul a Funk Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6075515. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Paul a Funk 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Paul a Funk Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/paul-a-funk-foundation-morg_8bfa7ee0f343496e84b7efa1808fc0e2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_376075515_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Paul a Funk Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/paul-a-funk-foundation-morg_8bfa7ee0f343496e84b7efa1808fc0e2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Paul a Funk 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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