Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation
PORTLAND REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL, based in Portland, Oregon, is identified in its filing as a public charity. Established in 1983, it was originally involved in transmitting educational programming in the greater Portland area. Its website says it now focuses on philanthropic initiatives through the Oregon Raindrop Fund, advancing social justice and equity and working to bridge the digital divide.
Key facts about Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation
In short: Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation gave $524K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in Oregon. 63% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 84-1360071
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $524,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $27,579
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 63% first-time grantees (12 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $7,849,666
- Primary geography
- Oregon (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
+2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$524K
+213.8% YoY
Grant Count
19
+171.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
+15.6% YoY
Is Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation open to new grantees?
63%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 19 grantees (63%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its purposes include charitable, educational, and social welfare activities. Its stated work includes transmitting educational programming and supporting philanthropic initiatives that advance social justice and equity and help bridge the digital divide. Its filing describes grants supporting fair participation in democracy, voter registration, education and mobilization, progressive political leaders, and grassroots advocacy and outreach.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate some of the kinds of organizations supported. Rural Organizing Project says it strengthens local autonomous human dignity groups as a source for a just democracy. Family Forward Action says it builds the collective power of mothers and caregivers to advance racial, gender, economic, and reproductive equity. Rogue Climate describes its work as organizing Southern Oregon communities affected by climate change for climate justice. The filing says grants have gone to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations and Oregon-registered political action committees.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 19 grants totaling $524,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $50,000 to Vote No on Gerrymandering for charter amendment opposition support, $50,000 to This Land for risk bond advocacy support, $45,000 to Linn United PAC for school board candidate support, and $44,000 to Rural Organizing Project for general support. Other grants included $40,000 to Next Up Action Fund for youth organizing, leadership training, and advocacy; $30,000 to Southern Oregon Climate Action Now for general support; and $25,000 each to Oregon Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, Here Together, 350 Deschutes, Ashland Climate Collaborative, and Family Forward Action. Tides Foundation received $25,000 for general support for the Oregon Futures Lab Education Fund.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oregon and 10% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2020) to $524K (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $524K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vote No on Gerrymandering ($50K). Together the top 10 received $359K.
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 53 (89%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vote No on Gerrymandering Eugene, OR | Charter Ammendment Opposition Support | $50,000 |
| This Land Portland, OR | Risk Bond Advocacy Support | $50,000 |
| Linn United Pac Portland, OR | School Board Candidate Support | $45,000 |
| Rural Organizing Project Cottage Grove, OR | General Support Grant | $44,000 |
| Next up Action Fund Portland, OR | Youth Organizing, Leadership Training and Advocacy Support | $40,000 |
| Southern Oregon Climate Action Now Jacksonville, OR | General Support Grant | $30,000 |
| Oregon Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice Portland, OR | General Support Grant | $25,000 |
| Here Together Portland, OR | General Support Grant | $25,000 |
| 350 Deschutes Bend, OR | General Support Grant | $25,000 |
| Tides Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General support grant for Oregon futures lab education fund | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,849,666 | $778,162 | $803,134 | $524,000 (19) |
| 2024 | $7,672,062 | $716,148 | $460,560 | $167,000 (7) |
| 2023 | $6,627,276 | $2,092,002 | $690,087 | $285,000 (9) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,849,666 | $7,672,062 | $6,627,276 |
| Revenue | $778,162 | $716,148 | $2,092,002 |
| Expenses | $803,134 | $460,560 | $690,087 |
| Net Investment Income | $176,827 | $119,897 | $1,381,585 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 12, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Schwartz as president, Thom Hartmann as vice president, Thomas Neuburger as treasurer, Kari Chisholm as director, and Elizabeth Smith as executive director. The organization’s website lists Hartmann, Neuburger, Schwartz, and Chisholm as board directors.
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation is led by Elizabeth Smith, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Smith
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$76K (2025)
John Schwartz
President
Director & President → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kari Chisholm
Director
Director & President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thom Hartmann
Vice President
Director & Executive Vice President → Director, 2021
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Neuburger
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: John Lang (2022–2024) — Fmr Executive Director
- Former: Jonathan Duke Shepard (2024) — Int Executive Director
- Former: Adam Miller (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Alice Ellis Gaut (2020–2022) — Executive Vice President
- Former: Barbara Hunter (2020–2022) — CFO
- Former: Charles Marr (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Kim Bubon (2020–2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Brenda William Sears (2022) — CEO
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 $76K, to Elizabeth Smith (Executive DIR).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 14011, Portland, OR 97293
Phone: (503) 313-8685
Website: https://pretc.org
Frequently asked questions about Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation
How much does Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation give each year?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation gave $524K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $167K across 7 grants.
What is Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's typical grant size?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $27,579, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation that year got $28K on average.
Where does Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation give grants?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation gives mostly in Oregon: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (11 grants).
Does Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation give general operating support?
Yes: 58% of Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's largest grantees?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's largest 2025 grantees include Vote No on Gerrymandering ($50,000), This Land ($50,000) and Linn United Pac ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $778K.
What does Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation fund?
The organization states that its purposes include charitable, educational, and social welfare activities. Its stated work includes transmitting educational programming and supporting philanthropic initiatives that advance social justice and equity and help bridge the digital divide. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check pretc.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's EIN?
Portland Regional Educational Telecommunications Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1360071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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