Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation
The Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation is a private foundation based in Bloomington, Illinois. Its 2025 filing says grants are primarily considered for youth programs and for organizations located in McLean County, Illinois.
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation at a glance
In short: Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation gave $1.2M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $67K), mostly in Illinois. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,204,241
- +6.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $66,902
- +24.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,575
- Total assets
- $19,307,093
- +5.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (8 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (98% 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 Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Contact James A Shirk for further information about the form and materials. The filing lists May 1 and October 1 each year as deadlines; both dates in 2026 have passed.
- Contact
Application contact: James A Shirk
Mailing address: 103 N Robinson, Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: (309) 827-8580
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was B-N YMCA Charitable Foundation NFP ($832K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 98 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 1% to Colorado, and 0% each to Ohio, Massachusetts, and Michigan. The foundation’s filing identifies organizations located in McLean County, Illinois, as a primary consideration.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 18 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $114K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 122% 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 $613K (2020) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| B-N YMCA Charitable Foundation NFP Bloomington, IL | YMCA Building | $832,460 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL | Shirk Center Endowment | $250,000 |
| Prairie Cities Soccer League Bloomington, IL | Program Expense | $20,000 |
| Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Bloomington, IL | Program Expense | $14,281 |
| Illinois State University Normal, IL | Program Expense | $13,850 |
| The Arts Campus at Willits Basalt, CO | Program Expense | $13,700 |
| Beyond the Books Educational Foundation Bloomington, IL | Program Expense | $10,000 |
| West Point School of Music Chicago, IL | Program Expense | $10,000 |
| ISU Foundation Normal, IL | Program Expense | $8,150 |
| Town of Normal Childrens Discovery Museum Normal, IL | Program Expense | $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 | $19,307,093 | $1,881,620 | $1,342,040 | $1,204,241 | 18 | $1,243,068 | $1,767,648 | $1,019,809 |
| 2024 | $18,342,335 | $357,348 | $1,240,472 | $1,127,440 | 21 | $1,162,383 | $510,113 | $906,371 |
| 2023 | $19,225,459 | $686,655 | $1,095,958 | $984,042 | 20 | $1,016,798 | $597,495 | $949,199 |
| 2022 | $19,634,762 | $404,683 | $1,039,999 | $856,938 | 21 | $969,293 | $419,749 | $928,429 |
| 2021 | $20,225,057 | $3,891,621 | $778,905 | $682,975 | 18 | $775,238 | $3,891,621 | $896,130 |
| 2020 | $17,065,213 | $600,495 | $705,416 | $612,500 | 18 | — | $585,495 | $836,409 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M 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 foundation mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies youth programs and organizations located in McLean County, Illinois, as its primary considerations for grants.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. Illinois Wesleyan University, which received $250,000 in 2025, describes its mission as providing a liberal arts education that fosters creativity, critical thinking, communication, character, and inquiry. Prairie Cities Soccer League, recipient of $20,000, says it provides an organized environment for amateur sports competition. Beyond the Books Educational Foundation, which received $10,000, says it provides grants to public school educators in Unit 5 and District 87. The Arts Campus at Willits, recipient of $13,700, says it brings performance to people and connects, engages, and inspires its community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $1,204,241. Individual grants ranged from $1,300 to $832,460, with a median grant of $6,575. The largest awards listed were $832,460 to B-N YMCA Charitable Foundation NFP for a YMCA building and $250,000 to Illinois Wesleyan University for the Shirk Center Endowment. Other listed grants included $20,000 to Prairie Cities Soccer League for program expenses, $14,281 to Illinois Prairie Community Foundation for program expenses, and $13,850 to Illinois State University for program expenses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James A Shirk as President/Director, and Cynthia L Shirk and Lia Valerio Shirk as directors.
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation is led by James A Shirk, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James A Shirk
President & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia L Shirk
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lia Valerio Shirk
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Linda S Shirk (2020–2024) — Treasurer & Director
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 Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation
How much does Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation give each year?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation gave $1.2M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 21 grants.
What is Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's typical grant size?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,575, and its average grant was $66,902, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation give grants?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bloomington, IL (5 grants), Normal, IL (4 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Expense" (16 grants).
Who are Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's largest grantees?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include B-N YMCA Charitable Foundation NFP ($832,460), Illinois Wesleyan University ($250,000) and Prairie Cities Soccer League ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation reported $19.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies youth programs and organizations located in McLean County, Illinois, as its primary considerations for grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's EIN?
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7022709. 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 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/russell-and-betty-shirk-foundation-morg_1bea79e62af54ae2814da95ed58c842e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237022709_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/russell-and-betty-shirk-foundation-morg_1bea79e62af54ae2814da95ed58c842e},
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 Russell and Betty Shirk 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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