Sheldon F Reese Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Sioux Falls, SD EIN: 46-0358682

The Sheldon F Reese Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including social services, education, arts and culture, and community programs.

Key facts about Sheldon F Reese Foundation

In short: Sheldon F Reese Foundation gave $346K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in South Dakota. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
46-0358682
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$345,900
Grants made (2025)
30
Average grant
$11,530
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
23% first-time grantees (7 of 30, 2025)
Total assets
$5,056,079
Primary geography
South Dakota (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
Contact the organization for information about the form and materials. Full details ↓
Deadline
No submission deadlines.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.1M

+4.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$346K

+14.9% YoY

Grant Count

30

+20.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$12K

-4.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sheldon F Reese Foundation reported a distributable amount of $323K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Sheldon F Reese Foundation open to new grantees?

23%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 7 of 30 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $11K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 32% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants went to organizations whose work includes addressing trafficking and exploitation, supporting people affected by violence and economic hardship, providing advocacy and services, and offering educational and cultural programs. For example, Call to Freedom describes its mission as supporting people impacted by trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, while Hope Coalition says it supports people affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and economic hardship. The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as inspiring people through music.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $345,900. Individual grants ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $25,000 to St. Dismas of South Dakota; $24,000 each to Call to Freedom and Hope Coalition; $21,400 to Augustana University Association; and $20,000 each to Friends of the Levitt Shell Sioux Falls, Great Plains Zoo and Aquarium, and South Dakota Voices for Peace.

Review Cycle

No submission deadlines.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Dakota and 7% to recipients in Minnesota. The listed recipients include organizations in Sioux Falls and other South Dakota communities, as well as Hope Coalition in Red Wing, Minnesota.

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

Sioux FallsRapid CityBrookingsEagle ButteMitchellBrandonHot SpringsPierreCrazy HorseHermosaLouisvilleRed WingWatertown

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K23 grants2019 25 grants2020 23 grants2021 27 grants2022 27 grants2023 25 grants2024 30 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $232K (2019) to $346K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $346K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

St Dysmas of South Dakota: $25KSt Dysmas of South Dakota$25KCall to Freedom Inc: $24KCall to Freedom Inc$24KHope Coalition: $24KHope Coalition$24KAugustana University Associaion: $21KAugustana UniversityAssociaion$21KFriends of the Levitt Shell Sioux Falls Inc: $20KFriends of the Levitt ShellSioux Falls Inc$20KGreat Plains Zoo and Aquarium: $20KGreat Plains Zoo and Aquarium$20KSouth Dakota Voices for Peace: $20KSouth Dakota Voices for Peace$20KHabitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls: $15KHabitat for Humanity ofGreater Sioux Falls$15KLutheran Social Services of SD: $13KLutheran Social Services of SD$13KBeacon Center: $10KBeacon Center$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was St Dysmas of South Dakota ($25K). Together the top 10 received $192K.

Grant Size Distribution

132 grants across all recorded years

131<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 132 (99%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
St Dysmas of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$25,000
Call to Freedom Inc Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$24,000
Hope Coalition Red Wing, MNGeneral Assistance$24,000
Augustana University Associaion Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$21,400
Friends of the Levitt Shell Sioux Falls Inc Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$20,000
Great Plains Zoo and Aquarium Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$20,000
South Dakota Voices for Peace Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$20,000
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$15,000
Lutheran Social Services of SD Sioux Falls, SDGeneral Assistance$12,500
Beacon Center Watertown, SDGeneral Assistance$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants Grant total
2025 30 $345,900
2024 25 $301,000
2023 27 $292,175
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K$800K2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$5,056,079$4,845,634$4,825,032
Revenue$570,167$353,017$699,869
Expenses$359,722$332,415$307,034
Qualifying Distributions$356,800$312,443$302,372
Net Investment Income$567,257$349,068$696,807
Distributable Amount$323,117$307,447$271,557

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 7, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 17, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 9, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists John Quello as president, Virginia Pavelka Luke as vice-president, Deborah Olson as secretary, Vance Goldammer as treasurer, and Gregg Gohl as director.

Sheldon F Reese Foundation is led by John Quello, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John Quello

    President

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gregg Gohl

    Director

    Director Begin May → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Virginia Pavelka Luke

    Vice President

    Secretary → Vice President, 2021

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $6K (2022) → $0 (2025)

  • Deborah Olson

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    $6K (2023) → $6K (2025)

  • Vance Goldammer

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Curtis Hage (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Ernest Carlson (2019–2020) — Vice President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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

Deborah Olson — Secretary: $6KDeborah OlsonSecretary$6K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $6K, to Deborah Olson (Secretary).

Contact

Application contact: Sheldon F Reese Foundation Co John
Mailing address: Box 1428, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-1010
Phone: (605) 336-1699

Frequently asked questions about Sheldon F Reese Foundation

How much does Sheldon F Reese Foundation give each year?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation gave $346K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $301K across 25 grants.

What is Sheldon F Reese Foundation's typical grant size?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,530, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sheldon F Reese Foundation that year got $13K on average.

Where does Sheldon F Reese Foundation give grants?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation gives mostly in South Dakota: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sioux Falls, SD (21 grants) and Rapid City, SD (3 grants).

Does Sheldon F Reese Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 97% of Sheldon F Reese Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Sheldon F Reese Foundation's largest grantees?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Dysmas of South Dakota ($25,000), Call to Freedom Inc ($24,000) and Hope Coalition ($24,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Sheldon F Reese Foundation?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $357K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $323K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Sheldon F Reese Foundation fund?

No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants went to organizations whose work includes addressing trafficking and exploitation, supporting people affected by violence and economic hardship, providing advocacy and services, and offering educational and cultural programs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Sheldon F Reese Foundation?

Contact the organization for information about the form and materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Sheldon F Reese Foundation's EIN?

Sheldon F Reese Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-0358682. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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