The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation is a private foundation based in Traverse City, Michigan. In its 2024 filing, it reported 20 grants totaling $64,100, supporting organizations whose stated purposes included scholarships, food assistance, services for families in need, and housing support.
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation at a glance
In short: The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation gave $64K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Michigan. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $64,100
- +171.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +53.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,205
- +76.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,750
- Total assets
- $868,644
- -5.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (3 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John and Matilda Shumsky 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 947, Traverse City, MI 49685-0947
Phone: (231) 946-1722
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools ($19K). Together the top 10 received $55K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 87 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 20 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $900 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 143% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $24K (2023) to $64K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $64K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools Traverse City, MI | Teacher & Student Scholarships | $19,000 |
| Father Fred Foundation Traverse City, MI | Food Bank & Needy Families | $10,500 |
| Meals on Wheels of Northwest Michigan Traverse City, MI | Assistance to Needy Families | $6,000 |
| Step up Northern Michigan Traverse City, MI | Food, clothing, and after school education for at-risk youth | $5,000 |
| Diocese of Gaylord Catholic Hispanic Apostles Gaylord, MI | Needy Families | $3,500 |
| Single Momm Traverse City, MI | Support for children's childcare program as well as books and supplies | $2,700 |
| St Mary School Lake Leelanau, MI | Tuition Assistance | $2,000 |
| St Francis Church Traverse City, MI | Food Pantry | $2,000 |
| St Joseph Catholic Church Traverse City, MI | Support for Food Pantry and Needy Families | $2,000 |
| Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing Traverse City, MI | Support Housing and Case Management Services to Clients | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John and Matilda Shumsky 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $868,644 | $23,700 | $69,526 | $64,100 | 20 | $64,100 | $63,354 | $44,816 |
| 2023 | $916,783 | $45,042 | $29,344 | $23,600 | 13 | $23,600 | $45,042 | $42,532 |
| 2022 | $901,085 | $52,813 | $48,585 | $44,000 | 18 | $44,000 | $53,768 | $43,323 |
| 2021 | $898,083 | $99,274 | $53,677 | $48,000 | 20 | $48,000 | $99,274 | $50,138 |
| 2020 | $853,710 | $58,466 | $50,302 | $46,000 | 16 | — | $58,652 | $45,337 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $45K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for education and scholarships, food pantries and food assistance, services for families in need, and housing and case management.
The grantees describe their work in their own terms: Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools says it awards grants to students from needy families and scholarships to gifted children attending its schools. Father Fred Foundation says it offers help, hope, and compassion to people with essential needs. Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing says it provides housing and case management for people experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse says it supports people experiencing homelessness through emergency shelter, food, and hope. Grand Traverse Dyslexia Association says it provides educational, charitable, and supportive services to people with dyslexia.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 20 grants totaling $64,100. Grants ranged from $500 to $19,000, with a median grant of $1,750. Among the largest grants were $19,000 to Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools for teacher and student scholarships; $10,500 to Father Fred Foundation for a food bank and needy families; $6,000 to Meals on Wheels of Northwest Michigan for assistance to needy families; and $5,000 to Step Up Northern Michigan for food, clothing, and after-school education for at-risk youth.
Other 2024 grants included $3,500 to Diocese of Gaylord Catholic Hispanic Apostles for needy families; $2,700 to Single MOMM for its children’s childcare program, books, and supplies; $2,000 each to St Mary School for tuition assistance, St Francis Church for its food pantry, St Joseph Catholic Church for its food pantry and needy families, and Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing for housing and case management services; $1,500 to Salvation Army for needy families; and $1,000 to Christ the King Catholic Church for its food pantry.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Karen Gartland as president, Patrick Heintz as vice president, Kenneth Kleinrichert Jr as secretary, Sally Black as treasurer, and Todd Oosterhouse as a member.
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation is led by Karen Gartland, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Karen Gartland
President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Kleinrichert Jr.
Secretary
President → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Heintz
Vice President
Treasurer → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sally Black
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Oosterhouse
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Mary Oosterhouse (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sue Nichols (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Thomas Gartland (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation
How much does The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation give each year?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation gave $64K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $24K across 13 grants.
What is The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's typical grant size?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,750, and its average grant was $3,205, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation give grants?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Traverse City, MI (16 grants).
Does The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food Pantry" (3 grants) and "Needy Families" (3 grants).
Who are The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's largest grantees?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools ($19,000), Father Fred Foundation ($10,500) and Meals on Wheels of Northwest Michigan ($6,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation reported $869K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $64K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $45K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for education and scholarships, food pantries and food assistance, services for families in need, and housing and case management. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John and Matilda Shumsky 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 The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's EIN?
The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2806447. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The John and Matilda Shumsky 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-matilda-shumsky-foundation-morg_bca531127af541f8bdfa60b2faaaf885
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382806447_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John and Matilda Shumsky Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-matilda-shumsky-foundation-morg_bca531127af541f8bdfa60b2faaaf885},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 The John and Matilda Shumsky 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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