The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation is a private foundation based in North Muskegon, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, it reported 52 grants totaling $1.2 million to charitable organizations, including organizations in Michigan and Wyoming and recipients in other states.
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation at a glance
In short: The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation gave $1.2M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,200,000
- -7.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +2.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,077
- -8.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $26,289,177
- +30.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists “Shaw Walker Foundation” as the contact.
- Contact
Application contact: Shaw Walker Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 5100, North Muskegon, MI 49445
Phone: (231) 744-5294
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy ($150K). Together the top 10 received $610K.
Grant Size Distribution
247 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 211 grants of 247 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Michigan (55%), Wyoming (28%), Washington, DC (8%), Delaware (2%), and Texas (2%). The grant list therefore shows support for organizations in several states, with the largest shares going to Michigan and Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation gives
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 (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 $1.0M (2020) to $1.3M (2021). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Traverse City, MI | Operational Purposes | $150,000 |
| America First Legal Washington, DC | Operational Purposes | $100,000 |
| Michigan Tech University Houghton, MI | Operational Purposes | $100,000 |
| Hope College Holland, MI | Operational Purposes | $50,000 |
| Northwoods Music Collaborative Amasa, MI | Operational Purposes | $50,000 |
| Great Lakes Outdoors Foundation Hasting, MI | Operational Purposes | $40,000 |
| Agewell SVS Meals on Wheels Muskegon, MI | Operational Purposes | $30,000 |
| American Cancer Society Detroit, DE | Operational Purposes | $30,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Bighorns Sheridan, WY | Operational Purposes | $30,000 |
| Sheridan Area Search and Rescue Sheridan, WY | Operational Purposes | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Shaw & Betty Walker 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 | $26,289,177 | $7,839,068 | $1,631,490 | $1,200,000 | 52 | $1,234,343 | $7,501,629 | $1,282,846 |
| 2024 | $20,081,789 | $1,855,911 | $1,693,669 | $1,290,000 | 51 | $1,322,859 | $1,492,330 | $1,299,923 |
| 2023 | $19,936,848 | $1,629,755 | $1,400,929 | $1,071,000 | 46 | $1,105,244 | $1,306,385 | $1,122,289 |
| 2022 | $19,726,895 | $693,493 | $1,399,382 | $1,041,000 | 47 | $1,074,660 | $402,661 | $1,114,840 |
| 2021 | $20,412,271 | $3,795,488 | $1,730,705 | $1,320,000 | 51 | $1,350,227 | $3,451,916 | $1,244,403 |
| 2020 | $18,262,678 | $1,984,588 | $1,349,128 | $1,026,000 | 1 | — | $1,831,988 | $1,049,686 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M 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 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy says its mission is to protect significant natural, scenic, and farm lands and advance land stewardship; Hope College says its mission is to educate students for leadership and service through liberal arts programs in the context of the historic Christian faith. Sheridan Community Land Trust describes its work as preserving open spaces, rivers, working ranches, wildlife habitat, and history while expanding recreation opportunities. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a mission statement for the foundation.
Other 2025 recipients included organizations whose stated missions address childhood hunger, family support, foster care, and affordable access to skiing and mountain recreation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 52 grants totaling $1,200,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $150,000, with a median of $15,000. Among the largest were $150,000 to Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy; $100,000 each to America First Legal and Michigan Tech University; and $50,000 each to Hope College and Northwoods Music Collaborative.
Other reported 2025 grants included $30,000 to Sheridan Community Land Trust and $30,000 to The Food Group Inc.; $25,000 to Job Creators Network Foundation; and $20,000 each to Compass Center for Families, Antelope Butte Foundation Inc., and Sheridan Foster Parent Exchange. The filing lists the purpose for the named largest grants as “operational purposes.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Shaw Walker Jr. as president/director; Betty Walker as vice president/director; Bruce Walker as treasurer/director; and Ivy Walker and Sabina Walker as directors. Stephanie Morrall is listed as secretary.
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation is led by Shaw Walker Jr., President & Director since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shaw Walker Jr.
President & Director
President, Treasurer & Director → President & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Betty Walker
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Walker
Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ivy Walker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sabina Walker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Morrall
Secretary
On filings since 2021
22.5 hrs/week
$33K (2021) → $40K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Fred Guenther (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Geoghan (2020) — Secretary
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 $40K, to Stephanie Morrall (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation
How much does The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation give each year?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation gave $1.2M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 51 grants.
What is The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's typical grant size?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,077, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation give grants?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wyoming (28%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sheridan, WY (17 grants), Muskegon, MI (9 grants), Traverse City, MI (3 grants) and Grand Rapids, MI (2 grants).
Does The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's largest grantees?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy ($150,000), America First Legal ($100,000) and Michigan Tech University ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation reported $26.3M 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 $1.3M (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 The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's EIN?
The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3125893. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Shaw & Betty Walker 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
(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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Shaw & Betty Walker Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-shaw-and-betty-walker-foundation-morg_d767c64c055b45a0a77f3167fc6a782a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383125893_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Shaw \& Betty Walker Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-shaw-and-betty-walker-foundation-morg_d767c64c055b45a0a77f3167fc6a782a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Shaw & Betty Walker 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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