Wheeler Foundation
Wheeler Foundation is a private foundation based in Vancouver, Washington. Its 2025 filing shows grants to charitable organizations, primarily in Oregon, with additional grants to organizations in Arizona, Washington, and California.
Wheeler Foundation at a glance
In short: Wheeler Foundation gave $890K across 66 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Oregon. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $890,200
- -4.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 66
- -10.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,488
- +6.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,500
- Total assets
- $12,436,988
- -0.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (11 of 66, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Oregon (87% 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 Wheeler Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Its filing instructs applicants to contact Wheeler Foundation with a letter stating the purpose of the grant and a copy of the organization’s 501(c)(3) determination letter. It cannot make grants to individuals; the filing lists Oregon as the geographic restriction.
- Contact
Application contact: Wheeler Foundation
Mailing address: 900 Washington St Suite 900, Vancouver, WA 98660
Phone: (360) 693-7442
Email: wheelerfoundation@riverviewbank.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wheeler Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fora Health Inc ($85K). Together the top 10 received $303K.
Grant Size Distribution
339 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 333 grants of 339 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing lists Oregon as the foundation’s geographic restriction. In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oregon, 7% to Arizona, 4% to Washington, and 2% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 66 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Wheeler Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 66 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% 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 (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 $813K (2023) to $934K (2024). In 2025 it made 66 grants totaling $890K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fora Health Inc Portland, OR | Program Support | $85,000 |
| Arizona State University Foundation Tempe, AZ | The Charitable Purpose of | $35,000 |
| Oregon Historical Society Portland, OR | Program Support | $35,000 |
| Oregon Food Bank Portland, OR | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Albertina Kerr Centers Portland, OR | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Nature Conservancy Oregon Portland, OR | Program Support | $22,000 |
| Salmonberry Trail Foundation Hillsboro, OR | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Portland Youth Philharmonic Portland, OR | Program Support | $17,000 |
| Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Portland, OR | Program Support | $17,000 |
| Meals on Wheels People Portland, OR | The Charitable Purpose of | $17,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Wheeler 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 | $12,436,988 | $1,024,834 | $1,025,375 | $890,200 | 66 | $918,957 | $928,645 | $927,764 |
| 2024 | $12,437,827 | $950,236 | $1,060,104 | $934,283 | 74 | $961,198 | $860,693 | $868,371 |
| 2023 | $12,549,774 | $707,101 | $926,447 | $813,000 | 62 | $838,182 | $623,646 | $807,000 |
| 2022 | $12,785,641 | $314,631 | $959,110 | $830,200 | 64 | $856,224 | $227,372 | $821,540 |
| 2021 | $13,429,276 | $1,434,332 | $947,091 | $824,309 | 73 | $853,921 | $1,341,048 | $942,543 |
| 2020 | $12,912,557 | $442,872 | $959,776 | $837,800 | 76 | — | $362,622 | $773,432 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wheeler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $928K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated missions span substance-use treatment and advocacy, hunger relief, services for people with disabilities and mental health challenges, historical preservation and education, science learning, senior nutrition and social support, and development of a non-motorized trail.
For example, FORA Health says it provides treatment, care, and advocacy for people affected by substance use disorder. Oregon Food Bank says it works to eliminate hunger and its root causes, while Albertina Kerr Centers says it supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, and other social barriers. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not stated foundation priorities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 66 grants totaling $890,200. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $85,000, with a median of $10,500.
The largest reported grants included $85,000 to FORA Health, $35,000 each to Arizona State University Foundation and Oregon Historical Society, $30,000 to Oregon Food Bank, and $25,000 to Albertina Kerr Centers. Other notable grants included $22,000 to Nature Conservancy Oregon, $20,000 to Salmonberry Trail Foundation, and $17,000 each to Portland Youth Philharmonic, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and Meals on Wheels People.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John C. Wheeler, Charles B. Wheeler, and Thomas K. Wheeler as directors.
Wheeler Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles B. Wheeler
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John C. Wheeler
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Thomas K. Wheeler
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Riverview Trust Company (2020) — Trustee
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 Wheeler Foundation
How much does Wheeler Foundation give each year?
Wheeler Foundation gave $890K across 66 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $934K across 74 grants.
What is Wheeler Foundation's typical grant size?
Wheeler Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,500, and its average grant was $13,488, across 66 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wheeler Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Wheeler Foundation give grants?
Wheeler Foundation gives mostly in Oregon: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Arizona (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (45 grants), Oregon City, OR (3 grants) and Vancouver, WA (2 grants).
Does Wheeler Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 66 grants with a stated purpose on Wheeler Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (56 grants).
Who are Wheeler Foundation's largest grantees?
Wheeler Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fora Health Inc ($85,000), Arizona State University Foundation ($35,000) and Oregon Historical Society ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wheeler Foundation?
Wheeler Foundation reported $12.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $919K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $928K (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 Wheeler Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wheeler Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wheeler Foundation's EIN?
Wheeler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-0553801. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Wheeler Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 2, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wheeler Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wheeler Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wheeler-foundation-morg_cc5a1e41e6f04e1595ee68d81f1514d5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_930553801_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wheeler Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wheeler-foundation-morg_cc5a1e41e6f04e1595ee68d81f1514d5},
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 Wheeler 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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