Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation

LANCASTER, PA EIN: 23-2680871

The Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation is a private foundation based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, established in 1992. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on supporting education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and human services initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.4M

+5.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$304K

+0.5% YoY

Grant Count

-7.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+9.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $605K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding priorities include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Youth development programs
Environmental initiatives, including community and school gardens and renewable energy
Environmental education

Grantmaking

The foundation made 45 grants in 2024, with typical award sizes ranging from $1,000 to $60,000. Recent grants include:

Grant Types

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Pennsylvania, with a particular emphasis on the Lancaster County area.

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $2.7M (100%)

North Carolina $4K (0%)

States

North Carolina Pennsylvania

Cities

AkronAshevilleGrantvilleLampeterLancasterLititzLyndellMillersvilleMount JoyStrasburgWashington Boro

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $9,361,178
Total Revenues: $950,524
Total Expenses: $461,097
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$9,361,178	$8,867,047	$8,407,279
Revenue	$950,524	$902,485	$1,203,138
Expenses	$461,097	$442,717	$504,620
Qualifying Distributions	$346,875	$342,443	$368,500
Net Investment Income	$890,641	$855,281	$1,155,605
Distributable Amount	$604,541	$542,731	$544,756

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

203 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lancaster Farmland Trust ($50,000), Lancaster Conservancy ($25,000), Lancaster Conservancy ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AARON'S ACRES LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$3,500
ARC OF LANCASTER LEBANON LITITZ, PA	OPERATIONS	$2,500
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF LANCASTER LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$10,000
CASA OF LANCASTER COUNTY LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$5,000
DEMUTH FOUNDATION LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$2,500
FULTON THEATER COMPANY LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$2,500
GREYSTONE MANOR TRC LANCASTER, PA	SIR SAMPSON SPONSORSHIP	$5,000
HOLY SPIRIT LUTHERAN CHURCH LANCASTER, PA	MEMORIAL GARDENS MAINTENANCE	$5,000
HORIZONS AT LANCASTER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL LANCASTER, PA	OPERATIONS	$10,000
JEFF MUSSER FOUNDATION AKRON, PA	OPERATIONS	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARY LOUISE SHENK	CHAIR	10	$26,250
RANDY R MOYER	DIRECTOR	3	$10,500
STUART W HERR	DIRECTOR	3	$10,500
WESLEY S LEWIS	TREASURER	10	$17,500
HANNAH S KOCH	PRESIDENT	10	$21,000

Recent Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

In 2024, the foundation demonstrated continued commitment to environmental conservation and education in Lancaster County through grants supporting land acquisition, environmental corridor projects, and educational institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Youth development programs • Environmental initiatives, including community and school gardens and renewable energy • Environmental education

How do I apply for a grant from Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation?

**Grant Activity & Amounts** The foundation made 45 grants in 2024, with typical award sizes ranging from $1,000 to $60,000. Recent grants include: • Lancaster Farmland Trust: $50,000 (Land/farm acquisitions) • Little Conestoga Creek Foundation: $25,000 (Blue-Green Corridor Project) • Lancaster County Community Foundation: $20,000 (Extraordinary Give supporting Lancaster Conservancy & Lancaster Country Day School) Total giving in 2024 was $304,000. **Grant Types** The foundation supports variou…

Where does Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Pennsylvania, with a particular emphasis on the Lancaster County area.

What size grants does Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation award?

In 2024, Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $304K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $605K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation's EIN?

Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2680871. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.