Funding search · EIN 237022709 · Bloomington, IL
Russell and Betty Shirk Foundation
A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.
- 80
- grants reported
- $4.2M
- total given
- 2022–2025
- filing years
- $5,000
- median grant
Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2025. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.
What they fund
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Funding pattern
What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.
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4 grants matching “shirk” · $725,000
- $250,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2025
Shirk Center Endowment
- $257,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Shirk Center Endowment
- $206,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Shirk Center Endowment
- $12,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Shirk Center Endowment
Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- B-N Charitable Foundation Nfp2 grants · $1.5M
- B-N Ymca Charitable Foundation Nfp1 grant · $832,460
- B-N Ymca Charitable Foundation1 grant · $767,102
- Illinois Wesleyan University4 grants · $725,000
- The Arts Campus at Willits3 grants · $38,700
- Illinois Prairie Community Foundation4 grants · $26,744
- Prairie Cities Soccer League1 grant · $20,000
- Simmons University4 grants · $20,000
- Beyond the Books Educational Foundation2 grants · $20,000
- Isu Foundation2 grants · $18,150
Giving over time
Grant history
All 80 reported grants, largest first.
- $832,460
B-N Ymca Charitable Foundation Nfp · Bloomington, IL · 2025
YMCA Building
- $768,738
B-N Charitable Foundation Nfp · Bloomington, IL · 2022
YMCA Building
- $767,102
B-N Ymca Charitable Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2024
YMCA Building
- $692,967
B-N Charitable Foundation Nfp · Bloomington, IL · 2023
YMCA Building
- $257,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Shirk Center Endowment
- $250,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2025
Shirk Center Endowment
- $206,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Shirk Center Endowment
- $20,000
Prairie Cities Soccer League · Bloomington, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $15,000
The Arts Campus at Willits · Basalt, CO · 2024
Program Expense
- $14,281
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $13,850
Illinois State University · Normal, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $13,700
The Arts Campus at Willits · Basalt, CO · 2025
Program Expense
- $12,000
McLean County Chamber of Commerce · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $12,000
Illinois Wesleyan University · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Shirk Center Endowment
- $10,000
Beyond the Books Educational Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $10,000
West Point School of Music · Chicago, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $10,000
Beyond the Books Educational Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $10,000
Isu Foundation · Normal, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $10,000
Beyond the Books Educaitonal Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $10,000
Books and Breakfast · Evanston, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $10,000
Illinois Art Station · Normal, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $10,000
The Arts Campus at Willits · Basalt, CO · 2023
Program Expense
- $10,000
The Arts Campus at Willits · Basalt, CO · 2022
Program Expense
- $8,150
Isu Foundation · Normal, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $8,000
Simmons University · Boston, MA · 2023
Program Expense
- $7,500
Books and Breakfast · Evanston, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $7,500
The Academy at St Joan Arc · Evanston, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $7,000
McLean County Historical Society · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $6,000
Simmons University · Boston, MA · 2024
Program Expense
- $6,000
Marsfirst · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,600
Heartland Community College · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,600
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,550
Heartland Community College · Normal, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $5,525
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $5,000
Chicago Fair Trade · Chicago, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $5,000
Healthnetwork Foundation · Pepper Pike, OH · 2025
Program Expense
- $5,000
Town of Normal Childrens Discovery Museum · Normal, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $5,000
Illinois Art Station · Normal, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $5,000
Marcfirst · Normal, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $5,000
American Red Cross Serving Central Illinois · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,000
Filter Photo · Chicago, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,000
Intonation Music · Chicagp, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $5,000
Pickles Group · Winnetka, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $4,500
Regents of the Mercersburg College · Mercersburg, PA · 2024
Program Expense
- $4,000
Simmons University · Boston, MA · 2025
Program Expense
- $4,000
University of Illinois · Champaign, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $4,000
David Davis Mansion Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $4,000
University of Illinois · Champaign, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $3,500
Network of US · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $3,500
David Davis Mansion Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $3,500
McLean County Art Association · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $3,000
Young Life · Colorado Springs, CO · 2025
Program Expense
- $3,000
Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington Normal · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $3,000
Partners for Community · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $3,000
David Davis Mansion Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $3,000
McLean County Art Association · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,500
Lifelong Access · Normal, IL · 2025
Program Expense
- $2,500
Lifelong Access · Normal, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $2,500
Aautism McLean · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $2,500
Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $2,500
Lifelong Access Foundation · Normal, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $2,500
McLean County Historical Society · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $2,500
Autism McLean · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,500
Illinois Art Station · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,500
Town of Normal Childrens Discovery Museum · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,000
Hope College · Holland, MI · 2025
Program Expense
- $2,000
Community Health Care Clinic · Normal, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $2,000
Carle Center for Philanthropy · Normal, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,000
Richland Community College · Decatur, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $2,000
Simmons University · Boston, MA · 2022
Program Expense
- $1,500
McLean County Historical Society · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $1,500
McLean County Chamber of Commerce · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $1,500
McLean County Chamber of Commerce · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $1,338
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation · Bloomington, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $1,300
Christ Episcopal Church · Aspen, CO · 2025
Program Expense
- $1,000
Town of Normal Children'S Discovery Museum · Normal, IL · 2024
Program Expense
- $1,000
Osf Healthcare Foundation · Peoria, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $1,000
Town of Normal Childrens Discovery Museum · Normal, IL · 2023
Program Expense
- $1,000
Bloomington Ymca Strong Kids · Bloomington, IL · 2022
Program Expense
- $500
Western Avenue Community Center · Bloomington, IL · 2023
Program Expense
Who else funds this kind of work
Same state
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- The Chicago Community Trust14,939 grants · $5.82B
- The Big Ten Conference60 grants · $3.91B
Similar purposes
- Lansing Economic Area Partnership176 grants · $72.7M
- Fmh Foundation240 grants · $67.4M
- Jewish Federation Council of Greater La439 grants · $89.0M
Similar grant size
- Enterprise Holdings Foundation30,880 grants · $360.4M
- State Employees Credit Union Foundation7,131 grants · $63.0M
- Seattle Foundation14,012 grants · $457.3M
Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.