The Freres Foundation concentrates its giving on education and close-to-home community investments, favoring a small number of sizable, unrestricted gifts. Major recipients include a private/independent secondary-school foundation, a state university fundraising arm, and a municipal park project in Lyons, indicating a mix of support for both education across levels and local civic amenities. The foundation’s grants are strategic and local-region focused rather than broadly distributed across many organizations.
Freres Foundation C/o Freres Lumber Co’s largest recent gifts went to education institutions and a local civic project: $80,000 to Regis Foundation in Stayton, $65,000 to Oregon State University Foundation in Corvallis, and $30,500 to the City of Lyons for the Freres Park project. That pattern points to a funder that combines school support with place-based community investments in the Santiam Canyon area and nearby Oregon communities. The foundation’s recent giving also includes direct support for a private secondary-school foundation, a public university fundraising arm, and municipal park improvements, which together show a preference for institutions with broad community reach. Several grants are unrestricted, including larger awards to Regis Foundation and Oregon State University Foundation, while others are tied to specific projects such as the Freres Park project or the Ty Hart Fitness Center at Stayton High School. Across the list, the foundation appears to work through a compact set of recurring local relationships rather than spreading gifts widely. Its recipients include schools, community organizations, and public entities in Oregon, with a small number of outside-state grants mixed into an otherwise regional profile.
Education is central to the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $25,000 to Regis St Mary Catholic School in Stayton as an unrestricted donation, and another $25,000 to Stayton High School for the Ty Hart Fitness Center. Higher education also appears in the recent record through support for Oregon State University Foundation, which received $65,000 as an unrestricted donation. That grant sits alongside smaller education-related gifts such as $5,000 to Oregon Business Academy in Lake Oswego. Community infrastructure and recreation form another clear thread. The City of Lyons received $30,500 for the Freres Park project, while Lyons Rural Fire District received $10,000 unrestricted and Idahna-detroit Volunteer Fire Association received $12,000. The foundation also supported a local event tied to youth and community fundraising, giving $4,000 to Santiam Canyon Youth Benefit Golf Tournament in Mill City.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a p25 of $500, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $6,875. The recent record still includes a cluster of much larger awards, especially for schools, higher education, and local projects. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Regis Foundation, Bradley Impact Fund, Western Resources Legal Center, Upward Bound Camp for Persons With Special Needs Inc, Santiam Canyon Youth Benefit Golf Tournament, and the Cascade Policy Institute. The foundation funds individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants are overwhelmingly local and mostly in Oregon.
$225K
$4.2M
$496K
$251K
Most grants fall between $500 and $7K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$7K
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Concentrated giving: few (three) relatively large, mostly unrestricted grants rather than many small awards; emphasis on significant one-off donations to established institutions and local civic projects.
Notable grantees: Regis Foundation, Oregon State University Foundation, City of Lyons (Freres Park project)
Grantmaking is concentrated in Oregon, which accounts for 88% of grants in the HQ state and is also the top state by grant count. Stayton and Lyons appear repeatedly, with additional recipients in Salem, Portland, Corvallis, Mill City, Turner, Lake Oswego, Roseburg, and Gates. Outside Oregon, recent grants went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Libby, Montana; and Boone, North Carolina. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent record shows support for schools, higher education, local government projects, fire districts, community organizations, and health-related nonprofits. Examples include a private school foundation, a university foundation, a city park project, and volunteer fire associations.
The foundation’s grant sizes are usually small to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $2,000, and the 75th percentile is $6,875. Recent awards also include larger gifts such as $80,000, $65,000, and $30,500.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Regis Foundation, Bradley Impact Fund, Western Resources Legal Center, Upward Bound Camp for Persons With Special Needs Inc, Santiam Canyon Youth Benefit Golf Tournament, and Cascade Policy Institute.
Its giving is local and heavily Oregon-based. Oregon is the top state by grant count, and 88% of grants go to recipients in Oregon. Recent Oregon recipients include organizations in Stayton, Lyons, Salem, Portland, Corvallis, and Mill City.
Yes. The foundation’s profile indicates that it funds individuals. The recent grants list also shows a mix of institutional support and local project funding, suggesting a broad local orientation in how it deploys grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WORLD FORESTRY CENTER | PORTLAND, OR | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| BRADLEY IMPACT FUND | MILLWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | FREEDOM FOUNDATION |
| TURNING POINT USA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | CORVALLIS, OR | $20,000 | 2026 | WOOD COMPOSITE RESEARCH |
| FAMILY BUILDING BLOCKS | SALEM, OR | $20,000 | 2026 | DORIS NEW PLACE CONSTRUCTION |
| COMMUNITY SERVICE CONSORTIUM | ALBANY, OR | $12,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| COMMON SENSE FOR OREGON FOUNDATION | SALEM, OR | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| LYONS RURAL FIRE DISTRICT | LYONS, OR | $8,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| CREATIVE NEIGHBORHOODS | PORTLAND, OR | $7,100 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| FOREST BRIDGES | ROSEBURG, OR | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| REGIS ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL | STAYTON, OR | $5,000 | 2026 | REGIS BASEBALL |
| YOUTH BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT | MILL CITY, OR | $4,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| MARI-LINN PTO | LYONS, OR | $4,000 | 2026 | READER BOARD |
| SILVER CREEK FELLOWSHIP | SILVERTON, OR | $3,600 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SCIO LIBRARY GRANT MATCHING FUND | SCIO, OR | $3,000 | 2026 | RENOVATION PROJECT |
| OPOA LEGAL CENTER | TIGARD, OR | $2,500 | 2026 | TECH UPGRADE |
| CASCADE HIGH SCHOOL | TURNER, OR | $2,500 | 2026 | HOTWIRE ROBOTICS |
| FORESTS TODAY AND FOREVER | EUGENE, OR | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| MILL CITY-GATES COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE | MILL CITY, OR | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| BIYC-MCSO GOLF TOURNAMENT | SALEM, OR | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| MARION & POLK FIRST | SALEM, OR | $1,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| LINN COUNTY OREGON VETERANS DAY PARADE | ALBANY, OR | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| MARION COUNTY 4-H ASSOCIATION | SALEM, OR | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES | SALEM, OR | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| OREGON SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS | ANCHORAGE, AK | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SANTIAM FOOTBALL | MILL CITY, OR | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| KEEP OREGON GREEN ASSOCIATION | SALEM, OR | $750 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH | VANCOUVER, WA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| MARION COUNTY JUNIOR LIVESTOCK AUCTION | SALEM, OR | $500 | 2026 | GRANT DOLBY & MADI MCKENZIE |
| SCIO HIGH SCHOOL | SCIO, OR | $250 | 2026 | GRADUATION NIGHT |
| SCIO PARENT CLUB | SCIO, OR | $250 | 2026 | SPRING FLING FESTIVAL |
| JILL AND CHRIS HOW YA DOING FOUNDATION | SALEM, OR | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY | SALEM, OR | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| HART HORSES ADAPTIVE RIDING & THERAPY | RICKREALL, OR | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SANTIAM HIGH SCHOOL | MILL CITY, OR | $250 | 2026 | DOERNBECHERS |
| PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY LIVING | MONMOUTH, OR | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SAINT BONIFACE CATHOLIC CHURCH | SUBLIMITY, OR | $250 | 2026 | TOMBSTONE TALKS |
| STAYTON OHSET | STAYTON, OR | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SALVATION ARMY | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $206 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| SANTIAM VOLLEYBALL ASB | MILL CITY, OR | $200 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| BRADLEY IMPACT FUND | MILLWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| STAYTON HIGH SCHOOL | STAYTON, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | TY HART FITNESS CENTER |
| REGIS ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL | STAYTON, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| HOPE PREGNANCY CLINIC | SALEM, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| WORLD FORESTRY CENTER | PORTLAND, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| IDAHNA-DETROIT VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSOCIATION | IDANHA, OR | $12,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| EVERGREEN FOUNDATION | LIBBY, MT | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| LYONS RURAL FIRE DISTRICT | LYONS, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
| UPWARD BOUND CAMP FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INC | GATES, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | EXTERIOR PORTICOS |
| WESTERN RESOURCES LEGAL CENTER | PORTLAND, OR | $7,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED DONATION |
COMMUNITY SERVICE CONSORTIUM
$12,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
COMMON SENSE FOR OREGON FOUNDATION
$10,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
LYONS RURAL FIRE DISTRICT
$8,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
CREATIVE NEIGHBORHOODS
$7,100UNRESTRICTED DONATION
FOREST BRIDGES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
REGIS ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$5,000REGIS BASEBALL
YOUTH BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT
$4,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
MARI-LINN PTO
$4,000READER BOARD
SILVER CREEK FELLOWSHIP
$3,600UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SCIO LIBRARY GRANT MATCHING FUND
$3,000RENOVATION PROJECT
OPOA LEGAL CENTER
$2,500TECH UPGRADE
CASCADE HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500HOTWIRE ROBOTICS
FORESTS TODAY AND FOREVER
$2,500UNRESTRICTED DONATION
MILL CITY-GATES COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE
$2,500UNRESTRICTED DONATION
BIYC-MCSO GOLF TOURNAMENT
$2,500UNRESTRICTED DONATION
MARION & POLK FIRST
$1,500UNRESTRICTED DONATION
LINN COUNTY OREGON VETERANS DAY PARADE
$1,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
MARION COUNTY 4-H ASSOCIATION
$1,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES
$1,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
OREGON SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS
$1,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SANTIAM FOOTBALL
$1,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
KEEP OREGON GREEN ASSOCIATION
$750UNRESTRICTED DONATION
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH
$500UNRESTRICTED DONATION
MARION COUNTY JUNIOR LIVESTOCK AUCTION
$500GRANT DOLBY & MADI MCKENZIE
SCIO HIGH SCHOOL
$250GRADUATION NIGHT
SCIO PARENT CLUB
$250SPRING FLING FESTIVAL
JILL AND CHRIS HOW YA DOING FOUNDATION
$250UNRESTRICTED DONATION
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
$250UNRESTRICTED DONATION
HART HORSES ADAPTIVE RIDING & THERAPY
$250UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SANTIAM HIGH SCHOOL
$250DOERNBECHERS
PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY LIVING
$250UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SAINT BONIFACE CATHOLIC CHURCH
$250TOMBSTONE TALKS
STAYTON OHSET
$250UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SALVATION ARMY
$206UNRESTRICTED DONATION
SANTIAM VOLLEYBALL ASB
$200UNRESTRICTED DONATION
STAYTON HIGH SCHOOL
$25,000TY HART FITNESS CENTER
REGIS ST MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$25,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
HOPE PREGNANCY CLINIC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
IDAHNA-DETROIT VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSOCIATION
$12,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
EVERGREEN FOUNDATION
$10,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
LYONS RURAL FIRE DISTRICT
$10,000UNRESTRICTED DONATION
UPWARD BOUND CAMP FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INC
$10,000EXTERIOR PORTICOS
WESTERN RESOURCES LEGAL CENTER
$7,500UNRESTRICTED DONATION