The foundation concentrates nearly all of its giving on a single education institution — The Oaks Academy — providing multi-year scholarship and capital support, with a much smaller secondary gift to Habitat for Humanity. Their philanthropy appears locally focused and education-first, using larger, targeted grants rather than broad, diversified giving. The inclusion of Habitat suggests occasional support for housing/relief causes outside the academy.
Highly concentrated: a small number of relatively large grants focused on one repeat grantee (The Oaks Academy) with an occasional one-off gift to a national housing charity.
Jerry L and Barbara J Burris Foundation C/o Mr Jeffrey H Thomasson Secretary’s recent giving is anchored by a single long-running relationship: The Oaks Academy received the three largest grants on file, including $81,500 in 2023, $70,300 in 2024, and $70,000 in 2025, all labeled for scholarships and capital. That pattern points to a foundation that uses repeated, targeted support rather than a broad portfolio of small awards. A second thread is place-based support in Indianapolis, where the foundation has also backed Newfields Summer Camp Scholarships, The Childrens' Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Riley Children's Foundation, and Indiana Repertory Theatre Inc. Outside that core, the foundation’s grants include general support for Habitat for Humanity International, Collier County Community Foundation, The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Baker Senior Center Naples, Madison Area YMCA, Camp Cole, and Doctors Without Borders USA. The mix shows a grantmaker that combines education-centered philanthropy with selective support for community, cultural, housing, and human services organizations, while keeping each award relatively targeted.
Education is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s grant history. The Oaks Academy received $81,500 in 2023, $70,300 in 2024, and $70,000 in 2025, each designated for scholarships and capital. The same theme appears in a smaller award to Newfields Summer Camp Scholarships, which received $6,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in both 2024 and 2025. The foundation also backs educational or child-focused institutions outside formal school support. The Childrens' Museum of Indianapolis received $8,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 for new program development. General support is another recurring mode, seen in grants to Emmaus Road Partners and Indianapolis Zoological Society. The overall pattern is focused rather than diffuse, with repeated support for organizations that serve students, families, and public-facing educational programs.
Typical grants are modest compared with the foundation’s largest awards: p25 is $1,250, median is $2,500, and p75 is $8,000. The distribution is visibly layered, with a small number of much larger education grants and many mid-sized general-support awards. Recurrence is common: The Oaks Academy appears in multiple years, as do Emmaus Road Partners, The Childrens' Museum of Indianapolis, Newfields Summer Camp Scholarships, Indianapolis Zoological Society, The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Baker Senior Center Naples, Madison Area YMCA, and Riley Children's Foundation. The foundation is not listed as making grants to individuals or PRIs, and the recipient mix suggests direct charitable grants to organizations rather than intermediary or commercial vehicles.
$120K
$2.1M
$211K
$213K
Most grants fall between $1K and $8K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$8K
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Notable grantees: THE OAKS ACADEMY, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL, The Oaks Academy scholarship/capital beneficiaries (representative of core giving)
Grantmaking is national in scope, and all listed recipients are in the United States. Indianapolis is the clearest hub of activity, with repeated grants to organizations there including The Oaks Academy, The Childrens' Museum of Indianapolis, Newfields Summer Camp Scholarships, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Riley Children's Foundation, and Indiana Repertory Theatre Inc. Outside Indiana, grants also reached Americus, Georgia; Naples, Florida; Dubuque, Iowa; Madison, New Jersey; Columbia, South Carolina; and New York City, New York. Colorado is the top state by grant count, showing that the foundation’s giving footprint extends beyond its headquarters state.
Most grants go to education-related organizations and institutions, especially The Oaks Academy and other Indianapolis-based cultural or youth-serving groups. The record also includes general support to housing, senior services, health, and relief organizations such as Habitat for Humanity International, The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Baker Senior Center Naples, and Doctors Without Borders USA.
The grant-size profile is centered in the low thousands: p25 is $1,250, median is $2,500, and p75 is $8,000. That sits alongside a small set of much larger awards, including $81,500, $70,300, and $70,000 to The Oaks Academy over three years.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including The Oaks Academy, Emmaus Road Partners, The Childrens' Museum of Indianapolis, Newfields Summer Camp Scholarships, Indianapolis Zoological Society, The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Baker Senior Center Naples, Madison Area YMCA, and Riley Children's Foundation.
The foundation gives nationally, but Indianapolis is a major receiving city. The recipient list also includes Americus, Naples, Dubuque, Madison, Columbia, and New York City. Colorado is the top state by grant count, while 36% of grants went to recipients in Indiana, the headquarters state.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE OAKS ACADEMY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $60,348 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| BUTLER UNIVERSITY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $20,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL | AMERICUS, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $8,000 | 2026 | NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
| CHRIST CENTRAL | WEST COLUMBIA, SC | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| BAKER SENIOR CENTER NAPLES | NAPLES, FL | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| MADISON AREA YMCA | MADISON, NJ | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| YOUNG LIFE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OAKS ACADEMY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $70,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL | AMERICUS, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS | DUBUQUE, IA | $8,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $8,000 | 2025 | NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
| NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| THE SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN & CHILDREN | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| BAKER SENIOR CENTER NAPLES | NAPLES, FL | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MADISON AREA YMCA | MADISON, NJ | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| RILEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| VALERIES HOUSE INC | FORT MYERS, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| YOUNG LIFE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $1,250 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OLIVER GOSPEL MISSION | COLUMBIA, SC | $1,250 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| SMILE TRAIN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| CAMP COLE | COLUMBIA, SC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OAKS ACADEMY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $70,300 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL | AMERICUS, GA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| COLLIER COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NAPLES, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS | DUBUQUE, IA | $8,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $8,000 | 2024 | NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
| THE SHELTER FOR ABUSED WOMEN & CHILDREN | NAPLES, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| INDIANAPOLIS ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BAKER SENIOR CENTER NAPLES | NAPLES, FL | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| RILEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| MADISON AREA YMCA | MADISON, NJ | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| CAMP COLE | COLUMBIA, SC | $2,250 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OLIVER GOSPEL MISSION | COLUMBIA, SC | $1,250 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| SMILE TRAIN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| NATIONAL JUNIOR TENNIS & LEARNING OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OAKS ACADEMY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $81,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL | AMERICUS, GA | $16,800 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS | DUBUQUE, IA | $8,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $8,000 | 2023 | NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
| NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $6,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL |
| INDIANAPOLIS ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| MADISON AREA YMCA | MADISON, NJ | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| CAMP COLE | COLUMBIA, SC | $1,250 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
$10,000GENERAL FUND
THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
$8,000NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
CHRIST CENTRAL
$8,000GENERAL FUND
NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
$5,000SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
$10,000GENERAL FUND
EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS
$8,000GENERAL FUND
THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
$8,000NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
$5,000SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA
$2,000GENERAL FUND
CAMP COLE
$1,000GENERAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
$10,000GENERAL FUND
EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS
$8,000GENERAL FUND
THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
$8,000NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
$5,000SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL
CAMP COLE
$2,250GENERAL FUND
NATIONAL JUNIOR TENNIS & LEARNING OF INDIANAPOLIS
$1,000GENERAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
$16,800GENERAL FUND
EMMAUS ROAD PARTNERS
$8,000GENERAL FUND
THE CHILDRENS' MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
$8,000NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
NEWFIELDS SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS & CAPITAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA
$2,000GENERAL FUND
CAMP COLE
$1,250GENERAL FUND