The John J and Lois A Tennant Foundation focuses on supporting youth-focused organizations in the Pacific Northwest, emphasizing after-school and residential services, faith-based schooling, and leadership/civic education for young people. Grants also target specialized services (notably for visually impaired athletes) and local educational institutions, suggesting a preference for concrete program support rather than capital campaigns. Funding is largely programmatic and operational, used to sustain service delivery for children and teens and to back civic/leadership training connected to military and conservative-leaning institutions.
The John J and Lois a Tennant Foundation’s recent giving is defined by steady support for youth-serving organizations, especially after-school programs, residential care, faith-based schooling, and civic or leadership education for young people. Its largest recent grant went to Nw Athletic Blind Association in Vancouver, WA, at $34,100, pointing to a recurring interest in specialized services for people who are blind or visually impaired. The foundation also repeatedly supports Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA, including grants of $21,150 in 2024 and $16,700 in 2025, which places youth enrichment at the center of its portfolio. Other grants show a second thread: program support for institutions that serve children and teens through education or structured development. Transitional Youth received $14,500 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2023, while Seton Catholic Hs in Vancouver, WA received $10,750 in 2025. The foundation also backed Panetta Institute at $15,000 and Naval Postgrad School Foundation at $12,000, suggesting interest in leadership and civic education. Across the recent record, the pattern is practical support for organizations delivering direct services rather than capital projects.
Youth development is the clearest theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $21,150 in 2024 and $16,700 in 2025 to Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA for support, along with $9,268 in 2023 to Community Foundation for Sw WA. The foundation also funds services for vulnerable youth in residential or transitional settings. Transitional Youth received $14,500 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2023, while St Mary's Home for Boys received $10,600 in 2023. Education appears in both faith-based and civic forms. Seton Catholic Hs in Vancouver, WA received $10,750 in 2025, and Central Catholic Hs in Portland received $5,000 in 2024. For civic and leadership education, the foundation awarded $15,000 to Panetta Institute in 2025 and $12,000 to Naval Postgrad School Foundation in 2025.
Reported grants cluster around modest program-support awards. The typical size profile is $750 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include several five-figure grants, but most activity sits near the median. The record also shows repeat support over multiple years: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA, Transitional Youth, Young America's Foundation, and Jane Gaspero Memorial Library for Children each appear more than once. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments. The pattern is consistent with operating or program support rather than one-time capital funding.
$203K
$1.4M
$1.1M
$209K
Most grants fall between $750 and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$750
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 22% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated regional giving with a mix of a few relatively large multi-year or repeat grants and several mid-size awards. The foundation favors program/support grants to nonprofits and schools over broad, diversified portfolios—often returning to the same organizations and prioritizing operational support.
Notable grantees: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA, NW Athletic Blind Association, Young America's Foundation, Panetta Institute, Seton Catholic High School
Grantmaking is regional, with a strong concentration in the Pacific Northwest and a top state by grant count of California. About 23% of grants go to recipients in Oregon, the foundation’s headquarters state, but the activity is wider than that. Vancouver, WA appears repeatedly, including grants to Nw Athletic Blind Association, Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA, Seton Catholic Hs, Beaches Charity Fund, and Vancouver Women's Foundation. California recipients include Santa Barbara, Monterey Bay, Monterey, and Thousand Palms. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
It most often supports youth-serving organizations, including after-school programs, residential care for boys and teens, and schools. Recent grants also include services for people who are blind or visually impaired, plus civic and leadership education groups such as Panetta Institute and Naval Postgrad School Foundation.
The grant-size profile is $750 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include both smaller support grants and several five-figure gifts.
Yes. Boys & Girls Club of Southwest WA appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Transitional Youth also appears in both 2023 and 2025, and Young America's Foundation shows grants in 2024 and 2025.
The giving is regional, with California as the top state by grant count. Oregon accounts for 23% of grants, and Vancouver, WA is a frequent recipient city. Other U.S. locations in the recent record include Monterey, Seattle, Portland, and Santa Barbara.
The foundation also funds specialized services for blind or visually impaired people, faith-based secondary education, and civic or military-oriented leadership education. Recent examples include Nw Athletic Blind Association, Seton Catholic Hs, Panetta Institute, and Naval Postgrad School Foundation.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPCA MONTEREY COUNTY | MONTEREY, CA | $23,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SOUTHWEST WA | VANCOUVER, WA | $20,100 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| LAKESHORE FOUNDATION | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $15,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| TRANSITIONAL YOUTH | PORTLAND, OR | $15,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDERN SW WASHINGTON | PORTLAND, OR | $10,600 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| SETON CATHOLIC HS | VANCOUVER, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| SAFE HOUSE OF THE DESERT | THOUSAND PALMS, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| FORWARD EDGE INT'L | BRUSH PRAIRIE, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NAT'L RESTURANT ASSOC ED FDN | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| READ NW | VANCOUVER, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICA FOUND | RESTON, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NW ATHLETIC BLIND ASSOCIATION | VANCOUVER, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| VANCOUVER SYMPHONY | VANCOUVER, WA | $9,700 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| MIKE & ADELE CHARITABLE FUND | BEND, OR | $9,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS | BEAVERTON, OR | $8,508 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| FIRST IMAGE | PORTLAND, OR | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF SW WASHINGTON | VANCOUVER, WA | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF ESTACADA COUMMUNITY CENTER INC | ESTACADA, OR | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| VANCOUVER WOMEN'S FOUNDATION | VANCOUVER, WA | $2,025 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| DEPUTY SHERIFF ASSOC MONTEREY COUNTY | SALINAS, OR | $100 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| DEL MONTE FOREST PROPERTY OWNERS | PEBBLE BEACH, CA | $60 | 2026 | SUPPORT |
| NW ATHLETIC BLIND ASSOCIATION | VANCOUVER, WA | $34,100 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SOUTHWEST WA | VANCOUVER, WA | $16,700 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN | WESTPORT, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| PANETTA INSTITUTE | MONTEREY BAY, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| TRANSITIONAL YOUTH | PORTLAND, OR | $14,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| NAVAL POSTGRAD SCHOOL FOUNDATION | MONTEREY, CA | $12,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| SETON CATHOLIC HS | VANCOUVER, WA | $10,750 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| LAKESHORE FOUNDATION | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| BEACHES CHARITY FUND | VANCOUVER, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| VANCOUVER SYMPHONY | VANCOUVER, WA | $9,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| NAT'L RESTAURANT ASSOC ED FDN | MONTEREY, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| SAFE HOUSE OF THE DESERT | THOUSAND PALMS, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| VANCOUVER WOMEN'S FOUNDATION | VANCOUVER, WA | $4,049 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS | BEAVERTON, OR | $600 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| PEBBLE BEACH COMPANY FOUNDATION | PEBBLE BEACH, CA | $300 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| PINK LEMONADE PROJECT | VANCOUVER, WA | $100 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| DEPUTY SHERIFF ASSOC MONTEREY CNTY | SALINAS, CA | $100 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| DEL MONTE FOREST PROPERTY OWNERS | PEBBLE BEACH, CA | $50 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SOUTHWEST WA | VANCOUVER, WA | $21,150 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICAN'S FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| NRAFF | MONTEREY, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| CHAMPIONS OF FAITH | PORTLAND, OR | $6,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| LUSTGARDEN FOUNDATION | WOODBURY, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL CATHOLIC HS | PORTLAND, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| ADAPT COMMUNITY NETWORK | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| PANETTA INSTITUTE | SEASIDE, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
TRANSITIONAL YOUTH
$15,000SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDERN SW WASHINGTON
$10,600SUPPORT
SETON CATHOLIC HS
SUPPORT
READ NW
$10,000SUPPORT
YOUNG AMERICA FOUND
$10,000SUPPORT
NW ATHLETIC BLIND ASSOCIATION
$10,000SUPPORT
MIKE & ADELE CHARITABLE FUND
$9,000SUPPORT
ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS
$8,508SUPPORT
JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN
$5,000SUPPORT
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SW WASHINGTON
$5,000SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF ESTACADA COUMMUNITY CENTER INC
$5,000SUPPORT
VANCOUVER WOMEN'S FOUNDATION
$2,025SUPPORT
DEPUTY SHERIFF ASSOC MONTEREY COUNTY
$100SUPPORT
DEL MONTE FOREST PROPERTY OWNERS
$60SUPPORT
NW ATHLETIC BLIND ASSOCIATION
$34,100SUPPORT
JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN
$15,000SUPPORT
TRANSITIONAL YOUTH
$14,500SUPPORT
NAVAL POSTGRAD SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$12,000SUPPORT
SETON CATHOLIC HS
$10,750SUPPORT
BEACHES CHARITY FUND
$10,000SUPPORT
VANCOUVER SYMPHONY
$9,500SUPPORT
NAT'L RESTAURANT ASSOC ED FDN
$5,000SUPPORT
VANCOUVER WOMEN'S FOUNDATION
$4,049SUPPORT
ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS
$600SUPPORT
DEPUTY SHERIFF ASSOC MONTEREY CNTY
$100SUPPORT
DEL MONTE FOREST PROPERTY OWNERS
$50SUPPORT
YOUNG AMERICAN'S FOUNDATION
$20,000SUPPORT
NRAFF
$10,000SUPPORT
CHAMPIONS OF FAITH
$6,000SUPPORT
JANE GASPERO MEMORIAL LIBRARY FOR CHILDREN
$5,000SUPPORT
LUSTGARDEN FOUNDATION
$5,000SUPPORT
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HS
$5,000SUPPORT
ADAPT COMMUNITY NETWORK
$3,000SUPPORT