The Michael J & Adele M Tennant Charitable foundation concentrates its funding on faith-based work, primarily supporting Christian education and ministry. Most dollars go to a small set of repeat recipients—local congregational institutions in Bend (a Lutheran school and a ministries organization) plus a national conservative Christian family institute—indicating a preference for direct operational support to religious organizations and family-oriented faith programs.
Highly concentrated giving: few, relatively large grants with repeats to the same grantees; primarily religion-related recipients with a mix of local parish-level institutions and at least one national faith-based policy/advocacy organization.
Michael J & Adele M Tennant Charitable centers its grantmaking on Christian education, ministry, and family-oriented faith work, with a clear preference for unrestricted support. The largest recent gift in the file was a $87,500 grant to Trinity Lutheran School in Bend, followed by another $75,000 grant to the same school in 2024, which shows a sustained relationship with a local Lutheran parochial institution. The foundation also backed Shepherd's House Ministries in Bend with $40,000 in 2024 and $39,000 in 2023, indicating repeat support for local evangelical social-service work. Beyond Bend, it funded the James Dobson Family Institute in Colorado Springs with $70,000 in 2024 and Family Talk with $25,000 in 2024, both connected to faith-based family and parenting programming. The pattern suggests a small circle of repeat recipients, most of them religious or values-based organizations, with grants often written as unrestricted awards rather than project-specific checks.
Christian education is a central theme. Trinity Lutheran School in Bend received $75,000 in 2024 after an $87,500 grant in 2023, making it the clearest example of the foundation’s support for parochial schooling. Faith-based social services are another thread: Shepherd's House Ministries in Bend received $40,000 in 2024 and $39,000 in 2023. The foundation also supports family and parenting advocacy through the James Dobson Family Institute, which was granted $70,000 in 2024, and Family Talk, which received $25,000 in 2024. Outside those core categories, it made a $20,000 grant to Broken Shackles in Bend, showing some additional interest in local ministries and community-serving work.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a 25th percentile of $2,500, a median of $5,000, and a 75th percentile of $8,000. The distribution includes a handful of larger awards, but most checks cluster around the low-thousands. Recipients often reappear across years: Trinity Lutheran School, Shepherd's House Ministries, Family Talk, Broken Shackles, Furnish Hope, Multiplication Network Ministries, and Mountain Star Family all show repeat support. The foundation is a private charitable foundation rather than an operating charity, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Grants in the file are marked unrestricted, suggesting flexible support rather than tightly designated project funding.
$417K
$7.1M
$1.3M
$432K
Most grants fall between $3K and $8K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$8K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: Trinity Lutheran School, Shepherd's House Ministries, James Dobson Family Institute
Grantmaking is concentrated in Oregon, with 68% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Bend appears often, including Trinity Lutheran School, Shepherd's House Ministries, Oregon Community Foundation, Broken Shackles, Teen Challenge, and Furnish Hope. Outside Oregon, Colorado Springs is a major recipient city through the James Dobson Family Institute and Family Talk. Other named locations include Reston, Phoenix, Olympia, Beaverton, Saulk Village, and Oakland. All recorded recipient grants in the file are in the United States.
The recent grants point to Christian education, ministry, and family-oriented faith work. Trinity Lutheran School in Bend received $87,500 in 2023 and $75,000 in 2024, while Shepherd's House Ministries in Bend received $39,000 in 2023 and $40,000 in 2024. The James Dobson Family Institute also received $70,000 in 2024.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is centered on smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $2,500, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $8,000. Recent grants include a range of larger unrestricted checks, but most awards sit near the median.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Trinity Lutheran School, Shepherd's House Ministries, Family Talk, Broken Shackles, Furnish Hope, Multiplication Network Ministries, and Mountain Star Family. That pattern indicates recurring support rather than one-time giving only.
Most grants go to Oregon recipients, with 68% of grants in the HQ state. Bend is the most visible city in the grant list, while Colorado Springs is the main out-of-state recipient city through the James Dobson Family Institute and Family Talk.
The recent grants are marked unrestricted. That includes larger awards such as $75,000 to Trinity Lutheran School in 2024 and $70,000 to the James Dobson Family Institute in 2024, as well as smaller recurring grants to local organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EASTMONT CHURCH | BEND, OR | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JAMES DOBSON FAMILY INSTITUTE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $97,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL | BEND, OR | $72,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BROKEN SHACKLES | BEND, OR | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHEPHERD'S HOUSE MINISTRIES | BEND, OR | $16,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MULTIPLICATION NETWORK MINISTRIES | SAULK VILLAGE, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HIGH DESERT MUSEUM | BEND, OR | $11,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PREPARE THE WAY | BEND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GUARDIAN GROUP | BEND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FURNISH HOPE | BEND, OR | $8,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KIDS CENTER | BEND, OR | $7,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FREEDOM FOUNDATION | OLYMPIA, WA | $6,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TOWER THEATRE | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GRACE CHURCH | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PARTNERS IN CARE | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOUNTAIN STAR FAMILY | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $4,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CENTRAL OREGON GUARDIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | BEND, OR | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CRYSTAL PEAKS YOUTH RANCH | BEND, OR | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL OREGON | BEND, OR | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ORPHANAGES OF KENYA | BEND, OR | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YCCO | BEND, OR | $2,400 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ROTARY FOUNDATION | BEND, OR | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| K-LOVE RADIO | ROCKLIN, CA | $1,200 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TWR | MIAMI, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DESERT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PALM DESERT, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DESCHUTES COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | BEND, OR | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL | BEND, OR | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JAMES DOBSON FAMILY INSTITUTE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $70,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHEPHERD'S HOUSE MINISTRIES | BEND, OR | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FAMILY TALK | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BEND, OR | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BROKEN SHACKLES | BEND, OR | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TEEN CHALLENGE | BEND, OR | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SHIELD OF FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL | BEND, OR | $8,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KIDS CENTER | BEND, OR | $7,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MYOTONIC DISTROPHY | OAKLAND, CA | $5,700 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FURNISH HOPE | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOUNTAIN STAR FAMILY | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TOWER THEATRE | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS | BEAVERTON, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FREEDOM FOUNDATION | OLYMPIA, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PREPARE THE WAY | BEND, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MULTIPLICATION NETWORK MINISTRIES | SAULK VILLAGE, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GRACE CHURCH | BEND, OR | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL OREGON | BEND, OR | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MIKE SILVA INTERNATIONAL | BEAVERTON, OR | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SAVING GRACE | BEND, OR | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
EASTMONT CHURCH
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
JAMES DOBSON FAMILY INSTITUTE
$97,000UNRESTRICTED
TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL
$72,000UNRESTRICTED
BROKEN SHACKLES
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
PREPARE THE WAY
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
FURNISH HOPE
$8,000UNRESTRICTED
KIDS CENTER
$7,500UNRESTRICTED
FREEDOM FOUNDATION
$6,000UNRESTRICTED
TOWER THEATRE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
GRACE CHURCH
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MOUNTAIN STAR FAMILY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
CENTRAL OREGON GUARDIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
HUMANE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL OREGON
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
ORPHANAGES OF KENYA
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
YCCO
$2,400UNRESTRICTED
ROTARY FOUNDATION
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
TWR
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
DESCHUTES COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
BROKEN SHACKLES
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
TEEN CHALLENGE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
SHIELD OF FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL
$8,000UNRESTRICTED
MYOTONIC DISTROPHY
$5,700UNRESTRICTED
FURNISH HOPE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MOUNTAIN STAR FAMILY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
TOWER THEATRE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
ST MARY'S HOME FOR BOYS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
PREPARE THE WAY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
GRACE CHURCH
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
HUMANE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL OREGON
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
MIKE SILVA INTERNATIONAL
$3,000UNRESTRICTED
SAVING GRACE
$2,500UNRESTRICTED