His First Foundation % John S Wieland is a Peoria-focused funder that concentrates large, multi-hundred-thousand dollar gifts to a small set of local institutions. Grants show a mix of faith-based K–12 education, regional healthcare, community philanthropy, and public media, with repeat support for a local Christian school indicating a priority on sustaining long-term local partners.
A one-million-dollar grant to the JCH Foundation stands out in the recent record and signals how His First Foundation % John S Wieland uses large gifts to support a small set of institutions over time. The foundation pairs that kind of anchor support with repeated giving in Peoria, especially to Peoria Christian School, which received multiple grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Other major awards went to UnityPoint Health Central IL and WTVP, showing that the portfolio is not limited to one sector. Instead, the foundation backs a mix of independent Christian education, healthcare philanthropy, public media, and community organizations tied to the Peoria area. That pattern suggests a place-based funder that uses sizable charitable grants to reinforce local institutions rather than spread money broadly. The recent grants list also includes support for Dream Center Peoria, Pathway Ministries, Salvation Army, and Peoria Job Partnership, which adds a community-services dimension alongside the foundation’s longer-running school and civic-support commitments.
Independent Christian K–12 education is a clear thread in the grant record. Peoria Christian School received $675,000 in 2023, $240,000 in 2024, and $190,000 in 2025, and Galesburg Christian School also received $75,000 in 2025. The foundation also supports faith-based youth programming through Heart of Illinois YFC, Youth for Christ, and Child Evangelism Fellowship. Healthcare appears through a major gift to UnityPoint Health Central IL, which received $1,000,000 in 2023. Community-serving organizations show up as well: Dream Center Peoria received $100,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2024, while Peoria Rescue Ministries received $50,000 in 2024. The record also includes civic and media support. WTVP received $900,000 in 2025, and WPEO received $50,000 in 2024, indicating support for local public information channels.
Typical grants are tightly clustered: p25 is $10,000, median is $10,000, and p75 is $30,000. The recent record still includes several outsize awards, which means the foundation uses a small-grant baseline alongside a few very large anchor gifts. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including Peoria Christian School, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Dream Center, Citi Vision, Youth for Christ, Lone Pine Ministries, and WTVP, showing repeat support rather than one-time-only giving. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$1.8M
$21.9M
$8.2M
$2M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$30K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a very small number of local organizations, including repeat multi-year or multiple awards to flagship grantees rather than many small gifts.
Notable grantees: Peoria Christian School, UnityPoint Health Central IL, JCH Foundation, WTVP (public television)
Grantmaking is strongly centered in Illinois, with 65% of grants to recipients in the HQ state and Illinois also the top state by grant count. Peoria appears repeatedly across the record, including recipients in Peoria, East Peoria, and nearby Galesburg. A smaller share of grants goes outside Illinois to places such as Jerseyville, Warrenton, Indianapolis, Dallas, Franklin, and New York, but the overall pattern remains regional and Illinois-heavy.
The record shows support for independent Christian K–12 education, regional healthcare philanthropy, local Jewish community philanthropy and charitable endowments, public media and civic information, and community institutions in the Peoria area. Named recipients include Peoria Christian School, UnityPoint Health Central IL, JCH Foundation, and WTVP.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at both the 25th percentile and the median, with the 75th percentile at $30,000. The recent record also includes several much larger grants, including seven-figure awards and repeated six-figure support for select institutions.
Yes. Peoria Christian School appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Child Evangelism Fellowship appears in 2024 and 2025; Dream Center appears in 2023 and 2024; Citi Vision appears multiple times in 2023 and 2024; and Youth for Christ, Lone Pine Ministries, and WTVP also recur.
Illinois is the main destination, with 65% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and Illinois also ranking first by grant count. Many named recipients are in Peoria, including Peoria Christian School, UnityPoint Health Central IL, Dream Center Peoria, Pathway Ministries, Salvation Army, and Peoria Job Partnership.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the available record shows charitable grants to organizations such as schools, healthcare entities, media outlets, and community nonprofits.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTVP | PEORIA, IL | $900,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PEORIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | PEORIA, IL | $190,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DREAM CENTER PEORIA | PEORIA, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP | WARRENTON, MO | $90,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GALESBURG CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | GALESBURG, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PATHWAY MINISTRIES | PEORIA, IL | $55,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CITI VISION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PEORIA JOB PARTNERSHIP | PEORIA, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HEART OF ILLINOIS YFC | PEORIA, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SALVATION ARMY | PEORIA, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LONE PINE MINISTRIES | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CRESCNET PROJECT | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WPEO | EAST PEORIA, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HANDS OF LOVE | WASHINGTON, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CAMP GOOD NEWS | WASHINGTON, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FRIENDSHIP HOUSE | PEORIA, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTH SIDE MISSION | PEORIA, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| VOICE OF THE MARTYRS | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| JESUS ON LINE | HIGLEY, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ST MARYS SCHOOL OF KICKAPOO | EDWARDS, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PEORIA RESCUE MINISTRY | PEORIA, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NINETY FIVE NETWORK | SIMPSONVILLE, SC | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| YOUTH HORIZON | WICHITA, KS | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PAACS CHRISTIAN MEDICAL & DENTAL | DALLAS, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LIFESONG | GRIDLEY, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BLACK BUFFALO GLOBAL MISSIONS | SILVERTON, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DESTINY FOR WOMEN | PEORIA, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CHRISTIAN CENTER | PEORIA, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CRITTENTION CENTER | PEORIA, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| IMANI RESCURE CENTER | BELLEVUE, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY WORKSHOP TRAINING CENTER | PEORIA, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BIBLICAL COUNSELING MINISTRY | PEORIA, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| EPIC | PEORIA, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| KINGDOM SPORTS | OMAHA, NE | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| IRC WICHITAH | WICHITA, KS | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CADRE MINISTRY | SYCAMORE, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GREAT NEWS RADIO | FISHER, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| JCH FOUNDATION | JERSEYVILLE, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| PEORIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | PEORIA, IL | $240,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP | WARRENTON, MO | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WPEO | EAST PEORIA, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CITI VISION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DREAM CENTER | PEORIA, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| PEORIA RESCUE MINISTRIES | PEORIA, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| YOUTH FOR CHRIST | PEORIA, IL | $30,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CRESCENT PROJECT | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $30,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| LONE PINE MINISTRIES | DALLAS, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CEF OF ILLINOIS | PEORIA, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTH SIDE MISSION | PEORIA, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| VOICE OF THE MARTYRS | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
WTVP
$900,000CHARITABLE
CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP
$90,000CHARITABLE
GALESBURG CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$75,000CHARITABLE
PATHWAY MINISTRIES
$55,000CHARITABLE
CITI VISION
$50,000CHARITABLE
PEORIA JOB PARTNERSHIP
$30,000CHARITABLE
HEART OF ILLINOIS YFC
$30,000CHARITABLE
SALVATION ARMY
$30,000CHARITABLE
LONE PINE MINISTRIES
$25,000CHARITABLE
CRESCNET PROJECT
$25,000CHARITABLE
WPEO
$20,000CHARITABLE
HANDS OF LOVE
$20,000CHARITABLE
CAMP GOOD NEWS
$15,000CHARITABLE
FRIENDSHIP HOUSE
$15,000CHARITABLE
SOUTH SIDE MISSION
$10,000CHARITABLE
VOICE OF THE MARTYRS
$10,000CHARITABLE
JESUS ON LINE
$10,000CHARITABLE
ST MARYS SCHOOL OF KICKAPOO
$10,000CHARITABLE
PEORIA RESCUE MINISTRY
$10,000CHARITABLE
NINETY FIVE NETWORK
$10,000CHARITABLE
YOUTH HORIZON
$10,000CHARITABLE
PAACS CHRISTIAN MEDICAL & DENTAL
$10,000CHARITABLE
BLACK BUFFALO GLOBAL MISSIONS
$10,000CHARITABLE
DESTINY FOR WOMEN
$10,000CHARITABLE
THE CHRISTIAN CENTER
$10,000CHARITABLE
CRITTENTION CENTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
IMANI RESCURE CENTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP TRAINING CENTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
BIBLICAL COUNSELING MINISTRY
$5,000CHARITABLE
EPIC
$5,000CHARITABLE
KINGDOM SPORTS
$5,000CHARITABLE
IRC WICHITAH
$5,000CHARITABLE
CADRE MINISTRY
$5,000CHARITABLE
GREAT NEWS RADIO
$2,500CHARITABLE
JCH FOUNDATION
$1,000,000CHARITABLE
CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP
$50,000CHARITABLE
WPEO
$50,000CHARITABLE
CITI VISION
$50,000CHARITABLE
DREAM CENTER
$50,000CHARITABLE
PEORIA RESCUE MINISTRIES
$50,000CHARITABLE
YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$30,000CHARITABLE
CRESCENT PROJECT
$30,000CHARITABLE
LONE PINE MINISTRIES
$25,000CHARITABLE
CEF OF ILLINOIS
$25,000CHARITABLE
SOUTH SIDE MISSION
$10,000CHARITABLE
VOICE OF THE MARTYRS
$10,000CHARITABLE