John & Tami Marick Foundation Inc.

The JTMF Foundation is a founder-led family foundation with a clear philanthropic personality rooted in Catholic social teaching. Founded in 2020 from the proceeds of the $1.5B+ sale of Consumer Cellular — co-founded by John Marick and Greg Pryor in 1995 — JTMF is among the fastest-scaling private foundations in the Pacific Northwest. John Marick serves as President; Tami Marick as Secretary/Treasurer; and their children Kelsie Hirko and Brandon Marick as additional directors. All board positions are uncompensated, signaling a deeply personal, mission-driven approach rather than a professionally staffed philanthropy.

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. All grantmaking is preselected or initiated through a formal introduction process. This means relationship cultivation is essential before any funding conversation can occur. Organizations in the portfolio share deep alignment across three dimensions: serving one of four priority populations (children, older adults, veterans, or individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities); operating primarily in the Pacific Northwest — Oregon in particular; and embodying values consistent with Catholic social teaching, including dignity of the person, preferential option for vulnerable populations, and community-based care.

JTMF's giving style is notable for its breadth. Modest programmatic grants ($20,000–$75,000) fund direct-service positions and operating needs, while transformational capital investments ($450,000–$2M) fund research programs, facility construction, and system-building. Providence Portland Medical Foundation alone has received $5.1M across 10 grants. OHSU has received funding across 11 separate grants for neuroscience research. This concentration at the top of the grantee list confirms a relationship-deepening model — JTMF does not spread broadly, but invests deeply.

First-time applicants should expect a long runway. With a founder-governed board and no professional program staff visible in public filings, grantmaking decisions are personal. The typical progression appears to be introduction → relationship cultivation → grant offer, with site visits likely for capital requests. Patience, demonstrated community impact, and authentic mission alignment are prerequisites for entry. Organizations that treat this as a transactional process will not succeed; those who invest in genuine relationship-building stand to become long-term partners.

JTMF's grantmaking has scaled dramatically since its first substantive giving year. Total giving grew from $2.5M (FY2021) to $11.96M (FY2022) and $12.6M (FY2023), tracking the maturation of a large investment portfolio. With $408.4M in assets as of FY2024 — up 48% from $274.8M in FY2023 — annual giving capacity is on track to expand meaningfully in 2025 and 2026.

Across 354 grants totaling $30.59M in the historical dataset, the median grant is $30,000 and the average is $86,401, reflecting a two-tiered portfolio. The majority of grants fall in the $20,000–$100,000 range (programmatic support, staff positions, operational needs), while a subset of large capital and research investments ($500,000–$2M) skews the average upward. Confirmed range: approximately $5,000 to $2,000,000.

Geographic concentration is striking: 294 of 354 grants (83%) went to Oregon-based organizations. Washington received 25 grants (7%), Idaho and Montana received 4 each, and a handful of national organizations with Pacific Northwest chapters accounted for the remainder. Texas, California, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado each appear for 2–5 grants.

By program area: - Health and aging sciences dominate the largest individual grants. Providence Portland Medical Foundation ($5.1M across 10 grants), Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation ($1.65M), OHSU Foundation ($1.52M across 11 grants), and the Alzheimer's Association ($500K) together account for $8.77M — nearly 29% of the entire dataset total. - Senior services form the second major cluster: Council on Aging of Central Oregon ($1.81M across 4 grants), Northwest Pilot Project ($290K), Klamath Basin Senior Citizens Center ($136K), and Community Action Team ($140K). - Catholic education represents a distinct third tier, with capital and operational grants to 10+ Catholic schools in Oregon and Washington. Grants in this group range from $85,000 to $585,000 (Visitation BVM Catholic Church). - Veterans are funded at $75,000–$485,000 per grant (Honor Foundation, Warriors & Quiet Waters, Hire Heroes USA, Head Strong Project). - Capital campaigns are explicitly welcomed — construction, HVAC, safety systems, and facility renovations all appear throughout the grantee list.

The five peer foundations in the same asset tier ($400–$415M) share a Philanthropy & Grantmaking classification but differ sharply in focus, geography, and accessibility.

JTMF is distinctive within this peer set in three ways. First, its giving-to-assets ratio (~3.1% in FY2023) is below many peers, suggesting room to grow disbursements as the portfolio matures — a positive signal for prospective grantees. Second, it is the most geographically concentrated funder in the group, with 83% of grants staying within Oregon — no peer matches that regional depth. Third, its Catholic-values framework and four-population focus create a more defined programmatic lane than the broader education or health mandates of peers like Goizueta or Milken. For Oregon nonprofits serving children, seniors, veterans, or IDD populations, JTMF has no meaningful in-state peer at this asset scale.

The foundation's impact page confirms active grantmaking through late 2025, with at least six grants publicly documented between July and November 2025.

July 2025: Friendly House received $450,000 for a building renovation to expand children's early childhood and afterschool programs. This is among the larger single-award amounts visible on the site and confirms capital campaigns remain fundable.

August 2025: Phinney Neighborhood Association (Seattle, WA) received $40,000 for a Social Connection Program targeting senior isolation — confirming Washington organizations continue to be funded.

October 2025: United Through Reading received $350,000 to support technology-based literacy programming connecting military service members with their children. This is a national organization with a clear Pacific Northwest chapter focus, consistent with JTMF's veterans priority.

November 2025: Three separate grants were documented — Rogue River Community Center ($72,700 for senior services and community support), The Shadow Project ($47,286 for inclusive school environments for students with learning differences), and Todos Juntos ($20,000 for trauma-informed early childhood and parenting education).

No leadership changes or major programmatic announcements were identified in public sources during 2025. The board composition — John Marick, Tami Marick, Kelsie Hirko, and Brandon Marick — appears stable. The foundation's cumulative giving surpassed $46.5M as of the website's most recent tally, up from the roughly $30.6M visible in the historical grantee dataset, confirming continued active disbursements.

This funder does not accept cold applications. There is no open RFP cycle, no grant portal for unsolicited proposals, and no formal deadline structure. Every funded organization was either proactively identified by JTMF or formally introduced. The following tips are specific to navigating this relationship-first model.

The introduction pathway is real and usable. The FoundationSource portal (https://online.foundationsource.com/ws/index.jsp?site=jtmf) is the designated entry point for organizational introductions. This is not a grant application — it is a relationship inquiry. Keep your introduction focused on who you serve, where you operate, and why you align with their four population priorities. Brevity and specificity beat length.

Catholic values are not incidental. The foundation explicitly states it is guided by Catholic social teaching. Organizations grounded in Catholic institutions (Catholic schools, Catholic charities, Catholic health systems) have a structural advantage — look at the grantee list's Catholic education cluster. Non-Catholic organizations should not fabricate religious alignment, but should frame their work in compatible language: dignity-centered care, serving the most vulnerable, community belonging, and healing.

Geography is your strongest credential. Oregon-based organizations have an 83% share of historical grants. If you serve Oregon communities — especially Central Oregon (Council on Aging of Central Oregon is a $1.81M multi-grant partner), the Portland metro area, or Southern Oregon — lead with that. Washington organizations are funded but at lower frequency; organizations in other states need a compelling Pacific Northwest rationale.

Right-size your first ask. The historical data suggests first-time grantees typically enter at $20,000–$100,000. Large capital requests ($300,000–$2M) appear to follow established relationships. Starting with a program grant, a staff position, or a clearly scoped project is more likely to generate a 'yes' than an ambitious capital campaign from a new relationship.

Demonstrate durability. Top grantees received 3–11 grants over multiple years. Funders at this level want to back organizations that will still be thriving in a decade. Show board strength, financial health, multi-year program data, and a leadership team that has stayed.

Patience is mandatory. With no formal review cycles and a family board, timing is unpredictable. Do not follow up aggressively. One thoughtful touchpoint per quarter — a program update, an impact story — is appropriate.