Foundations that fund organizations in East Lansing, Michigan
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for East Lansing nonprofits
314 private foundations gave $38M to East Lansing organizations in their latest filings; 34 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
457 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to East Lansing around $50K. 51 of these funders are based in Michigan; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 314
- Accept applications
- 34
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to East Lansing
- $38M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 457
- Typical median grant
- $50K
- Based in MI
- 51%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to East Lansing organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Peter and Joan Secchia Family Inc | Grand Rapids, MI | 5 | $11M | $1.0M | Preselected only | College of human medicine research gift; Medical school lecture series; Secchia center equipment and classroom maint |
| The Gilbert Family Foundation | Detroit, MI | 1 | $2.6M | $2.6M | Preselected only | Economic mobility |
| Wk Kellogg Foundation | Battle Creek, MI | 11 | $1.5M | $176K | Yes | Matching Grant; Jobs and Family Economic Security; Food, Strong and Equitable Food Systems |
| Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | 2 | $1.4M | $714K | Yes | Agricultural development |
| Dickert Family Foundation 62177-9 | Ligonier, PA | 1 | $1.4M | $1.4M | Yes | Start a New Foundation |
| Ishbia Family Foundation Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $1.3M | $1.3M | Preselected only | To further program services |
| The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust | New York, NY | 1 | $1.2M | $1.2M | Preselected only | A c-peptide complex for improved glucose metabolism in peop… |
| Randolph L Cowen and Phyllis Green Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $1.0M | $1.0M | Preselected only | General |
| Skyline Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $1.0M | $1.0M | Preselected only | For the charitable purposes of rx kids |
| The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton, NJ | 5 | $903K | $22K | Yes | 80895 designing learning collaboratives for echo sites and…; 78812 assessing whether indigenous women of reproductive ag…; 80179 analyzing american economic and demographic fragmenta… |
| The Spencer Foundation | Chicago, IL | 6 | $815K | $50K | Yes | Creating transformative possibility in schools and communit…; Postsecondary education; Addressing language barriers within mathematical tasks |
| Forest H Akers Trust C/O Brian Breslin | Grand Rapids, MI | 1 | $717K | $717K | Preselected only | Endow fund - entrepreneurial develop |
| Charles Stewart Mott Foundation | Flint, MI | 7 | $650K | $100K | Preselected only | For the general purposes or other charitable purposes of th…; To document and promote policy solutions to address the chr…; To support the local school district with technical assista… |
| Grosfeld Foundation | Southfield, MI | 2 | $605K | $303K | Preselected only | Unrestricted charitable gift |
| The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | 3 | $478K | $128K | Yes | Core support for detroit disability power, a project that w…; General support; For the african studies center to support the chinese in af… |
| Cochran Family Foundation | Pennington, NJ | 3 | $475K | $117K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Matilda R Wilson Fund | Detroit, MI | 1 | $400K | $400K | Yes | Capital improvements and scholarships |
| Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $388K | $388K | Yes | To support research to evaluate the impact of material supp… |
| Cascade Hemophilia Consortium | Ann Arbor, MI | 1 | $356K | $356K | Preselected only | Support for medical services for persons with hemophilia an… |
| The Skillman Foundation | Detroit, MI | 4 | $355K | $53K | Yes | Matching gift; Rx kids; Education policy innovation collaborative (epic) |
| The Kresge Foundation | Troy, MI | 2 | $350K | $175K | Yes | General operating support; Project support grant for rx kids. |
| Apmpff Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $330K | $330K | Preselected only | General Operating Support |
| The Ravitz Foundation | Farmington Hills, MI | 4 | $329K | $90K | Preselected only | General support; Small communities initiative |
| William Davidson Foundation | Birmingham, MI | 1 | $300K | $300K | Preselected only | To support education and leadership development efforts of… |
| Edward C and Linda Dresner Levy Foundation | Reston, VA | 2 | $260K | $130K | Preselected only | General support; The jewish studies program |
| O'Donovan Family Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Good Ventures Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 1 | $242K | $242K | Preselected only | Develop robust unlearning techniques |
| The Joyce Foundation | Chicago, IL | 2 | $225K | $113K | Yes | Education & economic mobility; Democracy |
| The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 1 | $220K | $220K | Yes | For support for the data analysis of the racial justice in… |
| Foundation to Promote Open Society | New York, NY | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | To support new books network's work to benefit the general… |
| Novo Foundation | Hurley, NY | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | Indian law clinic icwa project |
| Imago Dei Fund C/O Berkshire Partners | Boston, MA | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | General use |
| Sourlis Irrevocable Charitable Trust C/O Thomas Devine Peoples Bank | Munster, IN | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | Operating funds |
| Ronald Hagaman Charitable Trust | Pennington, NJ | 1 | $187K | $187K | Preselected only | General operating |
| The Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation | Royal Oak, MI | 1 | $183K | $183K | Yes | Program support |
| Consumers Energy Foundation | Jackson, MI | 9 | $175K | $15K | Yes | State leadership conference chapter officers, state ffa off…; Dean's showcase of stars scholarship program; Weekend underwriting |
| Dr Ralph & Marian Falk Medical Research Tr | Dallas, TX | 1 | $175K | $175K | Yes | Develop new odc inhibitors |
| Stephanie H & David a Spina Family Foundation | Wayland, MA | 1 | $145K | $145K | Preselected only | Educational - chm filing campus grant fund |
| Lumina Foundation for Education Inc | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | $140K | $140K | Yes | To support research on trusted messengers for local news in… |
| Joe D Pentecost Foundation | East Lansing, MI | 6 | $138K | $7,500 | Preselected only | Unrestricted contribution; Endowed scholarship |
| Americana Foundation | Novi, MI | 4 | $123K | $10K | Yes | 2025 tollgate farm programming and operations; Match grant bob janson discretionary 2025; Thomas ranger memorial fund 2025 |
| Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation Inc | Wilmington, DE | 6 | $121K | $18K | Preselected only | Scholarship Grant |
| Leinweber Foundation | Birmingham, MI | 1 | $120K | $120K | Yes | Charitable |
| W K Kellogg Bird Sanctuary | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $108K | $108K | Preselected only | Maintain bird sanctuary in |
| The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Calibrating the new physics discovery potential of the pear… |
| Alan Jay and Sue Kaufman Foundation | Farmington Hills, MI | 2 | $92K | $46K | Preselected only | General purpose grant |
| The Simons Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 5 | $92K | $8,400 | Preselected only | Rigidity in metric and riemannian geometry; Birational geometry in positive and mixed characteristic; Diophantine approximation and its applications |
| Steelcase Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | 1 | $87K | $87K | Preselected only | Program support |
| The Schmidt Family Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Yes | Ocean stewardship and research |
| The McLelland Family Foundation C/O Michael B McLelland | Villanova, PA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | Support |
| The Tinker Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $70K | $70K | Yes | Inclusive and sustainable conservation partnerships: improv… |
| Burton a Zipser and Sandra D Zipser Foundation | Farmington Hills, MI | 8 | $66K | $3,750 | Preselected only | To support research, performance, preservation, and expansi…; To support research, performance, preservation of musical p…; To support research, performance, preservation, and promoti… |
| The Serra Foundation | Fenton, MI | 1 | $60K | $60K | Yes | General Use |
| Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr | Jackson, MI | 1 | $56K | $56K | Yes | Scholarships |
| Harry a Fee Tr Ua 1951 | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $54K | $54K | Preselected only | Support for daily |
| Garbarini Family Charitable Trust | Pennington, NJ | 1 | $53K | $53K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Maibach Family Foundation | Southfield, MI | 1 | $53K | $53K | Preselected only | General fund |
| The Chapman Family Foundation | Farmington Hills, MI | 1 | $51K | $51K | Preselected only | Support for entrepreneurial camp programming and student ad… |
| Ida & Benjamin Alpert Foundation | Southfield, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Donation |
| Max M & Marjorie S Fisher Foundation Inc | Southfield, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Msu hillel/hcam mental health - social worker |
| Wayne T Kennedy and Lorelei F Rockwell Family Foundation | San Carlos, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Education |
| Reyes Adent Family Foundation | Mason, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Eisele Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | The Student Athlete Engagement Fund, and the Student-Athlet… |
| Elaine Stern Foundation | Southfield, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Leadership development program support. |
| The Annexstad Family Foundation | Alpharetta, GA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| The Gibson Foundation Gibson | Farmington Hills, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| Jct Foundation | Rockford, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General contribution |
| Steven and Kathryn Bandstra Foundation | Norton Shores, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | College of human medicine |
| Toni a Wisne Foundation | Novi, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Use consistent with 501(c)(3) status |
| Deroy Testamentary Foundation | West Bloomfield, MI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Charitable |
| Hal & Jean Glassen Memorial Foundation Attn | Sunfield, MI | 3 | $47K | $12K | Yes | Proposal number 38874 &; Pilot program; Hunting course |
| Doris J Giddey Trust C/O Charles W McCallum Co-Trustee | Williamston, MI | 6 | $45K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Student scholarship; Medical scholarship; Student grants |
| The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation | West Hartford, CT | 1 | $45K | $45K | Yes | Oral care improvements for snf residents through collaborat… |
| Jessie T Fee Hidden Lake Trust | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $44K | $44K | Preselected only | Support for daily |
| Allen Foundation | Midland, MI | 1 | $43K | $43K | Yes | Youth ed detroit partnership for food, learning, innovation |
| William T Grant Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $41K | $41K | Yes | Sig for grantees conducting research on race and racism in… |
| Needmor Fund for Social Justice | Perrysburg, OH | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | General operating to build and leverage the organizing powe… |
| Greater Lansing Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 4 | $40K | $8,008 | Yes | General support; Radio reading service |
| Worthington Family Foundation | Traverse City, MI | 1 | $34K | $34K | Yes | Student educational opportunities |
| Dte Energy Foundation | Detroit, MI | 2 | $32K | $16K | Yes | Human needs; Economic progress |
| Organic Syntheses Inc | Waco, TX | 1 | $31K | $31K | Preselected only | Graduate research symposium, ewoc support |
| The Eugene Applebaum Family Foundation | Birmingham, MI | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Education & research |
| Marvin and Betty Danto Family Foundation | Troy, MI | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Unrestricted charitable gift |
| The Mansfield Family Foundation | East Lansing, MI | 2 | $28K | $14K | Yes | General operations |
| Hillquist Irrevocable Family Foundation Trust | Coldwater, MI | 1 | $27K | $27K | Preselected only | Education |
| Greater Lansing Destination Development Foundation | Lansing, MI | 4 | $26K | $7,625 | Preselected only | East lansing art festival and jazz festival; Grant for hairspary marketing; Lansing 5:01 sponsorship |
| Hagelshaw Scholarship Fund | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $26K | $26K | Preselected only | Educational scholarships |
| Seed the Dream Foundation | Gladwyne, PA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | To support the mission of the organization |
| Carroll J Haas Foundation | Vicksburg, MI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | General operating |
| Wallace Genetic Foundation II Inc | Washington, DC | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Technical capacity building |
| Laura & Harvey Alpert Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Unrestricted grant to further the organization's exempt pur… |
| Herm and Shirley Geers Foundation | Kewadin, MI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | To support the mission of the church |
| Varhegyi Foundation | Bonita Springs, FL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Educational enrichment |
| Jenny H & Otto F Krauss Charitable Foundation | Roscommon, MI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Educational needs |
| The Jones Family Foundation | Saline, MI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General support |
| Herrick Foundation | Ann Arbor, MI | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Support for 2025 msu 4-h exploration |
| Ferrantino Charitable Foundation Inc | Plymouth, MI | 2 | $25K | $13K | Preselected only | Lucky fund; Bailey ferrantino endowed fund cancer research |
| Maccabee Task Force Foundation | Las Vegas, NV | 1 | $22K | $22K | Preselected only | Campus Education and Trip to Israel |
| Ellen B Fox Fund | Dallas, TX | 1 | $21K | $21K | Preselected only | William r brown education |
| Aptiv Foundation Inc | Troy, MI | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | Support to michigan state university for society of women e… |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in East Lansing, Michigan?
The Peter and Joan Secchia Family Inc, The Gilbert Family Foundation, Wk Kellogg Foundation, Gates Foundation, Dickert Family Foundation 62177-9 and 95 others reported grants to East Lansing organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in East Lansing. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.