Foundations that fund organizations in Portage, Michigan
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Portage nonprofits
72 private foundations gave $3.3M to Portage organizations in their latest filings; 30 of the 72 that say either way accept applications.
204 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Portage around $4,000. 55 of these funders are based in Michigan; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 72
- Accept applications
- 30
- of 72 that state a policy
- Dollars to Portage
- $3.3M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 204
- Typical median grant
- $4,000
- Based in MI
- 76%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Portage organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irving S Gilmore Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 14 | $1.3M | $25K | Yes | Operational support; Operation support; Kalamazoo county volunteer services program |
| The Ronda E Stryker and William D Johnston Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 5 | $830K | $150K | Yes | Wellness support; Expansion of shoe distributions 2025-2029; Swccr cda/apprenticeship program |
| Enna Foundation C/O Greenleaf Trust | Kalamazoo, MI | 3 | $134K | $50K | Yes | Shoe distribution; Foster closet and community inclusion center; Investing in today housing partnership |
| The John and Rosemary Brown Family Foundation | Atlanta, GA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General |
| Tyler-Little Family Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 4 | $93K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Mezzanine storage units; General operating support; Michigan camps |
| William T and Frances a Little Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 2 | $75K | $38K | Preselected only | Anchors Anchors Away Campaign; Funds To supplement supplies for residents of Portage, Vick… |
| Sanderson Family Foundation | Kalamzoo, MI | 1 | $71K | $71K | Preselected only | Operations |
| Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 6 | $70K | $10K | Yes | Building repairs; Program expansion; General operating support |
| Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 8 | $66K | $10K | Yes | Programming; General operations; Akb |
| Suzanne Upjohn Delano Parish Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 3 | $65K | $24K | Preselected only | Science inspiration scholarship fund; Science inspiration scholarship fund. cash difference from…; General operating support |
| Laughlin Foundation | Cincinnati, OH | 1 | $64K | $64K | Preselected only | Support for daily operation |
| The Pfizer Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 45 | $49K | $400 | Preselected only | Volunteer program; Matching gifts |
| Consumers Energy Foundation | Jackson, MI | 3 | $48K | $20K | Yes | 2024 expanded spring shoe distribution; Building connection capital campaign; 2024 building campaign renovation project |
| Dorothy U Dalton Foundation Inc | Kalamazoo, MI | 5 | $39K | $3,000 | Preselected only | Bike friendly kalamazoo for all kids bike kindergarten pe l…; Trustee directed grant - bike friendly kalamazoo - december…; Kalamazoo aviation history museum dba air zoo for the scien… |
| Bosch Community Fund | Farmington Hills, MI | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | Steam education |
| Mesara Family Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 4 | $29K | $6,250 | Yes | General operating support; Shoe distribution |
| The Burdick-Thorne Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 5 | $24K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Operating support; Building connection capital campaign; Scholarship assistance |
| Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 | $20K | $10K | Yes | Mural; Electrical improvements |
| Monroe-Brown Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | General |
| Ws & Lois Vandalson Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | General |
| Carroll J Haas Foundation | Vicksburg, MI | 2 | $16K | $8,000 | Yes | General operating |
| Hugh & Constance Mehaffie Family Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $14K | $14K | Preselected only | General |
| Laube Family Foundation C/O Thomas T Huff | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $12K | $12K | Preselected only | Operations |
| Gary Sisters Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 3 | $11K | $5,000 | Yes | Shoes; General operations; Winter clothing |
| The Allkins Family Foundation | Portage, MI | 4 | $11K | $1,350 | Yes | General Fund |
| The Skillman Foundation | Detroit, MI | 1 | $10K | $10K | Yes | Pilot program: ink your truth |
| The Newell Brands Charitable Foundation | Atlanta, GA | 1 | $10K | $10K | Yes | Local impact grant program |
| John E Fetzer Institute Inc | Kalamazoo, MI | 12 | $9,630 | $500 | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Mike and Sharon Seelye Family Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 | $9,000 | $4,500 | Preselected only | General support |
| Beightler Squires Charitable Trust | Tustin, CA | 3 | $9,000 | $4,000 | Preselected only | Education; Educational |
| The Paul Kehrer Family Foundation | Asheville, NC | 1 | $7,500 | $7,500 | Preselected only | To provide food and essentials to those in need |
| Rings Ministries | Battle Creek, MI | 1 | $7,403 | $7,403 | Preselected only | 2007 Toyota Camry |
| Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation | Allegan, MI | 2 | $7,250 | $3,625 | Yes | General support |
| Colina Foundation | Grosse Ile, MI | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Preselected only | Autistic/Disability Education |
| H P & Genevieve Connable Fund | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 | $7,000 | $3,500 | Preselected only | Building connection capital campaign; Operating support |
| Burton & Elizabeth Upjohn Charitable Trust | Kalamazoo, MI | 3 | $7,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Operations; Programs & supports |
| Miller-Davis Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 3 | $6,500 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General Fund |
| Vicksburg Foundation | Vicksburg, MI | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | South county program extension |
| Molitor Family Foundation | Mattawan, MI | 3 | $5,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Operating support |
| Weitzenhoffer Seminole Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | General fund |
| Yeo & Yeo Foundation | Saginaw, MI | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | Community |
| Rathmourne Family Foundation | Port Hope, MI | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | General |
| Textron Charitable Trust Dtd 122353 | Providence, RI | 1 | $4,800 | $4,800 | Yes | Matching gift to health & human services agency |
| Wisner Family Foundation | Wayne, MI | 1 | $4,161 | $4,161 | Yes | Education - unite students & the community |
| Briarwood Farm Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $4,000 | $4,000 | Preselected only | Operating support |
| The Mercantile Bank Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | 3 | $4,000 | $1,500 | Preselected only | Suicide prevention; General support; Love week 2025 donation - general support |
| Houston Family Foundation | Armonk, NY | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | General purpose |
| The Cross Family Foundation | Bonita Springs, FL | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | General funding |
| Fibre Converters Foundation Inc | Constantine, MI | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | School Funding |
| Wk Kellogg Foundation | Battle Creek, MI | 2 | $2,952 | $1,476 | Yes | Matching Grant |
| Wattles Family Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | General |
| Jpmorgan Chase Foundation | New York, NY | 3 | $2,300 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Matching contribution (general operating support) |
| Shubeck Monsour Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 | $2,000 | $1,000 | Yes | General |
| Rjdm Inc | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Donation |
| The Fletcher Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Operating support |
| The Land Sustainment Shop C/O Pauletta Wood | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $1,875 | $1,875 | Preselected only | To support We Want the Land Coalition's mission which suppo… |
| Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation | Frankenmuth, MI | 1 | $1,600 | $1,600 | Yes | Community support |
| Susan L Canole Foundation | Westlake, TX | 1 | $1,531 | $1,531 | Preselected only | Education |
| John Stites Jazz Artist Organization | Marshall, MI | 1 | $1,485 | $1,485 | Yes | Brazilian drumming studies |
| The Hall Houseman Family Foundation | Richland, MI | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Operations |
| Mary Thompson Foundation | St Clair Shores, MI | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | General purpose |
| The Umakant S & Shreedevi U Doctor Family Charitable Trust | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General operations |
| Higher Hopes Foundation Inc | Mount Pleasant, MI | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General operations |
| Buist Foundation | Byron Center, MI | 2 | $780 | $390 | Yes | Community assistance |
| Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Foundation | Coldwater, MI | 1 | $769 | $769 | Preselected only | Program support |
| Hammond Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $500 | $500 | Yes | Support |
| Tractor Supply Company Foundation | Brentwood, TN | 1 | $500 | $500 | Yes | Hometown heroes donation |
| Daniel R and Karen Kales Lee Family Foundation C/O Karen K Lee | Glencoe, IL | 1 | $500 | $500 | Preselected only | Support general operations |
| The Gap Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $450 | $225 | Yes | For civic & community engagement; Support for educational programs |
| J&n Hope Foundation | Hinckley, OH | 1 | $166 | $166 | Preselected only | Charitable giving |
| Trittschuh Family Charitable Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 2 | $150 | $75 | Preselected only | General & unrestricted |
| Fidelity Foundation | Boston, MA | 1 | $80 | $80 | Yes | Fidelity matching gifts to education |
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 Portage, Michigan?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation, The Ronda E Stryker and William D Johnston Foundation, Enna Foundation C/O Greenleaf Trust, The John and Rosemary Brown Family Foundation, Tyler-Little Family Foundation and 67 others reported grants to Portage 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 Portage. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.