About Air Zoo Legacy Foundation
Air Zoo Legacy Foundation’s recent giving is defined by a single recurring recipient: The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum. Across 2023, 2024, and 2025, the foundation awarded large annual grants to support the organization’s charitable and educational activities, with amounts of $3,620,291, $4,131,044, and $3,333,000. That pattern points to a funder that operates through sustained institutional support rather than a wide, dispersed portfolio of awards. The foundation’s stated purpose is to inspire and educate people of all ages about aerospace, aviation, and science through exhibits, hands-on programs, restoration, and community education. Its giving aligns with that mission through museum-centered philanthropy and support for educational programming. The active grant program listed, Group Scholarship Opportunities, also fits this model, with a focus on education, STEM, and museum access in Michigan. Leadership is listed under Cliff Mulder. The foundation’s 2025 filing shows annual grants of $11,084,335 and total assets of $85,016,724, indicating a sizeable grantmaking base behind these education and aviation priorities.
What Air Zoo Legacy Foundation Funds
Aviation history is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s grantmaking. The largest recent grant, $4,131,044 in 2024, went to The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum for the organization’s charitable and educational activities. In 2025, the same museum received $3,333,000 for the same purpose, reinforcing a sustained relationship tied to aviation heritage and public education. The foundation also supports STEM-oriented educational access through its Group Scholarship Opportunities program, which is listed under education programs for educators in Michigan and focuses on education, STEM, and museum access. That program suggests support for group-based learning rather than individual aid. The foundation’s stated mission also includes exhibits, hands-on programs, restoration, and community education, which matches the museum and scholarship emphasis visible in the grants data.
How Air Zoo Legacy Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is concentrated at the institutional level, with p25 at $3,747,979, median at $3,875,668, and p75 at $4,003,356. The recent grants list shows a repeated award relationship over three consecutive years, indicating ongoing support rather than one-time project funding. The foundation does not fund individuals and makes no program-related investments. Its philosophy tags include general operating support, unrestricted support, and program support, which suggests flexible institutional giving alongside program-specific awards. The active grant program, Group Scholarship Opportunities, is listed for educators in Michigan and does not accept unsolicited applications.
