The Clarence & Jack Himmel Foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on charitable causes, with a strong emphasis on neighborhood and youth-focused work in Detroit. Its funding is highly concentrated: the vast majority of dollars support SAY Detroit through repeat, large grants, while a much smaller allocation goes to Jewish/Israel emergency relief. The foundation appears to prefer deep, targeted investments in a small number of organizations rather than broad, diversified grantmaking.
Highly concentrated—few, large grants with repeat support for a primary local grantee; occasional smaller gifts to select international/Jewish emergency causes.
The Clarence & Jack Himmel Foundation’s giving is dominated by a single Detroit-area partner: Say Detroit received $750,000 in 2024 and then $125,000 in both 2025 and 2026. That repeated support sets the tone for a foundation that favors concentrated, sustained grants over a wide portfolio. Beyond that core relationship, the foundation also makes smaller awards to a mix of Detroit neighborhood, Jewish community, health, education, and emergency-relief organizations. Recent grants include $25,000 to Israel Emergency Fund, $12,000 to Holocaust Center, and $10,000 to Gesher Human Services. The pattern shows a local funder with a strong preference for place-based work in Michigan, especially organizations connected to Detroit and nearby communities. Several grants support youth and family services, while others go to institutions serving Jewish life, learning, and emergency response. The foundation’s 2023 through 2026 grant record also shows repeat support for some recipients across multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time project funding. Its annual giving total is modest relative to its assets, but the grants themselves are often meaningful enough to support specific programs or operating needs at small and mid-sized organizations.
Detroit neighborhood revitalization and youth development are the clearest through lines in the foundation’s giving. In this area, Say Detroit is the central recipient, with $750,000 in 2024 followed by $125,000 in both 2025 and 2026. The foundation also backed COTS Detroit with $6,000 in 2023, adding another local housing- and community-service angle. Its giving also reaches Jewish and Israel-related causes. Recent examples include $12,000 to Holocaust Center in both 2025 and 2026, $10,000 to Hebrew Free Loan in 2025, and $5,000 to Hillel of Metro Detroit in 2025. Emergency relief appears in the record as well: Israel Emergency Fund received $25,000 in 2024. A third cluster supports health and human services. Planned Parenthood in Detroit received $8,500 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while Jewish Association for Residential Care received $6,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in 2025.
The foundation’s typical grant size is small to mid-sized, with a p25 of $3,925, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $7,500. That distribution sits alongside a few much larger awards, most notably the repeated support for Say Detroit. The recent record also shows repeat grants to several organizations across multiple years, including Planned Parenthood, Detroit Zoological Society, Holocaust Center, Wdet, and Jewish Association for Residential Care. Structurally, it functions as a private foundation with local, concentrated giving rather than a broad-distribution funder. The data provided does not indicate an application process, and the grants are made to organizations rather than individuals.
$167K
$849K
$119K
$196K
Most grants fall between $4K and $8K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$8K
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Notable grantees: SAY DETROIT, ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Michigan-based: 98% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and Michigan is also the top state by grant count. Recipient cities cluster around the Detroit metro area, including Southfield, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Oak Park, Pontiac, Rochester Hills, and Huntington Woods. The only non-Michigan recipient in the recent record is Israel Emergency Fund in San Francisco, California. Overall, the geography points to a strongly local funder with one out-of-state emergency-relief exception.
Its typical grant size is $3,925 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $7,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards, including a $750,000 grant and several $10,000 to $25,000 grants.
Yes. The record shows repeat support across multiple years for several recipients, including Say Detroit, Planned Parenthood, Detroit Zoological Society, Holocaust Center, Wdet, and Jewish Association for Residential Care.
The clearest patterns are Detroit neighborhood revitalization and youth development, Jewish and Israel-related causes, and health and human services. Recent grants include support for Say Detroit, Holocaust Center, Hebrew Free Loan, Planned Parenthood in Detroit, and Israel Emergency Fund.
Michigan receives 98% of the grants, and the top recipient cities are in the Detroit metro area. Recent recipients include organizations in Southfield, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Oak Park, Pontiac, Rochester Hills, and Huntington Woods.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAY DETROIT | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $125,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLOCAUST CENTER | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $12,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| U OF M HILLEL | ANN ARBOR, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLEL OF METRO DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NEW DAY FOUNDATION FOR FAMILIES | ROCHESTER HILLS, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| GILDA'S CLUB | ROYAL OAK, MI | $4,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CABARET 313 | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLEL OF MICHIGAN STATE | EAST LANSING, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SAY DETROIT | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $125,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLOCAUST CENTER | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $12,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HEBREW FREE LOAN | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GESHER HUMAN SERVICES | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | DETROIT, MI | $8,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $5,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| JEWISH ASSOCIATION FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CHILDREN'S CENTER | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLEL OF METRO DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WDET | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FORGOTTEN HARVEST | OAK PARK, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| VISTA MARIA | DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI | $4,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GILDA'S CLUB | ROYAL OAK, MI | $3,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CABARET 313 | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLEL OF MICHIGAN STATE | EAST LANSING, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS | MT PLEASANT, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SAY DETROIT | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $750,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | DETROIT, MI | $8,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WDET | DETROIT, MI | $7,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $5,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| EVERSIGHT | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLEL OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| JEWISH ASSOCIATION FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NEW DAY FOUNDATION | ROCHESTER HILLS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| VISTA MARIA | DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI | $4,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GARY BURNSTEIN COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC | PONTIAC, MI | $3,900 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| FORGOTTEN HARVEST | OAK PARK, MI | $3,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GILDA'S CLUB | ROYAL OAK, MI | $3,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| FURNITURE BANK OF SE MICHIGAN | PONTIAC, MI | $3,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY | DETROIT, MI | $2,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CABARET 313 | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $2,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $11,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| KADIMA | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | DETROIT, MI | $8,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY | DETROIT, MI | $7,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $7,500 | 2023 | CHARTIABLE |
| FORGOTTEN HARVEST | OAK PARK, MI | $7,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| FURNITURE BANK OF SE MICHIGAN | PONTIAC, MI | $7,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| COTS DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $6,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| JEWISH ASSOCIATION FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $6,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
SAY DETROIT
$125,000CHARITABLE
U OF M HILLEL
$10,000CHARITABLE
CHARITABLE
CABARET 313
$2,500CHARITABLE
HILLEL OF MICHIGAN STATE
$2,500CHARITABLE
HOLOCAUST CENTER
$12,000CHARITABLE
HEBREW FREE LOAN
$10,000CHARITABLE
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$8,500CHARITABLE
CHILDREN'S CENTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
WDET
$5,000CHARITABLE
VISTA MARIA
$4,000CHARITABLE
CABARET 313
$2,500CHARITABLE
HILLEL OF MICHIGAN STATE
$2,500CHARITABLE
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
$1,000CHARITABLE
ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND
$25,000CHARITABLE
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$8,500CHARITABLE
WDET
$7,500CHARITABLE
HILLEL OF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$5,000CHARITABLE
VISTA MARIA
$4,000CHARITABLE
GARY BURNSTEIN COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC
$3,900CHARITABLE
GILDA'S CLUB
$3,500CHARITABLE
FURNITURE BANK OF SE MICHIGAN
$3,000CHARITABLE
CABARET 313
$2,500CHARITABLE
KADIMA
$10,000CHARITABLE
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$8,500CHARITABLE
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
$7,500CHARTIABLE
FURNITURE BANK OF SE MICHIGAN
$7,500CHARITABLE
COTS DETROIT
$6,000CHARITABLE