The Cochran Family Foundation concentrates substantial, unrestricted operating support to community-serving organizations in the East Lansing/Capital Area region, with a clear emphasis on public literacy and learning resources, basic health care, senior services, and domestic violence/housing assistance. Grants are often large and repeated to a small number of organizations, suggesting long-term partnerships rather than one-off project funding.
Relatively concentrated giving: few, high-dollar grants with multiple payments to the same organizations; predominately unrestricted/general operating support to local community institutions in a specific geographic area.
Cochran Family Foundation makes large, recurring general operating grants to a small set of East Lansing and Lansing organizations, with Friends of the East Lansing Public Library receiving the biggest recent awards at $296,222 in 2023, $210,229 in 2024, and $230,037 in 2025. That repeated support signals a funding pattern built around continuity rather than one-time projects. The foundation’s recent grants also show steady backing for Haven House, Care Free Medical, Capital Area Literacy Coalition, and Elansing Prime Time Seniors, all of which appear across multiple years and receive unrestricted operating support. Across those recipients, the foundation is tied to community infrastructure: library services, adult literacy, basic health access, shelter and domestic violence services, and senior programming. The pattern is regional and focused on a compact group of organizations serving the East Lansing/Capital Area area. The grants are substantial relative to the portfolio, and the same organizations recur year after year, suggesting long-term institutional relationships. That combination of repeated awards and general operating support defines how the Cochran Family Foundation funds.
Public library support is a consistent thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. Friends of the East Lansing Public Library received $296,222 in 2023 and another $230,037 in 2025 for general operating support. Adult literacy and basic education also appear in the recent record: Capital Area Literacy Coalition was awarded $143,755 in 2023 and $111,636 in 2025, both for general operating support. The foundation also funds safety-net and housing-related services through Haven House, which received $143,755 in 2023 and $111,636 in 2025. Health access shows up through Care Free Medical, with grants of $143,755 in 2023 and $111,636 in 2025. Senior services are part of the same pattern, including support for Elansing Prime Time Seniors in both 2023 and 2025.
Grant size clusters tightly around six figures. The typical award is $106,830 at the 25th percentile, $111,636 at the median, and $143,755 at the 75th percentile. The top recent grants are larger, with one award reaching $296,222. The pattern is recurring: the same organizations appear in multiple years, often at similar amounts, which points to ongoing operating support rather than one-off project funding. The foundation is structured as a family foundation, makes no program-related investments, and does not fund individuals. The grants shown are all general operating support.
$710K
$5.2M
$649K
$812K
Most grants fall between $107K and $144K, with a median of $112K.
25th Percentile
$107K
Median
$112K
75th Percentile
$144K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MI.
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Notable grantees: Friends of the East Lansing Public Library, Haven House, ELansing Prime Time Seniors, Care Free Medical, Capital Area Literacy Coalition
The foundation’s giving is concentrated in Michigan, with the top grant count in MI and every recent grant going to U.S. recipients. East Lansing and Lansing dominate the recent record. East Lansing organizations include Friends of the East Lansing Public Library, Haven House, and Elansing Prime Time Seniors, while Lansing recipients include Care Free Medical and Capital Area Literacy Coalition. The recipient-country distribution is entirely domestic, at 15 grants in the United States.
The recent grants are all listed as general operating support. The foundation gives substantial unrestricted awards, with a median grant of $111,636 and a 75th percentile of $143,755.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Friends of the East Lansing Public Library, Haven House, Care Free Medical, Capital Area Literacy Coalition, and Elansing Prime Time Seniors. The repeated awards suggest ongoing relationships.
Grantmaking is concentrated in Michigan, especially East Lansing and Lansing. All 15 recent grants went to U.S. recipients, and the top state by grant count is MI.
No. The foundation’s profile lists funds individuals as false, so the recent record reflects organizational grantmaking rather than individual support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF EAST LANSING | EAST LANSING, MI | $241,243 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| EAST LANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS | EAST LANSING, MI | $117,074 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HAVEN HOUSE | EAST LANSING, MI | $117,074 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CARE FREE MEDICAL INC | LANSING, MI | $117,074 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION | LANSING, MI | $117,074 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE EAST LANSING PUBLIC LIBRARY INC | EAST LANSING, MI | $230,037 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS | EAST LANSING, MI | $111,636 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARE FREE MEDICAL INC | LANSING, MI | $111,636 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION | LANSING, MI | $111,636 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAVEN HOUSE | EAST LANSING, MI | $111,636 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDS OF THE EAST LANSING PUBLIC LIBRARY INC | EAST LANSING, MI | $210,229 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAVEN HOUSE | EAST LANSING, MI | $102,023 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARE FREE MEDICAL INC | LANSING, MI | $102,023 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION | LANSING, MI | $102,023 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS | EAST LANSING, MI | $102,023 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| Friends Of The East Lansing Public Library Inc | EAST LANSING, MI | $296,222 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CAPITAL AREA LITERACYCOALITION | LANSING, MI | $143,755 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HAVEN HOUSE | EAST LANSING, MI | $143,755 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CARE FREE MEDICAL INC | LANSING, MI | $143,755 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS | EAST LANSING, MI | $143,755 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
CITY OF EAST LANSING
$241,243UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
EAST LANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS
$117,074UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CARE FREE MEDICAL INC
$117,074UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION
$117,074UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE EAST LANSING PUBLIC LIBRARY INC
$230,037GENERAL OPERATING
ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS
$111,636GENERAL OPERATING
CARE FREE MEDICAL INC
$111,636GENERAL OPERATING
CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION
$111,636GENERAL OPERATING
FRIENDS OF THE EAST LANSING PUBLIC LIBRARY INC
$210,229GENERAL OPERATING
CARE FREE MEDICAL INC
$102,023GENERAL OPERATING
CAPITAL AREA LITERACY COALITION
$102,023GENERAL OPERATING
ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS
$102,023GENERAL OPERATING
Friends Of The East Lansing Public Library Inc
$296,222GENERAL OPERATING
CAPITAL AREA LITERACYCOALITION
$143,755GENERAL OPERATING
CARE FREE MEDICAL INC
$143,755GENERAL OPERATING
ELANSING PRIME TIME SENIORS
$143,755GENERAL OPERATING