The Doug Meijer and Kendall Meijer Foundation concentrates significant, high-dollar grants in West Michigan and statewide Michigan institutions, favoring higher education, youth services, and health/mental-health infrastructure. They fund both capital campaigns and program support, with repeated multi-year or multi-grant commitments to major beneficiaries. Their portfolio blends large institutional gifts (universities, hospitals) with community-facing children's and civic organizations.
Concentrated, relatively large grants to a small number of institutional grantees with some repeat funding; mix of capital campaign support and project/program funding; geographically focused on Grand Rapids/West Michigan and statewide Michigan institutions.
A defining feature of the Doug Meijer and Kendall Meijer Foundation is its repeated support for Michigan institutions through large, targeted awards to universities, health providers, and youth-serving nonprofits. In the recent grants list, the foundation gave $400,000 to the University of Michigan - College of Literature Science and the Arts, $400,000 to Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, and $400,000 to Make-a-wish Foundation of Michigan. Those grants reflect a pattern of backing both educational programming and community services, with several awards used for project or program support and others for capital work. The foundation also shows continuity in its relationships: the University of Michigan college appears in multiple years, as do Make-a-wish Foundation of Michigan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, I Understand, and Detroit Horse Power. Its portfolio includes civic and cultural work as well, including West Michigan Horticultural Society Inc. The overall picture is of a Michigan-focused funder that supports established organizations through sizable grants and, in some cases, repeated commitments over time.
Higher education is a clear theme. The foundation awarded $400,000 in 2025 to the University of Michigan - College of Literature Science and the Arts for project/program support, after giving the same college $200,000 in 2023 and another $200,000 in 2024 for program support. Health and mental health are another major thread: Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services received $400,000 in 2025 for a capital campaign, while Michigan State University College of Human Medicine received $150,000 in 2023 for program support. Youth-oriented work also appears repeatedly. Make-a-wish Foundation of Michigan received $400,000 in 2025 for project/program support and $100,000 in 2023 for program support. Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth received $70,000 in 2025 for project/program support and $50,000 in 2025 for a capital campaign.
Grant sizes cluster around major institutional awards, with a p25 of $35,000, a median of $75,000, and a p75 of $145,688. The recent record shows repeated support to several recipients across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including the University of Michigan - College of Literature Science and the Arts, Make-a-wish Foundation of Michigan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, I Understand, and Detroit Horse Power. That points to an ongoing grantmaking relationship rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is a local Michigan funder, and the grant types include project/program support, program support, general operating support, and capital campaign support.
$2M
$46.4M
$5.1M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $35K and $146K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$146K
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Notable grantees: University of Michigan - College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Make‑A‑Wish Foundation of Michigan, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, West Michigan Horticultural Society, Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth
Giving is entirely in Michigan, with 21 grants to recipients in the state and a top giving concentration in MI. Grants reach both West Michigan and other Michigan cities: Grand Rapids appears multiple times, along with Ann Arbor, Southfield, East Lansing, Detroit, Jenison, Grand Haven, Ada, Kentwood, Brighton, Louisville, and Birmingham. The city pattern shows a mix of statewide institutions and local organizations, with West Michigan names especially visible in the recent grants list.
The recent grants point to higher education, youth services, health and mental-health organizations, and civic or cultural groups. Examples include a university college, a mental health provider, a wish-granting organization, youth clubs, and a horticultural society. The foundation also uses several grant types, including project/program support, program support, general operating support, and capital campaign support.
Typical grants are substantial: the 25th percentile is $35,000, the median is $75,000, and the 75th percentile is $145,688. The recent grants also include multiple awards at $400,000, which shows the foundation makes a small number of very large grants alongside many mid-sized ones.
Yes. The University of Michigan - College of Literature Science and the Arts appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Make-a-wish Foundation of Michigan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth, I Understand, and Detroit Horse Power also show repeated grants across multiple years.
All recent grants went to U.S. recipients, and every grant in the list went to organizations in Michigan. The recipient cities include Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Southfield, East Lansing, Detroit, Jenison, Grand Haven, Ada, Kentwood, Brighton, Louisville, and Birmingham.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PINE REST CHRISTIAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $600,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $500,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $130,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (DOUG MEIJER GIVING FUND) | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (KENDALL MEIJER GIVING FUND) | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| I UNDERSTAND | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ALANO CLUB OF KENT COUNTY | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KENT COUNTY YOUTH AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION | LOWELL, MI | $50,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| BISSELL PET CHARITIES | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOPE NETWORK FOUNDATION | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $35,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GRAND RAPIDS YOUTH COMMONWEALTH | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $35,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAROLINE'S PEACH FOUNDATION | HOLLAND, MI | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ALLARTWORKS FOUNDATION | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK | FORT WAYNE, IN | $10,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS YOUTH FOUNDATION | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HOOF & PAW HORSE HAVEN | OXFORD, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PINE REST CHRISTIAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $400,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF MICHIGAN | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $400,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURE SCIENCE AND THE ARTS | ANN ARBOR, MI | $400,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GRAND RAPIDS YOUTH COMMONWEALTH | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $70,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MOSAIC COUNSELING | GRAND HAVEN, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| DETROIT HORSE POWER | DETROIT, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| I UNDERSTAND | ADA, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GRAND RAPIDS YOUTH COMMONWEALTH | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| ALANO CLUB OF KENT COUNTY | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF MICHIGAN | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| VARIETY CLUB CHARITY FOR CHILDREN INC | BIRMINGHAM, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURESCIENCE AND THE ARTS | ANN ARBOR, MI | $200,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WEST MICHIGAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INC | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $132,750 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HAND2HAND | JENISON, MI | $50,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DETROIT HORSE POWER | DETROIT, MI | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK INC | LOUISVILLE, MI | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| I UNDERSTAND | ADA, MI | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURE SCIENCE AND THE ARTS | ANN ARBOR, MI | $200,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HUMAN MEDICINE | EAST LANSING, MI | $150,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF MICHIGAN | BRIGHTON, MI | $100,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | KENTWOOD, MI | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS
$500,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (DOUG MEIJER GIVING FUND)
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (KENDALL MEIJER GIVING FUND)
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
I UNDERSTAND
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ALANO CLUB OF KENT COUNTY
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
BISSELL PET CHARITIES
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
HOPE NETWORK FOUNDATION
$35,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAROLINE'S PEACH FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ALLARTWORKS FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS YOUTH FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
HOOF & PAW HORSE HAVEN
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURE SCIENCE AND THE ARTS
$400,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
I UNDERSTAND
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ALANO CLUB OF KENT COUNTY
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
VARIETY CLUB CHARITY FOR CHILDREN INC
$10,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURESCIENCE AND THE ARTS
$200,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
I UNDERSTAND
$30,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - COLLEGE OF LITERATURE SCIENCE AND THE ARTS
$200,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HUMAN MEDICINE
$150,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT