About Dte Energy Foundation
DTE Energy Foundation makes large, concentrated grants to regional intermediaries that address basic human needs in Southeast Michigan. Their recorded giving shows a priority on funding community-wide services and emergency/basic needs support through major partners rather than many small direct-service providers. The foundation appears to support broad safety-net work that helps coordinate and resource multiple local agencies.
Focus Areas
Regional United Way community impact funding (Southeast Michigan)Basic human needs and emergency assistance (food, shelter, crisis support)Poverty alleviation and coordination of local social services
Who They Fund
local communities (place-based)individuals facing basic human needs / low-income residentsmarginalized and underrepresented groups (equity-focused)artists and cultural organizationscommunities impacted by environmental issues
Giving Approach
About Dte Energy Foundation
A recurring pattern in Dte Energy Foundation’s recent grantmaking is its use of large, multi-year awards to a small set of Detroit- and Southeast Michigan-based intermediaries. The biggest recent grant in the file is $2,850,000 to United Way for Southeastern Michigan for human needs, followed by repeated support for Dte Beacon Park Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. That mix points to a foundation that favors organizations with the capacity to coordinate services, manage place-based initiatives, and move significant resources through regional networks. The foundation also backs direct-response work tied to basic needs and community infrastructure. The Heat and Warmth Fund appears multiple times in the recent grants list, alongside grants to Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Inc and Lower Town Riverfront for community transformation. Outside human services, the record includes environmental leadership support and education-linked funding, showing a portfolio that reaches beyond emergency assistance while still staying close to Michigan communities. Nearly all of the recorded grants go to recipients in Michigan, especially in Detroit and nearby cities.
What Dte Energy Foundation Funds
One clear cause area is basic human needs. Dte Energy Foundation gave $875,000 to United Way for Southeastern Michigan for human needs, and also supported The Heat and Warmth Fund with $500,000 grants in multiple years. Another focus is community transformation in Detroit. The foundation awarded $1,800,000 in 2023 and again in 2024 to Dte Beacon Park Foundation, then added $1,200,000 in 2025, indicating sustained support for a single place-based effort. Environmental leadership is also part of the portfolio. The Nature Conservancy received $334,000 in 2023 and two $333,000 grants in 2024 for environmental work, while American Forests received $250,000 in 2024. Education appears as well, including a $250,000 grant to Yeshivath Beth Yehudah for education.
How Dte Energy Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is modest relative to the foundation’s annual giving: p25 is $5,200, median is $10,250, and p75 is $30,000. The recent grants list shows a much larger upper tier as well, with several awards in the hundreds of thousands and into the millions. The pattern is repeat giving rather than one-off support: multiple recipients appear across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Dte Energy Foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Several active programs are invitation-based or targeted rather than unsolicited; the small-business energy-efficiency contest and community solar program are the exceptions that accept unsolicited participation.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$54.1M
Total Assets
$129.1M
Total Revenue
$19.9M
Total Expenses
$15.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $30K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$30K
Geographic Reach
Local15 states funded
About 94% of grants go to recipients in MI.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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