The Rosenthal Foundation concentrates its giving in southeastern Michigan, supporting major local universities, cultural institutions, and community fundraising events. A single large capital-style gift to Michigan State (athletics/facilities) dominates their portfolio, while smaller but recurring gifts go to prominent arts organizations and regional community causes. They favor well-established institutions and event-driven fundraising (galas, luncheons, cups) over many small neighborhood-level grants.
The James and Catherine Rosenthal Foundation’s giving is anchored by a $202,310 grant to Msu Spartan Fund for the Duffy Building renovation and Tom Izzo Football Building, a clear signal that capital and facility support is a central part of its portfolio. Across the recent grants on file, the foundation combines larger project gifts with smaller event-based contributions, especially to Michigan institutions and organizations connected to arts, education, health, and community fundraising. In Detroit, the foundation supported the Detroit Institute of Art for arts education and public programming and also provided membership-related support, showing a recurring interest in cultural institutions that serve a public audience. In Bloomfield Hills, it backed Cranbrook Academy of Art and Cranbrook Education Community through annual fund support and a communion event. The pattern extends to health and family-related fundraising, with gifts to University of Michigan for a women’s health luncheon and to Gladney Ctr for Adoption for the Gladney Cup. The portfolio also includes community support for United Way Southeastern Michigan and program support for Starfish Family Services.
Arts and cultural institutions are a visible part of the foundation’s giving. It granted $37,650 to Detroit Institute of Art for arts education and public programming, and later supported the same institution with $5,800 for membership dues and FPDP. Education-related support includes $14,100 to Cranbrook Academy of Art for annual fund and various program support, plus $14,200 to Cranbrook Education Community for a communion event. The foundation also backed Msu Hillel with $1,008 for the Hillel Big Ten Challenge, linking its giving to campus life and student engagement. Health and community fundraising appear through a $10,000 grant to University of Michigan for a women’s health luncheon and $10,000 to United Way Southeastern Michigan for community support. Family services also show up in the record, including $1,000 to Starfish Family Services for program support.
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $5,250, and a p75 of $10,000. The distribution includes one outsized capital grant and many gifts in the low-thousands, often tied to annual funds, campaigns, memberships, or event sponsorships. The same organizations appear in multiple years, including Detroit Institute of Art, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Detroit Zoological Society, Gladney Ctr for Adoption, and Pewabic Pottery Detroit, suggesting repeat support rather than one-time-only giving. The foundation is a private foundation rather than an operating funder, gives no program-related investments, and does not fund individuals.
$377K
$968K
$92K
$122K
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 77% of grants go to recipients in MI.
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Concentrated giving: a few large, often one-off or major capital gifts supplemented by smaller, repeat grants to established local institutions and event-based fundraisers; geographically focused in southeastern Michigan.
Notable grantees: MSU Spartan Fund, Detroit Institute of Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art / Cranbrook Educational Community, Gladney Center for Adoption, United Way Southeastern Michigan
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in Michigan, which accounts for 77% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent Michigan recipients include East Lansing, Detroit, Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, and Inkster. Outside Michigan, the foundation also gave to Fort Worth, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and New Smyrna Beach, but those locations appear far less often than its in-state giving. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The record shows support for universities, arts institutions, schools, health-related fundraising events, community organizations, and family services. Examples include grants for arts education and public programming, annual funds, community support, and event sponsorships tied to campus, cultural, and health initiatives.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Detroit Institute of Art, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Detroit Zoological Society, Gladney Ctr for Adoption, and Pewabic Pottery Detroit. That pattern suggests repeat support alongside one-off gifts.
The typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,250 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent giving includes both smaller event and membership gifts and larger project or program grants.
Michigan is the top state by grant count, with 77% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Michigan cities on the grant list include Detroit, Bloomfield Hills, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, and Inkster.
The grant record shows event-driven gifts, annual fund support, membership support, and program support, but it does not show a public application process or unsolicited grant procedure. The recent grants suggest the foundation works through direct support to established institutions and fundraising events.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART | DETROIT, MI | $37,650 | 2025 | ARTS EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING |
| CRANBROOK EDUCATION COMMUNITY | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $14,200 | 2025 | COMMUNION EVENT |
| UNITED WAY SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN | DETROIT, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | WOMEN'S HEALTH LUNCHEON |
| GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION | FORT WORTH, TX | $7,500 | 2025 | GLADNEY CUP |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $4,530 | 2025 | MEMBERSHIP & SUNSET AT THE ZOO EVENT |
| PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | GP PLATINUM DONATION |
| STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES | INKSTER, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MSU SPARTAN FUND | EAST LANSING, MI | $202,310 | 2024 | DUFFY BUILDING RENOVATION & TOM IZZO FOOTBALL BUILDING |
| CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $14,100 | 2024 | ANNUAL FUND, VARIOUS PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION | FORT WORTH, TX | $13,125 | 2024 | GLADNEY CUP |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $7,900 | 2024 | DZS CAMPAIGN |
| DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART | DETROIT, MI | $5,800 | 2024 | MEMBERSHIP DUES & FPDP |
| BRILLIANT DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | 6TH ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT |
| PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $2,500 | 2024 | 32ND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER |
| HUNTSMAN CANCER FOUNDATION | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FENTANYL FATHERS INC | NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL | $206 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI | $13,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL FUND, VARIOUS PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | ROYAL OAK, MI | $5,700 | 2023 | DZS CAMPAIGN |
| DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART | DETROIT, MI | $5,500 | 2023 | MEMBERSHIP DUES & FPDP |
| BRILLIANT DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $5,000 | 2023 | 6TH ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT |
| GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION | FORT WORTH, TX | $4,375 | 2023 | GLADNEY CUP |
| PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $2,500 | 2023 | 32ND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER |
| MSU HILLEL | EAST LANSING, MI | $1,008 | 2023 | HILLEL BIG TEN CHALLENGE |
| SOLID ROCK TEEN CENTER | PHOENIX, AZ | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UMICH | ANN ARBOR, MI | $300 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART
$37,650ARTS EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
CRANBROOK EDUCATION COMMUNITY
$14,200COMMUNION EVENT
UNITED WAY SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
$10,000COMMUNITY SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$10,000WOMEN'S HEALTH LUNCHEON
GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION
$7,500GLADNEY CUP
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
$4,530MEMBERSHIP & SUNSET AT THE ZOO EVENT
PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT
$2,500GP PLATINUM DONATION
STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES
$1,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
MSU SPARTAN FUND
$202,310DUFFY BUILDING RENOVATION & TOM IZZO FOOTBALL BUILDING
CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART
$14,100ANNUAL FUND, VARIOUS PROGRAM SUPPORT
GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION
$13,125GLADNEY CUP
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
$7,900DZS CAMPAIGN
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART
$5,800MEMBERSHIP DUES & FPDP
BRILLIANT DETROIT
$5,0006TH ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT
PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT
$2,50032ND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER
HUNTSMAN CANCER FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
FENTANYL FATHERS INC
$206GENERAL SUPPORT
CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART
$13,000ANNUAL FUND, VARIOUS PROGRAM SUPPORT
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
$5,700DZS CAMPAIGN
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART
$5,500MEMBERSHIP DUES & FPDP
BRILLIANT DETROIT
$5,0006TH ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT
GLADNEY CTR FOR ADOPTION
$4,375GLADNEY CUP
PEWABIC POTTERY DETROIT
$2,50032ND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER
MSU HILLEL
$1,008HILLEL BIG TEN CHALLENGE
SOLID ROCK TEEN CENTER
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
UMICH
$300GENERAL SUPPORT