Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation

About Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation

Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation’s recent giving is defined by capital and facility investments in Kalamazoo institutions. The foundation repeatedly funds renovations, expansions, and special projects rather than general operating support alone, with awards used for emergency department needs, nonprofit space improvements, downtown projects, and community facilities. Among the clearest examples is an $85,000 grant to Kalamazoo County Defender for renovations and expansion, showing that its work reaches beyond arts and human services into justice-related infrastructure. Another large grant, $71,818 to Community Healing Center for windows, reflects the foundation’s interest in building-level improvements that affect how organizations serve the public. Across the grant list, the same pattern appears in health care, downtown revitalization, and neighborhood-serving institutions. The foundation gave $53,000 to Ascension Borgess Foundation for Tree of Love/emergency dept and $51,000 to Bronson Health Foundation for emergency/urgent care support, while also supporting capital campaigns at Kalamazoo Cultural Center, Boys & Girls Club, and Gryphon Place. Its giving is heavily centered on community institutions in Kalamazoo, with a strong emphasis on projects that alter or upgrade physical space.

What Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation Funds

Health care access is a recurring theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $53,000 to Ascension Borgess Foundation for Tree of Love/emergency dept and $51,000 to Bronson Health Foundation for emergency/urgent care support. The same health-related pattern appears in an earlier $20,000 grant to Heritage Community of Kalamazoo for a memory care center. The foundation also backs arts and community programming when the funding is tied to facilities or specialized services. It awarded $20,000 to Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo for ASL theatre and another $20,000 to the same organization for ASL programming, alongside $50,000 to Kalamazoo Cultural Center for capital needs. Youth and family-serving spaces are another clear thread. Grants include $50,000 to First Congregational Church for playscape improvements and $40,000 to Boys & Girls Club for capital, both pointing to physical-space investments rather than short-term program support.

How Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation Gives