John and Melissa Besse Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About John and Melissa Besse Foundation
The John and Melissa Besse Foundation concentrates sizable, targeted gifts to Upper Midwest educational and community institutions, particularly in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Their grants fund higher-education scholarships and capital projects (athletics and facilities), regional outdoor/environmental education, and local historic or community infrastructure improvements. Gifts tend to be transformative single awards (endowments or capital campaigns) rather than many small grants.
Focus Areas
Endowed scholarships for Michigan public universities (Upper Peninsula focus)Capital improvements for university athletics and facilitiesRegional outdoor/environmental education centers and outdoor classroom projectsLocal historic preservation and community infrastructure in small Michigan towns
Who They Fund
students/scholarslocal community recreational usersforest department / environmental program stafflocal nonprofit/charitable organizations (general operating beneficiaries)
About John and Melissa Besse Foundation
A $340,000 endowed scholarship fund at Michigan Tech anchors the John and Melissa Besse Foundation’s recent giving and points to a pattern of large, targeted gifts to Michigan institutions. The foundation’s support is concentrated in the Upper Peninsula, with grants that link higher education, facilities, outdoor learning, and community infrastructure. In 2024, it gave $200,000 to the Northern Michigan University Foundation for an educational-hockey locker room, showing an interest in university capital projects as well as academic support. Other major gifts include $78,000 to Trees for Tomorrow for an outdoor classroom and $55,120 to the Chassell Historical Organization for boardwalk improvements. The same pattern appears across smaller awards: support for forestry education, local health and service groups, fire departments, and community foundations. The John and Melissa Besse Foundation also uses endowment funding, suggesting a preference for durable support rather than short-term project-only grants. Its grants often serve public universities, regional nonprofits, and small-town community institutions across Michigan.
What John and Melissa Besse Foundation Funds
Education is a central theme. The foundation gave $25,000 to Michigan Tech Foundation College Forestry for educational equipment for the forest department, and $5,000 to Northern Michigan University Foundation for educational support. It also backed scholarship infrastructure with a $340,000 endowed scholarship fund at Michigan Tech. Facilities and recreation are another clear focus: the City of Gladstone received $25,000 for pickle ball courts, while Northern Michigan University Foundation received $200,000 for an educational-hockey locker room. Environmental and outdoor learning appear in the $78,000 grant to Trees for Tomorrow for an outdoor classroom. Community infrastructure also shows up in the $55,120 gift to the Chassell Historical Organization for boardwalk improvements.
How John and Melissa Besse Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is modest relative to a few very large awards: p25 is $3,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $10,000. The recent record mixes one-time operating support, equipment grants, and endowment or capital gifts, with several recipients appearing in multiple years, including Pregnancy Services of Delta County and Baraga County Community Foundation. The pattern suggests a foundation that makes repeat grants to some organizations while also making occasional larger project awards. It funds individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$357K
Total Assets
$11.1M
Total Revenue
$2.4M
Total Expenses
$387K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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