The Leppien Foundation is heavily focused on funding Christian religious media and ministry organizations, with the vast majority of its giving directed to evangelical radio networks, devotional/children's ministries, and international Christian relief. Grants are large and concentrated among a small set of repeat recipients, indicating long-term partnerships with faith-based broadcasters and ministries rather than broad community philanthropy. The foundation’s support emphasizes spreading Christian programming and sustaining ministry operations through major multi-grant commitments.
The Leppien Foundation’s recent giving is defined by large, repeated grants to Christian radio, ministry media, and faith-based service organizations. A $350,000 grant to Family Life Radio stands out in the recent record, alongside major support for Northern Christian Radio, 3xM, and Keys for Kids Ministries. Those grants point to a foundation that funds operating and program needs for organizations producing Christian content, broadcasting it, and distributing devotional material to children and families. Repeat recipients are central to the pattern. Keys for Kids Ministries received three grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025, while 3xM and Global Compassion also appear in multiple years. The foundation also supports Christian relief and evangelism groups such as Samaritan’s Purse and Need Him Global, suggesting a mix of media, discipleship, and compassion ministries rather than a single narrow channel. Its grant history shows sustained relationships rather than one-time awards. Several recipients reappear with the same amount in different years, and many awards sit at the $50,000 to $200,000 level, indicating a high-dollar, concentrated approach to faith-based philanthropy.
Christian broadcasting is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s grant record. In 2025, The Leppien Foundation gave $250,000 to Northern Christian Radio in Gaylord, Michigan, and $100,000 to The Promise Fm in Gaylord, showing direct support for local radio ministry. Children’s faith-formation is another recurring area. Keys for Kids Ministries in Grand Rapids received $167,200 in both 2024 and 2025, following a $152,000 grant in 2023, indicating multi-year support for devotional programming aimed at children. The foundation also backs Christian relief and outreach. Global Compassion in Valparaiso, Indiana, received $120,000 in 2023, $100,000 in 2024, and $100,000 in 2025. Samaritan’s Purse also appears repeatedly, with grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. These gifts place international compassion and evangelistic support alongside media and devotional work.
Typical grants are tightly grouped around a high-dollar core: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are $50,000, $50,000, and $100,000. The recent record also shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, especially Keys for Kids Ministries, 3xM, Global Compassion, Samaritan’s Purse, Family Life Radio, The Promise Fm, and Youth Haven Ranches. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated project grants. The foundation is not a donor-advised fund, does not fund individuals, and the data show no program-related investments.
$1.1M
$101K
$1.1M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of repeat faith-based grantees (multiple multi-hundred-thousand dollar gifts to the same organizations); primarily operational/program support for religious media and ministry.
Notable grantees: 3XM, Keys for Kids Ministries, Family Life Radio, Global Compassion, Northern Christian Radio
The Leppien Foundation gives nationally, but Michigan receives the largest share of its grants by count, with 50% of grants landing in the HQ state. Recent Michigan recipients include Gaylord, Holland, Grand Rapids, Alma, Traverse City, Hersey, and Rives Junction. Outside Michigan, the recent record includes Tucson, Arizona; Valparaiso, Indiana; Dallas, Texas; Boone, North Carolina; and Anderson, Indiana. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants center on Christian radio, devotional ministries for children, Christian media production, and faith-based relief or outreach groups. Examples in the record include radio networks, children’s devotional ministries, and international compassion organizations.
Yes. The recent record shows several multi-year relationships, including awards to Keys for Kids Ministries in 2023, 2024, and 2025, as well as recurring grants to 3xM, Global Compassion, Samaritan’s Purse, Family Life Radio, The Promise Fm, and Youth Haven Ranches.
The grant-size distribution is tightly concentrated. The 25th percentile and median are both $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000, so many grants sit in the $50,000 to $100,000 range, with some larger commitments above that.
Michigan is the top state by grant count, and 50% of grants in the recent record go to recipients in the HQ state of Michigan. Recent Michigan recipients include organizations in Gaylord, Holland, Grand Rapids, Alma, Traverse City, Hersey, and Rives Junction.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Christian Radio | Gaylord, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| 3xM | Holland, MI | $200,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Keys for Kids Ministries | Grand Rapids, MI | $167,200 | 2025 | Religious |
| Global Compassion | Valparaiso, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Central MI YFC | Alma, MI | $80,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Samaritan's Purse | Boone, NC | $50,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Anderson University | Anderson, IN | $50,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Need Him Global | Dallas, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Family Life Radio | Tuscon, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Youth Haven Ranches | Rives Junction, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| Insight For Living | Frisco, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | Religious |
| FAMILY LIFE RADIO | TUSCON, AZ | $350,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| 3XM | HOLLAND, MI | $200,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| KEYS FOR KIDS MINISTRIES | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $167,200 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| GLOBAL COMPASSION | VALPARAISO, IN | $100,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| GOOD NEWS MEDIA | TRAVERSE CITY, MI | $100,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE PROMISE FM | GAYLORD, MI | $100,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| EAGLE VILLAGE | HERSEY, MI | $75,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| CENTRAL MI YFC | ALMA, MI | $60,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $50,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| ANDERSON UNIVERSITY | ANDERSON, IN | $50,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| YOUTH HAVEN RANCHES | RIVES JUNCTION, MI | $50,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| NEED HIM GLOBAL | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| INSIGHT FOR LIVING | FRISCO, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| ARABIC EVANGELICAL | MADISON HEIGHTS, MI | $10,000 | 2024 | RELIGIOUS |
| 3XM | HOLLAND, MI | $200,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| KEYS FOR KIDS MINISTRIES | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $152,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| GLOBAL COMPASSION | VALPARAISO, IN | $120,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| ANDERSON UNIVERSITY | ANDERSON, IN | $50,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| NEED HIM GLOBAL | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| THE PROMISE FM | GAYLORD, MI | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| YOUTH HAVEN RANCHES | RIVES JUNCTION, MI | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| CENTRAL MI YFC | ALMA, MI | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| FAMILY LIFE RADIO | TUSCON, AZ | $50,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| INSIGHT FOR LIVING | FRISCO, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
| ARABIC EVANGELICAL | MADISON HEIGHTS, MI | $15,000 | 2023 | RELIGIOUS |
Northern Christian Radio
$250,000Religious
3xM
$200,000Religious
Keys for Kids Ministries
$167,200Religious
Global Compassion
$100,000Religious
Central MI YFC
$80,000Religious
Education
Need Him Global
$50,000Religious
Family Life Radio
$50,000Religious
Youth Haven Ranches
$50,000Religious
FAMILY LIFE RADIO
$350,000RELIGIOUS
3XM
$200,000RELIGIOUS
KEYS FOR KIDS MINISTRIES
$167,200RELIGIOUS
GLOBAL COMPASSION
$100,000RELIGIOUS
GOOD NEWS MEDIA
$100,000RELIGIOUS
THE PROMISE FM
$100,000RELIGIOUS
CENTRAL MI YFC
$60,000RELIGIOUS
YOUTH HAVEN RANCHES
$50,000RELIGIOUS
NEED HIM GLOBAL
$50,000RELIGIOUS
COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL
$10,000RELIGIOUS
ARABIC EVANGELICAL
$10,000RELIGIOUS
3XM
$200,000RELIGIOUS
KEYS FOR KIDS MINISTRIES
$152,000RELIGIOUS
GLOBAL COMPASSION
$120,000RELIGIOUS
NEED HIM GLOBAL
$50,000RELIGIOUS
THE PROMISE FM
$50,000RELIGIOUS
YOUTH HAVEN RANCHES
$50,000RELIGIOUS
CENTRAL MI YFC
$50,000RELIGIOUS
FAMILY LIFE RADIO
$50,000RELIGIOUS
ARABIC EVANGELICAL
$15,000RELIGIOUS