About W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee
The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research is a private, not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization that conducts research on labor markets and workforce issues and delivers workforce services in Southwest Michigan to expand opportunities for workers and employers.
Focus Areas
Regional economiesCommunity developmentPlace-based policyEducationSkill buildingWorkforce innovationWork and lifeSocial insuranceEmployment relationshipsWages and benefitsEarly career researcher grants (ECRA)Regional economic and community developmentWorkforce services (Michigan Works! Southwest)
About W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee
W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corp combines large program-assistance awards in Southwest Michigan with a steady stream of research funding on employment issues. The biggest recent grants went to Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency in Portage, including $3,149,858 in 2023 and $2,409,141 in 2024 for program assistance, showing the scale of its local service work. Alongside that operational support, the foundation backs workforce organizations such as Workforce Development Institute in Lansing and Michigan State Afl-Cio Workforce Development Institute, reflecting a clear interest in workforce systems rather than one-off charitable gifts. Its grantmaking also reaches community organizations tied to childcare capacity, youth services, and food systems. Recent examples include Voces in Battle Creek for a childcare capacity grant and New Level Sports Ministries for Youth Village general operations. The foundation’s research side is equally visible through recurring Early Career Research Awards, which support junior researchers studying employment issues and policy-related labor market questions. That combination of place-based service funding and policy research gives the funder a distinct profile within Michigan philanthropy.
What W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Funds
Workforce development is a central theme. In 2024, W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corp gave $1,454,820 to Workforce Development Institute in Lansing and $1,327,831 to Michigan State Afl-Cio Workforce Development Institute, both for program assistance. Those awards sit alongside a smaller 2023 grant of $10,539 to The Urban Institute in Washington, DC for program assistance, showing interest in workforce-related research as well as service delivery. Childcare and early childhood capacity are another clear area. The foundation awarded $200,000 to Voces in Battle Creek for a childcare capacity grant in 2025, then followed with $25,000 to Develop Iosco Inc in East Tawas and $20,000 to Catching the Dream Learning Center in Springfield for the same purpose. It also supports youth-serving infrastructure through $279,726 to New Level Sports Ministries in Battle Creek for Youth Village general operations. A third pattern is community-engaged research. Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc received $10,000 in 2023 for investing in community research, and Russell Sage Foundation received dissertation awards in both 2024 and 2025.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.7M
Total Assets
$301M
Total Revenue
$29.5M
Total Expenses
$29.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $124K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$124K
Geographic Reach
Regional8 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHAEL HORRIGAN
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Funds
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for W E Upjohn Unemployment Trustee.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 41 | $13.2M | 97.6% |
| 2 | Netherlands |
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