The WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Kalamazoo, MI, prioritizing direct support for higher-education access, women's services, and therapeutic/rehabilitative programming. With just four grants totaling $480,000, the foundation makes relatively large awards to a small number of community organizations, favoring established local institutions and needs-based scholarship support.
A $215,000 scholarship grant to Kalamazoo College is the clearest marker of how the Ws & Lois Vandalson Foundation funds: few grants, sizable awards, and a strong local focus. Across the recent record, the foundation supports higher-education access, women’s services, food assistance, senior services, family support, and therapeutic programming for people in the Kalamazoo area. Its giving pattern shows a preference for established community institutions rather than a broad scatter of small awards. The foundation’s recent grants also show repeated support for YWCA of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, alongside other local nonprofits serving students, families, and older adults. Those gifts suggest a funder that uses larger, targeted awards to reinforce organizations with ongoing community roles. The grant list includes both unrestricted operating support and program-specific funding, including scholarship dollars and support for the YWCA Cradle program. Several awards recur over multiple years, which points to a continuing relationship with selected recipients rather than one-time, opportunistic giving. The overall picture is of a local foundation that concentrates on practical, community-based needs in Kalamazoo and nearby Michigan communities.
In education, the foundation made a $215,000 scholarship grant to Kalamazoo College for scholarships, indicating a direct role in access to undergraduate study. In women’s services, it gave $90,000 to YWCA of Kalamazoo for general support in 2025 and $50,000 to the same organization for the Cradle program the same year, showing both operating and program-specific support. The foundation also backs food and basic-needs work. It awarded $58,750 to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes in 2025 for general support, following earlier grants of $57,500 in 2024 and $55,000 in 2023. For rehabilitation and recreation, it gave $95,000 to Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center for general support. The record also includes funding for family and children’s services, senior services, and community advocacy groups in Kalamazoo.
Typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also includes larger awards such as $215,000 and $95,000. The foundation appears to give repeatedly to the same organizations across multiple years, including YWCA of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Family & Children Services Inc, Ministry With Community, and Kc Ready 4s. Its structure is that of a private foundation, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. No application process is described in the provided data.
$707K
$12M
$1.1M
$806K
Most grants fall between $5K and $30K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$30K
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Concentrated, high-dollar local giving: few grants each year with large amounts, repeat support to core local institutions (YWCA), and a clear preference for unrestricted or general operating funding and scholarships.
Notable grantees: Kalamazoo College, YWCA of Kalamazoo, Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center
Grantmaking is entirely local and entirely in Michigan, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Most gifts land in Kalamazoo, including Kalamazoo College, YWCA of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Family & Children Services Inc, and Ministry With Community. A smaller number of awards go elsewhere in Michigan, including Augusta, Hastings, and Hickory Corners. The recipient-country distribution is fully U.S.-based.
The foundation supports local organizations serving students, women, families, older adults, food-insecure residents, and people using therapeutic recreation. Recent grants include scholarships for Kalamazoo College, general support for YWCA of Kalamazoo, and funding for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes and Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center.
The grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards such as $215,000 to Kalamazoo College and $95,000 to Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center.
Yes. The recent grants show repeated awards across years to several recipients, including YWCA of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Family & Children Services Inc, Ministry With Community, and Kc Ready 4s. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
Its grantmaking is local and concentrated in Michigan. All of the grants in the provided data go to U.S. recipients, and 100% go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state of Michigan, with most awards landing in Kalamazoo.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KALAMAZOO VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO LOAVES & FISHES | KALAMAZOO, MI | $63,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BRONSON HEALTH FOUNDATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $50,000 | 2026 | CRADLE PROGRAM |
| MINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY | KALAMAZOO, MI | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES INC | KALAMAZOO, MI | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KC READY 4S | KALAMAZOO, MI | $35,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS | KALAMAZOO, MI | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER | KALAMAZOO, MI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| DISABILITY NETWORK SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN | KALAMAZOO, MI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY | PORTAGE, MI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER | AUGUSTA, MI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| DOUGLASS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $12,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HISPANIC AMERICAN COUNCIL | KALAMAZOO, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO LITERACY COUNCIL | KALAMAZOO, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MICHIGAN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS CENTER | KALAMAZOO, MI | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SHERMAN LAKE YMCA OUTDOOR CENTER | AUGUSTA, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | KALAMAZOO, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PRETTY LAKE VACATION CAMP | MATTAWAN, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KAIROS DWELLING | KALAMAZOO, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PREVENTION WORKS INC | KALAMAZOO, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WGVU PUBLIC MEDIA | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WMU FOUNDATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ARTS COUNCIL OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY OUTREACH PREVENTION & EDUCATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AACORN FARMS INC | KALAMAZOO, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $90,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO LOAVES & FISHES | KALAMAZOO, MI | $58,750 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | CRADLE PROGRAM |
| FAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES INC | KALAMAZOO, MI | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY | KALAMAZOO, MI | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CHARLTON PARK | HASTINGS, MI | $36,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KC READY 4S | KALAMAZOO, MI | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO NONPROFIT ADVOCACY COALITION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GRYPHON PLACE | KALAMAZOO, MI | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO CULTURAL CENTER EPIC | KALAMAZOO, MI | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY | PORTAGE, MI | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN | KALAMAZOO, MI | $25,000 | 2025 | TORNADO DAMAGE |
| KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $25,000 | 2025 | KALAMAZOO URGENT RELIEF FUND |
| DISABILITY NETWORK SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN | KALAMAZOO, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO COLLEGE | KALAMAZOO, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER | AUGUSTA, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER | KALAMAZOO, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KALAMAZOO LITERACY COUNCIL | KALAMAZOO, MI | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIRST DAY SHOE FUND | PORTAGE, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BRONSON HEALTH FOUNDATION | KALAMAZOO, MI | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PRETTY LAKE VACATION CAMP | MATTAWAN, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
CRADLE PROGRAM
KC READY 4S
$35,000GENERAL
COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER
$20,000GENERAL
KALAMAZOO REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY
$20,000GENERAL
MICHIGAN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS CENTER
$8,000GENERAL
KALAMAZOO VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$5,000GENERAL
KAIROS DWELLING
$5,000GENERAL
WGVU PUBLIC MEDIA
$3,000GENERAL
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PREVENTION & EDUCATION
$2,500GENERAL
AACORN FARMS INC
$2,500GENERAL
CHARLTON PARK
$36,000GENERAL
KC READY 4S
$35,000GENERAL
KALAMAZOO CULTURAL CENTER EPIC
$30,000GENERAL
KALAMAZOO REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY
$25,000GENERAL
COMSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER
$20,000GENERAL
BRONSON HEALTH FOUNDATION
$7,500GENERAL