We partner with people to transform the education system, nurturing the brilliance and power of Detroit youth.
The Skillman Foundation’s recent grantmaking is shaped by Detroit youth and the education system around them, with large commitments that reach classroom practice, youth development, and community power-building. One of the clearest signals is its support for Detroit Children’s Fund, including a $500,000 grant in 2025 for the DCF Investment Strategy and repeated $325,000 general operating grants in prior years. The foundation also backed Detroit Riverfront Conservancy with $500,000 for the Joe Louis Greenway and Detroit Riverfront through the Unified Greenway Campaign, showing that its work extends beyond schools into neighborhood spaces that affect young people’s daily lives. Another large grant went to Teach for America Inc. for Detroit/Michigan general operating support, underscoring a mix of direct service, intermediary capacity, and systems-oriented work. Across the recent record, the foundation appears to support organizations that influence attendance, literacy, leadership, youth voice, and citywide education improvement rather than a single narrow program area. Its grants also include recognition and capacity support for education changemakers, aligning with its stated aim to transform education for Detroit youth.
In K-12 education, The Skillman Foundation funded Urban Neighborhood Initiatives Inc. with $475,000 in 2023 for Every School Day Counts Detroit and $380,000 in 2024 for support for Every School Day Counts, linking attendance work to a multilayered systems approach. For literacy and student voice, the foundation gave $327,000 to Detroit Public Schools Foundation for the Detroit Perspectives Project, described as equipping students to leverage the power of literacy and their own voice. In school leadership, Black Male Educators Alliance received $375,000 in 2025 for Activate: Transforming Education Through Collective Action and $375,000 in 2023 for Principal Wellness Professional Learning Community. The foundation also supported neighborhood and community development through Community Development Advocates of Detroit, including a $450,000 grant in 2024 for building power, connections, and influence in Detroit’s community development ecosystem and a $405,000 grant in 2025 for building neighborhood power through youth and neighborhood voice.
The Skillman Foundation’s typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, with recent grants ranging from small discretionary awards to six-figure commitments. The pattern includes repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, such as Detroit Children’s Fund, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives Inc., and Teach for America Inc. Its structure includes both core partnership grants and smaller, one-time programs like the President’s Discretionary Fund. It also uses youth-directed grantmaking through the President’s Youth Council Grants and supports education changemakers through the Skillman Visionary Awards.
$64M
$418.5M
$40.1M
$32.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $100K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 84% of grants go to recipients in MI.
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in Michigan, with 84% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Detroit is the dominant recipient city, appearing across education, youth, and neighborhood grants. Other Michigan recipients in the recent list include Wayne State University Research and Technology Park in Detroit and The Children’s Foundation in Detroit. Outside Michigan, recent grants reached organizations in New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Hollywood, Florida, but the overall recipient base remains centered in Detroit and nearby Michigan institutions.
The foundation supports organizations working on Detroit youth education and related systems change. Recent grants include education nonprofits, university-affiliated initiatives, youth development groups, community development organizations, and intermediaries tied to attendance, literacy, school leadership, youth voice, and neighborhood power.
Its typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also show both smaller discretionary grants and larger commitments in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated support across years for several recipients, including Detroit Children’s Fund, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives Inc., Teach for America Inc., Black Male Educators Alliance, and Allied Media Projects Inc.
Yes, but the portfolio is heavily concentrated in Michigan. The data shows 84% of grants to recipients in Michigan, with occasional recent grants to organizations in New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Hollywood, Florida.
Some programs accept unsolicited applications, including the President’s Discretionary Fund and President’s Youth Council Grants. The Skillman Youth Council also accepts unsolicited participation, while other core programs such as Partnership Grants and Skillman Visionary Awards do not accept unsolicited applications.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WARREN CONNER DEVELOPMENT COALITION INC DBA EASTSIDE COMMUNITY NETWORK | DETROIT, MI | $500,000 | 2025 | THE MARLOWE STOUDAMIRE WELLNESS CENTER |
| MICHIGAN'S THANKSGIVING PARADE | DETROIT, MI | $500,000 | 2025 | THE PARADE COMPANY |
| DETROIT CHILDREN'S FUND | DETROIT, MI | $500,000 | 2025 | DCF INVESTMENT STRATEGY |
| COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVOCATES OF DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $405,000 | 2025 | BUILDING NEIGHBORHOOD POWER THROUGH YOUTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD VOICE |
| ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC | DETROIT, MI | $375,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR DETROIT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE CENTER (YDRC) |
| BLACK MALE EDUCATORS ALLIANCE | DETROIT, MI | $375,000 | 2025 | ACTIVATE: TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $360,000 | 2025 | TFA DETROIT TEACHMICHIGAN, GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | DETROIT, MI | $300,000 | 2025 | MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION CHILDRENS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN |
| MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS | LANSING, MI | $300,000 | 2025 | MICHIGAN AFTER SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP |
| METRO SOLUTIONS INC | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $278,000 | 2025 | YOUTH POWER POOLED FUND |
| METRO SOLUTIONS INC | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $275,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR SANKOFA SCHOLARSHIP COLLECTIVE |
| NEW PARADIGM FOR EDUCATION | DETROIT, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | NEW PARADIGM FOR EDUCATION VISIONARY LEADERSHIP |
| BFDI EDUCATIONAL SERVICES INC | DETROIT, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | HOPE ACADEMY VISIONARY LEADERSHIP |
| DETROIT 9090 | DETROIT, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | UNIVERSITY PREP SCHOOLS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | EAST LANSING, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | RX KIDS |
| DETROIT ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES | DETROIT, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | DETROIT ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES VISIONARY LEADERSHIP |
| 482FORWARD | DETROIT, MI | $220,000 | 2025 | BACK TO BASICS: BUILDING PEOPLE POWER TO TRANSFORM OUR SCHOOLS |
| AUTISM ALLIANCE OF MICHIGAN | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR AUTISM ALLIANCE OF MICHIGAN |
| TEACH PLUS INCORPORATED | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | TEACH PLUS MICHIGANLEVERAGING CATALYTIC TEACHER LEADERSHIP |
| LAUNCH MICHIGAN | LANSING, MI | $200,000 | 2025 | LAUNCH MICHIGAN GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT |
| SER METRO DETROIT-JOBS FOR PROGRESS INC | DETROIT, MI | $180,984 | 2025 | OST TRANSITION SUPPORT |
| DATA DRIVEN DETROIT L3C | DETROIT, MI | $180,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY DATA ACTIVITIES - 2025 PROJECT SUPPORT |
| EDUCATION TRUST INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $180,000 | 2025 | ADVANCING AN AGENDA FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN METROPOLITAN DETROIT AND THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN |
| MICHIGAN FUTURE INC | ANN ARBOR, MI | $175,000 | 2025 | RISING INCOME FOR ALL AGENDA PROJECT |
| DETROIT PARENT NETWORK | DETROIT, MI | $175,000 | 2025 | PARENTS POWERED FOR CHANGE |
| FOUNDATION FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE | DETROIT, MI | $175,000 | 2025 | THIS GRANT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE FOUNDATION FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE TO BE USED TO MAKE GRANTS TO THE CITY OF DETROIT. |
| DETROIT PARENT NETWORK | DETROIT, MI | $175,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT 313READS |
| MICHIGAN LEAGUE FOR PUBLIC POLICY | LANSING, MI | $175,000 | 2025 | AN INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN DETROIT AND MICHIGAN HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET AND ARE THRIVING, THROUGH POLICY CHANGE AND STATE BUDGET INVESTMENTS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $172,941 | 2025 | OST TRANSITION SUPPORT |
| ATLANTIC IMPACT | DETROIT, MI | $169,575 | 2025 | OST TRANSITION SUPPORT |
| CONGRESS OF COMMUNITIES | DETROIT, MI | $152,500 | 2025 | COC YOUTH PROGRAMMING |
| DETROIT HISPANIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | DETROIT, MI | $152,500 | 2025 | PODER - NEIGHBORHOOD POWER BUILDING |
| URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES INC | DETROIT, MI | $152,500 | 2025 | BUILDING CAPACITY TO BUILD COLLECTIVE POWER |
| WARREN CONNER DEVELOPMENT COALITION INC DBA EASTSIDE COMMUNITY NETWORK | DETROIT, MI | $152,500 | 2025 | EASTSIDE EDUCATION EQUITY INITIATIVE |
| MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN | LANSING, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES |
| DETROIT FUTURE CITY | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL GAINS FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE |
| OUTLIER MEDIA | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | OUTLIER MEDIA & DETROIT DOCUMENTERS |
| DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER FOUNDATION INC | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK AND DETROIT DRIVES DEGREES |
| MICHIGAN NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION | LANSING, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | 2024 VOTER ENGAGEMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT |
| CATCHAFIRE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | BUILD CAPACITY OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CHANGE AGENTS |
| NEW DETROIT INC | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR BLUEPRINT PROJECT |
| MICHIGAN ROUNDTABLE FOR JUST COMMUNITIES | DETROIT, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | BELOVED COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP |
| AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | AMERICA AFTER 3PM - DETROIT, SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, AND MICHIGAN DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS |
| CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | DETROIT, MI | $130,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | DETROIT, MI | $130,000 | 2025 | FISCAL SPONSOR FOR ENGAGE DETROIT |
| CODY ROUGE COMMUNITY ACTION ALLIANCE INC | DETROIT, MI | $122,500 | 2025 | PEOPLE POWERED EDUCATION |
| STUDENT ADVOCACY CENTER OF MICHIGAN INC | YPSILANTI, MI | $120,000 | 2025 | YOUTH ORGANIZING |
| UNITED WAY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN | DETROIT, MI | $115,000 | 2025 | INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES |
| ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC | DETROIT, MI | $110,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IN EDUCATION (PIE) |
| UNITED WAY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN | DETROIT, MI | $110,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTING THE BEDAD PROGRESSION FOR SYSTEMATIC IMPACT |
WARREN CONNER DEVELOPMENT COALITION INC DBA EASTSIDE COMMUNITY NETWORK
$500,000THE MARLOWE STOUDAMIRE WELLNESS CENTER
MICHIGAN'S THANKSGIVING PARADE
$500,000THE PARADE COMPANY
DETROIT CHILDREN'S FUND
$500,000DCF INVESTMENT STRATEGY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVOCATES OF DETROIT
$405,000BUILDING NEIGHBORHOOD POWER THROUGH YOUTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD VOICE
ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC
$375,000SUPPORT FOR DETROIT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE CENTER (YDRC)
BLACK MALE EDUCATORS ALLIANCE
$375,000ACTIVATE: TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION
TEACH FOR AMERICA INC
$360,000TFA DETROIT TEACHMICHIGAN, GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
THE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
$300,000MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION CHILDRENS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF UNITED WAYS
$300,000MICHIGAN AFTER SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
METRO SOLUTIONS INC
$278,000YOUTH POWER POOLED FUND
METRO SOLUTIONS INC
$275,000SUPPORT FOR SANKOFA SCHOLARSHIP COLLECTIVE
NEW PARADIGM FOR EDUCATION
$250,000NEW PARADIGM FOR EDUCATION VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
BFDI EDUCATIONAL SERVICES INC
$250,000HOPE ACADEMY VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
DETROIT 9090
$250,000UNIVERSITY PREP SCHOOLS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$250,000RX KIDS
DETROIT ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
$250,000DETROIT ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
482FORWARD
$220,000BACK TO BASICS: BUILDING PEOPLE POWER TO TRANSFORM OUR SCHOOLS
AUTISM ALLIANCE OF MICHIGAN
$200,000SUPPORT FOR AUTISM ALLIANCE OF MICHIGAN
TEACH PLUS INCORPORATED
$200,000TEACH PLUS MICHIGANLEVERAGING CATALYTIC TEACHER LEADERSHIP
LAUNCH MICHIGAN
$200,000LAUNCH MICHIGAN GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT
SER METRO DETROIT-JOBS FOR PROGRESS INC
$180,984OST TRANSITION SUPPORT
DATA DRIVEN DETROIT L3C
$180,000COMMUNITY DATA ACTIVITIES - 2025 PROJECT SUPPORT
EDUCATION TRUST INC
$180,000ADVANCING AN AGENDA FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN METROPOLITAN DETROIT AND THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN FUTURE INC
$175,000RISING INCOME FOR ALL AGENDA PROJECT
DETROIT PARENT NETWORK
$175,000PARENTS POWERED FOR CHANGE
FOUNDATION FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE
$175,000THIS GRANT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE FOUNDATION FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE TO BE USED TO MAKE GRANTS TO THE CITY OF DETROIT.
DETROIT PARENT NETWORK
$175,000SUPPORT 313READS
MICHIGAN LEAGUE FOR PUBLIC POLICY
$175,000AN INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN DETROIT AND MICHIGAN HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET AND ARE THRIVING, THROUGH POLICY CHANGE AND STATE BUDGET INVESTMENTS
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
$172,941OST TRANSITION SUPPORT
ATLANTIC IMPACT
$169,575OST TRANSITION SUPPORT
CONGRESS OF COMMUNITIES
$152,500COC YOUTH PROGRAMMING
DETROIT HISPANIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$152,500PODER - NEIGHBORHOOD POWER BUILDING
URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES INC
$152,500BUILDING CAPACITY TO BUILD COLLECTIVE POWER
WARREN CONNER DEVELOPMENT COALITION INC DBA EASTSIDE COMMUNITY NETWORK
$152,500EASTSIDE EDUCATION EQUITY INITIATIVE
MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN
$150,000INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
DETROIT FUTURE CITY
$150,000EDUCATIONAL GAINS FOR DETROIT'S FUTURE
OUTLIER MEDIA
$150,000OUTLIER MEDIA & DETROIT DOCUMENTERS
DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER FOUNDATION INC
$150,000SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK AND DETROIT DRIVES DEGREES
MICHIGAN NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION
$150,0002024 VOTER ENGAGEMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT
CATCHAFIRE FOUNDATION
$150,000BUILD CAPACITY OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CHANGE AGENTS
NEW DETROIT INC
$150,000SUPPORT FOR BLUEPRINT PROJECT
MICHIGAN ROUNDTABLE FOR JUST COMMUNITIES
$150,000BELOVED COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP
AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
$150,000AMERICA AFTER 3PM - DETROIT, SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, AND MICHIGAN DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$130,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$130,000FISCAL SPONSOR FOR ENGAGE DETROIT
CODY ROUGE COMMUNITY ACTION ALLIANCE INC
$122,500PEOPLE POWERED EDUCATION
STUDENT ADVOCACY CENTER OF MICHIGAN INC
$120,000YOUTH ORGANIZING
UNITED WAY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
$115,000INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS INC
$110,000SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IN EDUCATION (PIE)
UNITED WAY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
$110,000SUPPORTING THE BEDAD PROGRESSION FOR SYSTEMATIC IMPACT
Current and upcoming funding from Skillman Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits that serve Detroit youth and fall outside the foundation’s grantmaking priorities. Limited and highly competitive.
Deadline: Currently open for applications (no specific deadline published in scraped content).
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