The Allegan County Community Foundation
Allegan, MI · EIN 38-6189947. Reported 145 grants totalling $2,355,480 to 69 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For The Allegan County Community Foundation, the IRS classifies it as a community foundation (NTEE T31Z).
- How spread out its giving is. 69 distinct organizations, with 8% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 66% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is about the 56% median for grantmaking charities -- lower than the 67% median for private foundations. It describes the organizations it already funds, not whether it would consider a new one.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $10,000. Half of what it reported fell between $7,500 and $16,500; the smallest was $5,200 and the largest $200,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
63 of those grants were non-cash -- goods, property or services worth $1,174,234 in total. In-kind giving is real support but it is not a cheque.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of the Blue Star Trail | Fennville, MI | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sylvias Place | Allegan, MI | $156,514 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Dollywood Foundation | Sevierville, TN | $113,084 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Saugatuck Center for the Arts Inc | Saugatuck, MI | $108,700 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | $102,800 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI | $95,832 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI | $90,900 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $89,900 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Safe Harbor Childrens Advocacy Cent | Allegan, MI | $80,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Hungry for Christ | Hamilton, MI | $79,987 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wishbone Pet Rescue | Douglas, MI | $63,424 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wings of Hope and Palliative Care Inc | Allegan, MI | $59,038 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Alma College | Alma, MI | $56,400 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Christian Neighbors S E | Plainwell, MI | $51,580 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Habitat for Humanity International Inc | Holland, MI | $50,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Odc Network | Holland, MI | $48,350 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Kalamazoo, MI | $47,742 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Michigan Tech Fund | Houghton, MI | $45,700 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| People Helping People of Pullman Inc | Pullman, MI | $45,622 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Congregational Kitchen | Allegan, MI | $39,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Arc-Allegan County | Allegan, MI | $37,350 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Resilience Advocates for Ending Violence | Holland, MI | $36,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Allegan County Community Foundation | Allegan, MI | $31,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Center for Dispute Resolution | Holland, MI | $31,441 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ferris State University | Big Rapids, MI | $31,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Allegan County Legal Assistance Center | Allegan, MI | $27,750 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton, MI | $27,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Beautify Pullman | Pullman, MI | $25,781 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Fennville District Library | Fennville, MI | $23,338 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Project Hope Ministries | Battle Creek, MI | $23,291 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Allegan Area Educational Services Agency | Allegan, MI | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Allegan County United Way | Allegan, MI | $21,979 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| First Presbyterin Church of Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo, MI | $20,800 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| St Margaret Churchst Vincent De Paul | Otsego, MI | $20,545 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Hope College | Holland, MI | $20,150 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Allegan | Allegan, MI | $19,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Grant Me Hope | Holland, MI | $19,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Kalamazoo College | Kalamazoo, MI | $16,600 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Central Michigan University | Mt Pleasant, MI | $16,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd | Allegan, MI | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society | Douglas, MI | $15,385 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Calvin University | Grand Rapids, MI | $15,200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wings Home | Allegan, MI | $15,100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lake Superior State University Foundation | Sault S Marie, MI | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Allegan County Historical Society | Allegan, MI | $14,245 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Kettering University | Flint, MI | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City of Allegan Economics Development Corp | Allegan, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lake Michigan College Foundation | Benton Harbor, MI | $8,256 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| First Congregational Church of Allegan | Allegan, MI | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mitten Childrens Museum | South Haven, MI | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bridges of Hope Allegan County | Plainwell, MI | $7,650 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation | Madison, WI | $7,600 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Martin United Methodist Church | Martin, MI | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Plainwell Music Society | Otsego, MI | $7,241 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Colorado Mesa University Foundation | Grand Jct, CO | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Newlife Church | Wayland, MI | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Plainwell Volunteer Christmasproject | Plainwell, MI | $6,892 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fennville Public Schools Educational Foundation | Fennville, MI | $6,810 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Otsego Area Historical Society | Otsego, MI | $6,493 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Allegan County Resource Development Committee Inc | Allegan, MI | $6,200 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Eastern Michigan University Foundation | Ypsilanti, MI | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Glen Oaks Community College Foundation | Centreville, MI | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Renewed Hope | Allegan, MI | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Camp Kidwell | Bloomingdale, MI | $5,560 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| 4 Paws Lakeshore | Douglas, MI | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Allegan County Central Food Pantry | Allegan, MI | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Purdue University Global Inc | West Lafayette, IN | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Saginaw Valley State University | University Center, MI | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Action House | Holland, MI | $5,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
39 of 69 (57%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- Sylvia's Place
OPERATIONS, SECURITY, BASIC NEEDS - Saugatuck Center for the Arts
FREE PROGRAMMING/ CHILDREN & ADULTS - Wings of Hope Hospice
HOSPICE CARE, THERAPY FOR YOUTH - Christian Neighbors-Se
OPERATIONS/DIAPERS & WIPES - Kalamazoo Valley Community College
YOUTH & ADULT PROGRAMMING - St Margaret Churchst Vincent De Paul
ENERGENCY FOOD & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 44 of 69 recipients we could match to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's, not ours -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 37 | $555,735 | $10,400 |
| 2022 | 45 | $625,511 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | $825,578 | $10,200 |
| 2024 | 26 | $348,656 | $8,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
94% of its giving went to organizations in Michigan. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
Down to the city
Foundations that fund only organizations they pick gave to this one
6 private foundations that told the IRS they contribute only to organizations they select themselves reported 9 grants totalling $28,788 to The Allegan County Community Foundation. That is 35% of the 17 funders we can see giving to it. Those 6 foundations do not take unsolicited requests -- their own returns say so. The IRS classifies this organization as a community foundation.
1 of them gave in more than one tax year, which is the only durability signal the filings carry.
What that does not mean. It does not mean an application here reaches that money. A grant from a closed foundation is often a designated gift or a donor-advised fund earmarked by whoever gave it, and has nothing to do with any open programme this organization runs. Neither tax return says which, so neither do we. The list below is who put money in. It is not a route to it.
| Foundation | State | Reported | Grants | Years | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Reams Foundation Inc | South Carolina | $28,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Spiegelman Foundation | Delaware | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Baird Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| John E Fetzer Institute Inc | Michigan | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Edward Jones Foundation | Missouri | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Pfizer Foundation Inc | New York | $38 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
A linked name has a page of its own. We publish one for a foundation that takes no unsolicited requests only when a real share of its giving goes to organizations that make grants themselves, and that page opens by saying it does not take requests.
Both the count and the total are floors. A foundation appears here only where its return named this organization clearly enough for us to match the name to an EIN, which we manage for about two thirds of 990-PF grant rows. There are more; we cannot name them.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $10,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in Michigan.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Allegan County Community Foundation's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Recipient classifications, the concentration and retention figures and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations from them, described in how we build this.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 37 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 112 Locust St, Allegan, MI, 49010.
EIN 38-6189947 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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