Allen Foundation
Allen Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation based in Midland, Michigan, established in 1975. The foundation is named in honor of William Webster Allen and operates under Michigan state law. It is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization and a private grantmaking foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$28.4M
+3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
-1.8% YoY
Grant Count
45
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
-1.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Allen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses on projects that benefit nutritional programs in the areas of education, training, and research. A lower priority is given to proposals that help solve immediate or emergency hunger and malnutrition problems. The foundation's grant-making priorities include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports numerous cities and states across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston, as well as smaller communities. It operates in multiple states including California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Mississippi, among others.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $28,375,736 (as of 2024)
- Total liabilities: $0 (as of 2024)
- Revenue (2024): $2,746,989
- Expenses (2024): $1,786,031
Historical Asset Growth: Assets have grown from approximately $10 million in 2011 to $28.4 million in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $28,375,736 | $27,414,778 | $26,812,294 |
| Revenue | $2,746,989 | $2,345,916 | $1,433,220 |
| Expenses | $1,786,031 | $1,759,909 | $1,994,668 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,622,293 | $1,635,424 | $1,836,846 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,613,251 | $2,236,391 | $1,331,121 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,754,557 | $1,615,085 | $1,642,757 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
219 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Allen Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Acta Non Verba Urban Youth Farm ($150,000), The Bridge Food Center ($127,928), Brigham & Womens Hospital ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MIL MILAGROS INC SOMERVILLE, MA | REDUCE MALNUTRN | $25,000 |
| ROSCOMMON CO FOOD PANTRY HOUGHTON LAKE, MI | PROJECT HOPE | $26,000 |
| BOTANICAL GARDEN SOCIETY OF NW MI TRAVERSE CITY, MI | PROMOTE HLTHYY FOODS | $50,000 |
| BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | RESEARCH | $100,000 |
| FRIENDS GRAND TRAVERSE CONS DIST TRAVERSE CITY, MI | INCUBATOR FARM PROG | $20,000 |
| INLAND SEAS EDUCATION CENTER SUTTONS BAY, MI | YOUTH EDUCTN HLTHY MEALS | $38,000 |
| INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS INTERLOCHEN, MI | GRDNG NUTRTN EDCTN | $35,000 |
| MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY | NUTRIBOOST RESRCH | $30,550 |
| NORTHWEST EDUCATION SERVICES TRAVERSE CITY, MI | SUSTANBLTY FARM TO SCHOOL | $51,074 |
| UNIVERISTY OF CHESTER | RESEARCH | $31,047 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's leadership includes:
- Gail Lanphear – Board Chair
- Laurie Bouwman – Secretary
- Mark Ostahowski, MD – President
All board members serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAIL LANPHEAR | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | — |
| LAURIE BOUWMAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MARK OSTAHOWSKI MD | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| WILLIAM LAUDERBACH | TREAS/FINCIAL VP/ TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| HEATHER KELTO | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANN F JAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CHARLES KENDALL | TRUSTEE/TREASURER | 3 | — |
| AMANDA BOUWMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MIKE WOOLHISER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| McCLAIN MCALLISTER | JUNIOR APPRENTICE | 1 | — |
| MOGEN MCALLISTER | JUNIOR APPRENTICE | 1 | — |
| EMILY UMBARGER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: www.allenfoundation.org
- Address: PO Box 1606, Midland, MI 48641-1606
- EIN: 51-0152562
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Allen Foundation fund?
The foundation focuses on projects that benefit nutritional programs in the areas of education, training, and research. A lower priority is given to proposals that help solve immediate or emergency hunger and malnutrition problems. The foundation's grant-making priorities include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
How do I apply for a grant from Allen Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in the most recent fiscal year: $1,582,941 • Typical award range: $1,000–$150,000 • The foundation made 12,100 total grants in the previous year • Approximately 12% of new applicants are funded • The foundation is open to new applicants **Recent Financial Data (2024):** • Revenue: $2,746,989 • Expenses: $1,786,031 • Net Income: $960,958
Where does Allen Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports numerous cities and states across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston, as well as smaller communities. It operates in multiple states including California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Mississippi, among others.
What size grants does Allen Foundation award?
In 2024, Allen Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $35K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Allen Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Allen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Allen Foundation's EIN?
Allen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0152562. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Allen Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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