Americana Foundation
Americana Foundation is a private foundation based in Novi, Michigan. It supports sustainable agriculture and community food systems, natural resource protection, and an inclusive narrative of early American art and history.
Americana Foundation at a glance
In short: Americana Foundation gave $647K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Michigan. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $646,674
- +8.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- -11.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $20,860
- +22.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $20,881,120
- +4.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (14 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (74% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Americana Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website describes a two-stage process: register in its online grantmaking platform, submit a letter of intent when a grant opportunity is open, and proceed to a full application if invited. The 2024 filing says eligible organizations must be IRS-recognized tax-exempt charitable, scientific, or educational organizations under section 501(c)(3), and not private foundations; Michigan-based or Michigan-operating nonprofits are a priority.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing listed request deadlines of January 8, April 1, July 1, and October 1. These dates are from the 2024 filing and are past cycles.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing listed request deadlines of January 8, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Kathryn Buckner
Mailing address: 28115 Meadowbrook, Novi, MI 48377
Phone: (248) 347-3863
Website: https://americanafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Americana Foundation
Americana Foundation Grants Program
Americana Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Americana Foundation: Agriculture and Natural Resources Grants
Americana Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Americana Foundation: American Heritage Grant
Americana Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Americana Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Michigan State University ($139K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $382K.
Grant Size Distribution
164 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 164 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
For Agriculture and Food Systems and Natural Resources, the foundation’s guidelines restrict eligibility to nonprofits doing work that impacts Michigan. For American Heritage, organizations anywhere in the United States may apply. In 2024, 74% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan; other recipient states included Virginia (9%), North Carolina (4%), Massachusetts (4%), and Pennsylvania (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Americana Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 27 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 22% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $592K (2020) to $788K (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $647K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | 2024 Programming and Operations | $130,000 |
| Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Williamsburg, VA | Worlds collide: archaeology and global trade in 18th-century williamsburg | $32,000 |
| Asbury Community Development Corporation Flint, MI | Asbury Farm Incubator Project | $30,000 |
| United Way of Northeast Michigan Alpena, MI | Continuing to foster a circular economy rooted in regional food systems | $30,000 |
| Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior Marquette, MI | Educating and advocating for wetland protections in Marquette county | $25,000 |
| Clinton River Watershed Council Rochester, MI | Assessing high priority restoration, green infrastructure, and impactful water quality improvement projects in the clinton river watershed | $25,000 |
| Concord Antiquarian Society Concord, MA | Whose Revolution | $25,000 |
| Eastern Market Corporation Detroit, MI | Eastern Market Microloan Revolving Fund | $25,000 |
| Fair Food Network Ann Arbor, MI | Michigan Good Food Fund Seed Awards | $25,000 |
| Freshwater Future Petoskey, MI | Increasing capacity of northern Michigan environmental groups to ensure long-term efforts to protect the health of the great lakes | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Americana Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,881,120 | $1,267,381 | $1,144,797 | $646,674 | 31 | $1,029,678 | $1,174,453 | $970,484 |
| 2023 | $19,977,582 | $489,065 | $1,069,417 | $598,332 | 35 | $976,114 | $397,886 | $892,331 |
| 2022 | $18,304,650 | $214,070 | $1,217,426 | $788,393 | 39 | $1,094,378 | $144,239 | $920,523 |
| 2021 | $23,362,515 | $2,591,669 | $1,072,033 | $683,939 | 36 | $959,136 | $2,496,307 | $1,051,126 |
| 2020 | $22,134,730 | $1,797,217 | $977,559 | $592,070 | 23 | — | $1,183,415 | $901,296 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Americana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $970K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support the sustainable development of agriculture and community food systems, the protection of natural resources, and an inclusive narrative of early American art and history. Its three program areas are Agriculture and Food Systems, American Heritage, and Natural Resources. The foundation also identifies Tollgate Farm and EARTH University as additional program interests.
Its grantees include organizations working in food systems, community development, watershed conservation, and cultural heritage. For example, Fair Food Network describes its mission as growing community health, wealth, and resilience through food and strengthening local food and agriculture systems. The Clinton River Watershed Council says it works to protect, enhance, and celebrate the Clinton River, its watershed, and Lake St. Clair. Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation describes its work as uncovering, preserving, and sharing Jamestown’s diverse history.
The foundation’s guidelines say eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, and municipal government entities. Requests must align with its mission and program areas. It does not fund tickets or tables, capital projects or campaigns, fundraising-event advertising, research, sabbaticals, scholarships, direct financial support to individuals, or political purposes. General operating support is approved only in extraordinary circumstances.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $646,674. The grants ranged from $214 to $130,000, with a median of $25,000. Its guidelines say grants typically range from $10,000 to $25,000 and are usually for one year. Larger or multi-year grants may be considered when necessary to a project’s success and directly aligned with priority interests; grants for a single project or program rarely exceed $50,000.
The largest 2024 grant was $130,000 to Michigan State University for programming and operations. Other notable awards included $32,000 to Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for “Worlds Collide: Archaeology and Global Trade in 18th-Century Williamsburg,” and $30,000 each to Asbury Community Development Corporation for its farm incubator project and United Way of Northeast Michigan for work on regional food systems.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kathryn Buckner as executive director. It lists Rick Foster as vice president/president, Kathryn Harper as trustee/vice president, Matthew Wawro as treasurer, and Kathryn Underwood, Jonathan Thomas, Liz Kirkwood, and Denene De Quintal as trustees. Robert Janson is listed as president through May 2024.
Americana Foundation is led by Kathryn Buckner, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; all 9 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kathryn Buckner
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$147K (2020) → $177K (2024)
Rick Foster
Vice President & President
Vice President → Vice President & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $9K (2024)
Robert Janson
President
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Jonathan Thomas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Kathryn Harper
Trustee & Vice President
Trustee → Trustee & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Denene De Quintal
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
$3K (2024)
Kathryn Underwood
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
$3K (2024)
Liz Kirkwood
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
$2K (2024)
Matthew Wawro
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Gary Rentrop (2020–2023) — Trustee · Filing note: Ended 12/2023
- Former: Jumana Vasi (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $177K, to Kathryn Buckner (Executive Director). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Americana Foundation
How much does Americana Foundation give each year?
Americana Foundation gave $647K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $598K across 35 grants.
What is Americana Foundation's typical grant size?
Americana Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $20,860, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Americana Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Americana Foundation give grants?
Americana Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were East Lansing, MI (3 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants), Detroit, MI (3 grants) and Williamsburg, VA (2 grants).
Does Americana Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Americana Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Americana Foundation's largest grantees?
Americana Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Michigan State University ($138,976 across 3 grants), Colonial Williamsburg Foundation ($32,000) and Asbury Community Development Corporation ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Americana Foundation?
Americana Foundation reported $20.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $970K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Americana Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support the sustainable development of agriculture and community food systems, the protection of natural resources, and an inclusive narrative of early American art and history. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Americana Foundation?
The foundation’s website describes a two-stage process: register in its online grantmaking platform, submit a letter of intent when a grant opportunity is open, and proceed to a full application if invited. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Americana Foundation's EIN?
Americana Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2269431. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Americana Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/americana-foundation-morg_d5d22344f45e441eb6ac615b3d390908
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382269431_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Americana Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/americana-foundation-morg_d5d22344f45e441eb6ac615b3d390908},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Americana Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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