Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) is a public charity and community foundation established in 1963 to serve as a permanent source of community capital in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, AAACF functions as a philanthropic intermediary that connects donors, charitable causes, and permanent capital to address community needs. The foundation manages over 550 charitable funds and operates with a staff of 24 employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$227.2M
+9.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.1M
+6.3% YoY
Grant Count
204
+11.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$40K
-4.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement:
The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation enriches the quality of life in our region through its knowledgeable leadership, engaged grantmaking, and creative partnerships with donors to make philanthropic investments and build endowment.
Core Values:
- Prioritizing Community: Listening actively to all residents of Washtenaw County and holding itself accountable for empowering people, especially those underserved or overlooked by current systems.
- Pursuing Equity: Providing different levels of support based on individual or group needs to achieve fair outcomes. The foundation commits to understanding and changing root causes of injustice, engaging in difficult conversations, and ensuring board, staff, and volunteer diversity reflecting Washtenaw County's demographics.
- Earning Trust: Building confidence through transparent operations and accountability.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Human Services
- Education
- Health
- Economic Development
- Arts and Culture
- Seniors
- Youth
- Entrepreneurs
Grantmaking
AAACF distributes grants through a competitive process determined by staff and community leaders. Since its founding over 60 years ago, the foundation has distributed over $108 million through more than 19,000 grants and scholarships.
Grant Types
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AAACF primarily funds nonprofits and initiatives in Washtenaw County, Michigan, though its grantmaking also extends to Michigan, New York, and California. The foundation defines its community as all residents of Washtenaw County, representing the many communities within.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $227,205,548
- Annual Revenue: $7,267,881 (based on available data)
- Total Expenses: $13.3 million (2023)
- Total Liabilities: $6.3 million (2023)
- Revenue (2023): $10.2 million
Donor-Advised Funds:
AAACF operates a donor-advised fund program through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $227,205,548 | $208,073,440 | $186,101,503 |
| Revenue | $22,654,824 | $10,246,540 | $23,281,932 |
| Expenses | $14,740,954 | $13,318,645 | $13,519,607 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $16,030,309 | $4,829,264 | $19,011,755 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
25 open opportunities from Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
AAACF Community Grantmaking Program
ANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
AAACF Community Scholarship Grant
ANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
AAPS Education Fund Grant
ANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $8,400
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation operates through a core team of staff, trustees, and hundreds of volunteers. Key personnel identified include:
- Brandy Merritt: Communications Director
- Karen Andrews: Board Member
- Laura H: Member, Board of Trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHANNON POLK | PRESIDENT & CEO | 50 | $223,487 |
| JAMES HUNTER | CFO & VP FOR OPERATIONS | 50 | $143,599 |
| DORCAS PATTERSON | DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS | 40 | $127,575 |
| CHRISTOPHER LEMON | VP FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS | 50 | $121,367 |
| KAREN ANDREWS | VICE CHAIR | 4 | $18,143 |
| SEAN DUVAL | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| LAURA HAYDEN | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| KARLA OLSON-BELLFI | SECRETARY | 4 | — |
| ARSALAN ALAVI | BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 05/24) | 1.5 | — |
| TABITHA FERRER BENTLEY | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| CHRIS BERGEN | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| BILL BRINKERHOFF | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| MICHAEL CROWLEY | BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 05/24) | 1.5 | — |
| TIM DAMSCHRODER | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| DILIP DAS | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| CATHI DUCHON | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| AARON DWORKIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| KEN FISCHER | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| SONYA JACOBS | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| CHRISTINA KIM | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| SRI MADDIPATI | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| JEFFREY PATTON | BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 05/24) | 1.5 | — |
| AUDREY PRICE DIMARZO | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
| CHUCK WARPEHOSKI | BOARD MEMBER | 1.5 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
AAACF has celebrated repaid impact investments, renewing capital for Washtenaw County communities. The foundation maintains active grant programs with 26 live grant opportunities available to eligible organizations.
AAACF Dedicated Grant Program 2025 - GrantExecThe foundation maintains transparency through public access to recent financial reports and detailed information on past grants, positioning itself as an accessible local funder for organizations seeking general operating support and capacity building assistance.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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