Answer Health Foundation
Answer Health Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, it reported 11 grants totaling $28,500, with every listed grant going to a Michigan recipient; the filing describes the grant purpose as “health care/philanthropic support.”
Answer Health Foundation at a glance
In short: Answer Health Foundation gave $29K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Michigan. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $28,500
- +1.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,591
- -7.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $212,255
- +31.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Answer Health Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing states that any form is accepted and that awards have no restrictions.
- Contact
Application contact: Vicki Woodard
Mailing address: 333 Bridge Street Sw Suite 815, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Phone: (616) 552-1500
Email: vicki.woodard@answerhealth.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Answer Health Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Exalta Health ($4K). Together the top 10 received $28K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 47 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan. Listed recipients were in Grand Rapids, Ada, and Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Answer Health Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 91% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 78% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 284% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2020) to $29K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $29K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Exalta Health Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $4,000 |
| Kids Food Basket Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $4,000 |
| Oasis of Hope Center Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $4,000 |
| Our Kitchen Table Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $4,000 |
| Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan Inc Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
| Brodys Be Cafe LLC Ada, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
| Guiding Light Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
| Mel Trotter Ministries Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
| Wedgewood Christian Services Grand Rapids, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
| Women at Risk International Inc Wyoming, MI | Health Care/Philanthropic Support | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Answer Health 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $212,255 | $82,518 | $31,541 | $28,500 | 11 | $28,500 | $22,518 | $10,027 |
| 2024 | $161,278 | $84,828 | $30,401 | $28,000 | 10 | $28,000 | $19,828 | $6,954 |
| 2023 | $106,851 | $24,775 | $22,229 | $20,000 | 10 | $20,000 | $2,129 | $5,511 |
| 2022 | $104,305 | $31,059 | $18,572 | $16,000 | 8 | $16,000 | $6,059 | $4,808 |
| 2021 | $91,818 | $33,316 | $13,906 | $12,000 | 8 | $12,000 | $8,066 | $4,485 |
| 2020 | $72,408 | $15,212 | $14,461 | $10,000 | 8 | — | $5,212 | $3,640 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Answer Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose own missions include providing accessible health care, addressing food needs, supporting older adults and people with disabilities, and assisting people experiencing hunger and homelessness.
For example, Exalta Health says it provides medical, dental, counseling, and spiritual care to underserved and socio-economically disadvantaged people. Kids’ Food Basket describes programs including meals for children, family food provision, community-driven farming, and educational programming. The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan says it works to promote older adults’ and people with disabilities’ equitable access to services that support independence and dignity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $28,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $4,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Among the largest grants were $4,000 each to Exalta Health, Kids’ Food Basket, Oasis of Hope Center, and Our Kitchen Table. Each grant was listed with the purpose “health care/philanthropic support.”
Other 2025 recipients included the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, Be Cafe, Guiding Light, Mel Trotter Ministries, Wedgewood Christian Services, and Women at Risk International, each receiving $2,000. Bethany Christian Services received $500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Lagrand MD as president, Richard Bereza MD as treasurer, Michael App MD as secretary, and Khan Nedd MD as director.
Answer Health Foundation is led by John Lagrand MD, President since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Lagrand MD
President
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Khan Nedd MD
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael App MD
Secretary
President → Secrectay, 2023
Secrectay → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Bereza MD
Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Randall Clark MD (2020) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Answer Health Foundation
How much does Answer Health Foundation give each year?
Answer Health Foundation gave $29K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $28K across 10 grants.
What is Answer Health Foundation's typical grant size?
Answer Health Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,591, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Answer Health Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does Answer Health Foundation give grants?
Answer Health Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (9 grants).
Does Answer Health Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Answer Health Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health Care/Philanthropic Support" (10 grants).
Who are Answer Health Foundation's largest grantees?
Answer Health Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Exalta Health ($4,000), Kids Food Basket ($4,000) and Oasis of Hope Center ($4,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Answer Health Foundation?
Answer Health Foundation reported $212K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $10K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Answer Health Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose own missions include providing accessible health care, addressing food needs, supporting older adults and people with disabilities, and assisting people experiencing hunger and homelessness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Answer Health Foundation?
The 2025 filing states that any form is accepted and that awards have no restrictions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Answer Health Foundation's EIN?
Answer Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3522988. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 19, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Answer Health 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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