Battle Creek Community Foundation
The Battle Creek Community Foundation is a public 501(c)(3) community foundation headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan. Founded in 1974 by Leonard White, Robert B. Miller, and Harry Davidson, the organization was created to enable people of all means to give back to their community. The foundation employs 22 staff members and operates as a grantmaking organization that distributes funds to nonprofit programs and charitable efforts benefiting Battle Creek residents.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$130.1M
+0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.0M
+75.0% YoY
Grant Count
96
+20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$52K
+45.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Promote giving, build endowment, and provide leadership to improve quality of life in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The foundation's primary funding focuses on:
- Education
- Health and rehabilitative services
- Livable communities
- Emergency rental assistance and housing solutions
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
The foundation also provides community leadership by bringing diverse groups together to develop community-wide solutions and lifting up local leaders to build legacies.
Grantmaking
The Battle Creek Community Foundation distributes grants through multiple mechanisms:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Battle Creek, Michigan and surrounding communities, with some grants extending to Louisiana and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2025):
- Total Assets: $130,090,632
- Total Revenues: $12,460,701
- Total Expenses: $14,207,425
- Total Giving: $7,597,698
Historical Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $129,000,000
- Revenue: $12,800,000
- Expenses: $21,600,000
- Total Liabilities: $24,100,000
Financial Strength: The foundation maintains a program expense ratio of 86.90%, indicating strong allocation of resources toward its mission. The organization received tax-exempt status in June 1979 and operates donor-advised funds through which donors can direct distribution and investment of funds.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $130,090,632 | $128,945,978 | $121,679,596 |
| Revenue | $12,460,701 | $12,838,227 | $16,279,639 |
| Expenses | $14,207,425 | $21,624,963 | $18,423,479 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,943,153 | $3,215,996 | $1,346,131 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Battle Creek Community Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Encourage Bc Operating (internal) Community Project Fund ($685,888), Battle Creek Family Ymca ($194,860), Kalamazoo Community Foundation ($185,785).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALANO CLUB OF BATTLE CREEK BATTLE CREEK, MI | N - RECREATION, LEISURE & SPORTS, ATHLETICS | $13,453 |
| ALL SPECIES KINSHIP BATTLE CREEK, MI | D - ANIMAL RELATED ACTIVITIES | $30,000 |
| ALLEN CHAPEL AME CHURCH KALAMAZOO, MI | X - RELIGIOUS RELATED/SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN LEGION POST 257 FOUNDATION BATTLE CREEK, MI | P.00 - HUMAN SERVICE - MULTIPURPOSE/OTHER | $16,354 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN KALAMAZOO, MI | E - HEALTH, GENERAL & REHABILITATIVE | $34,153 |
| ART CENTER OF BATTLE CREEK BATTLE CREEK, MI | A - ARTS, CULTURE, HUMANITIES | $54,140 |
| ATHENS AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY ATHENS, MI | W - PUBLIC AFFAIRS/SOCIETY BENEFIT | $7,133 |
| ATHENS AREA SCHOOLS EAST LEROY, MI | O - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $6,553 |
| ATHENS COMMUNITY LIBRARY ATHENS, MI | O - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $6,625 |
| BANGTOWN STUDIO ON THE GO FLINT, MI | O - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $9,800 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Linda Morrison serves as Principal Officer of the foundation. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of local leaders representing the interests of the Battle Creek community, with a fully independent board structure.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN BANKS | CHAIRPERSON | 1 | — |
| ROBERT RIDGEWAY | VICE CHAIRPERSON | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER BALDWIN | 2ND VICE CHAIRPERSON | 1 | — |
| CRAIG OWENS | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| KJERSTEN SULLIVAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MADISON COLE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BEN DUVAL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| EMERALD DIAMANTE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHELLE FULLER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL GRAHAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STANLEY HORN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HUNTER KING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOE MILLER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LINDA MORRISON | TRUSTEE THRU 11/14/24 | 1 | — |
| LINDA M WENDT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARY MULIETT | PRESIDENT/CEO - PARTIAL YEAR | 40 | $113,340 |
| KELSEY RAMSEY | CONTROLLER | 40 | $107,489 |
| ELIZABETH SCHULTHEISS | VP OF FUND ADMIN & DATA | 40 | $110,897 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation actively manages multiple programs and initiatives:
**Encourage BC!** - A major program receiving significant foundation support
Community Grant Program Returns to Support Calhoun County**Battle Creek CAN** - Community initiative program
Battle Creek Community Foundation distributes first round of 2025 ...**Youth Alliance Committee (YAC)** - Youth engagement program
**Children's Savings Account** - Program supporting youth financial literacy
**Legacy Scholars** - Scholarship program for local students
**Community Grant Program** - Returned to support Calhoun County organizations
Community Grant Program Returns to Support Calhoun CountyThe foundation distributes grants on a regular schedule, with scholarship season occurring annually. The organization publishes a Grantee Partner Resource Guide to support nonprofit partners.
Battle Creek Community Foundation distributes first round of 2025 ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Battle Creek Community Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Promote giving, build endowment, and provide leadership to improve quality of life in Battle Creek, Michigan. The foundation's primary funding focuses on: • Education • Health and rehabilitative services • Livable communities • Emergency rental assistance and housing solutions • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking The foundation also provides community leadership by bringing diverse groups together to develop community-wide solutions and lifting up local leaders to build leg…
How do I apply for a grant from Battle Creek Community Foundation?
The Battle Creek Community Foundation distributes grants through multiple mechanisms: **Grant Types & Opportunities:** • Competitive Grants • Mini Grants • Donor-Advised Funds (DAF) • Scholarship funds for local students pursuing post-secondary education and training • Community Opportunity Funds • Fund for Battle Creek **Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $5,100 to $685,888, with recent notable grants including: • $685,888 to Encourage BC (Health, General & Rehabilitative) • $536,446 t…
Where does Battle Creek Community Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Battle Creek, Michigan and surrounding communities, with some grants extending to Louisiana and Tennessee.
What size grants does Battle Creek Community Foundation award?
In 2025, Battle Creek Community Foundation awarded 96 grants totaling $5.0M — an average of about $52K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Battle Creek Community Foundation's EIN?
Battle Creek Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2045459. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Battle Creek Community 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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