Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation
The Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Gwinn, Michigan. It supports victims of fires and their families, local and regional fairs, and education for students at Gwinn High School and Northern Michigan University.
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation at a glance
In short: Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation gave $14K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Michigan. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $13,867
- -31.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,261
- -37.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $338,871
- -5.0% 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 Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says grants will be initiated by the foundation and/or based on invited applications that support its purposes. The foundation may ask grantees for periodic or final reports.
- Review Cycle
- No posted deadlines.
- Deadline
- No posted deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Ronald Lauren
Mailing address: 775 N River Dr, Gwinn, MI 49841
Phone: (906) 458-2161
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was First Responderscism ($3K). Together the top 10 received $14K.
Grant Size Distribution
39 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 39 grants of 39 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan. The listed 2025 recipients were in Michigan communities including Gwinn, Marquette, Gladstone, Escanaba, and Chatham.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ben Lauren Memorial 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 $1K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2023) to $20K (2024). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $14K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First Responderscism Marquette, MI | General Operating | $3,000 |
| Forsyth Township Fire DPT Gwinn, MI | General Operating | $2,500 |
| Marquette County Fair Gwinn, MI | General Operating | $2,387 |
| Gwinn High School Scholarship Gwinn, MI | General Operating | $1,900 |
| Marquette County Police & Marquette, MI | General Operating | $1,250 |
| Pigs N Heat Marquette, MI | General Operating | $1,000 |
| Umira Gwinn, MI | General Operating | $500 |
| Great Lakes Rodeo Gwinn, MI | General Operating | $500 |
| Lori Brandstrom Livestock Show Gladstone, MI | General Operating | $350 |
| Up State Fair Escanaba, MI | General Operating | $300 |
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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 | $338,871 | $10,552 | $20,149 | $13,867 | 11 | $16,942 | $5,183 | $19,004 |
| 2024 | $356,530 | $66,408 | $28,296 | $20,240 | 10 | $25,741 | $58,928 | $16,045 |
| 2023 | $276,295 | $11,705 | $15,848 | $10,487 | 7 | $14,043 | $7,326 | $13,223 |
| 2022 | $277,487 | $141,384 | $18,937 | $13,500 | 4 | $16,231 | $6,255 | $12,325 |
| 2021 | $205,430 | $19,264 | $14,915 | $11,432 | 7 | $12,993 | $9,621 | $10,510 |
| 2020 | $194,307 | $203,630 | $8,302 | — | — | — | $2,775 | $3,750 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2024 filing identifies these award areas: assistance for victims of fires and their families; local, county, and regional fairs that foster appreciation and education about agriculture and local products and artisans; and enhanced education, counseling, and scholarships for students at Gwinn High School and Northern Michigan University.
Among its 2025 grantees, Marquette County Fair describes its mission as promoting and advancing the interests of agriculture to the public.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $13,867. Grant amounts ranged from $180 to $3,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest awards included $3,000 to First RespondersCISM, $2,500 to Forsyth Township Fire Dpt, $2,387 to Marquette County Fair, and $1,900 to Gwinn High School Scholarship. Each was listed for general operating.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ronald Lauren as president/treasurer, Carla Lauren as secretary, Victoria Lauren and Levi Lauren as directors, and Credit Union Trust and Munson Retirement Solutions as trustees.
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation is led by Ronald Lauren, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ronald Lauren
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Credit Union Trust
Trustee
On filings since 2021
$2K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Munson Retirement Solutions
Trustee
On filings since 2022
$693 (2022) → $0 (2025)
Levi Lauren
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Victoria Lauren
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Carla Lauren
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $2K, to Credit Union Trust (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation
How much does Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation give each year?
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation gave $14K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $20K across 10 grants.
What is Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,261, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation give grants?
Ben Lauren Memorial 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 Gwinn, MI (5 grants) and Marquette, MI (3 grants).
Does Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include First Responderscism ($3,000), Forsyth Township Fire DPT ($2,500) and Marquette County Fair ($2,387), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation?
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation reported $339K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $19K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing identifies these award areas: assistance for victims of fires and their families; local, county, and regional fairs that foster appreciation and education about agriculture and local products and artisans; and enhanced education, counseling, and scholarships for students at Gwinn High School and Northern Michigan University. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation?
The 2024 filing says grants will be initiated by the foundation and/or based on invited applications that support its purposes. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's EIN?
Ben Lauren Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2563020. 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 September 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 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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