Burt Foundation
The Burt Foundation is a private foundation located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Established in 1984 by Nathan and Florence Burt, founders of Burt Chevrolet and other auto retailing businesses, it makes grants to tax-exempt charitable and educational organizations. Its filing describes its intended support as organizations in Colorado working to improve high school graduation rates or support early childhood development.
Burt Foundation at a glance
In short: Burt Foundation gave $2.4M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $84K), mostly in Michigan. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,429,000
- +2.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -3.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $83,759
- +6.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $14,668,377
- +17.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (3 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (55% 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 Burt Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 101 N Main St 7Th Floor, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 663-2445
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Burt Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Michigan Animal Rescue Le ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 54 grants of 148 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing describes eligibility as limited to organizations located in Colorado. However, the foundation’s 2025 grant dollars were reported across recipient states, with 55% going to Michigan, 19% to Arizona, 7% each to Utah and California, and 6% to Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Burt Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 29 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $67K; repeat grants $86K. How we count
Medians: $75K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% 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 $1.4M (2020) to $2.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan Animal Rescue Le Pontiac, MI | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $300,000 |
| Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Kanab, UT | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $175,000 |
| Dog Is My Copilot Inc Jackson, WY | Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $150,000 |
| Michigan Anti-Cruelty Soc Detroit, MI | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $150,000 |
| Paws with a Cause Auburn Hills, MI | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $150,000 |
| Umrc Foundation Chelsea, MI | Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $150,000 |
| Friends of Pima Co Animal Care Tucson, AZ | Consistent W/501(C)(3) Status | $125,000 |
| Humane Society of Huron V Ann Arbor, MI | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $125,000 |
| Performing Animal Welfare Society Galt, CA | Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $100,000 |
| Alliance for the Great Lakes Chicago, IL | Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status | $75,000 |
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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 | $14,668,377 | $4,700,175 | $2,523,652 | $2,429,000 | 29 | $2,429,000 | $4,243,873 | $2,362,558 |
| 2024 | $12,491,854 | $3,720,457 | $2,419,200 | $2,368,500 | 30 | $2,368,500 | $3,428,278 | $2,155,840 |
| 2023 | $11,217,707 | $2,226,374 | $1,833,289 | $1,744,000 | 28 | $1,744,000 | $2,134,826 | $1,845,628 |
| 2022 | $10,776,783 | $2,896,681 | $2,014,246 | $1,939,000 | 31 | $1,939,000 | $2,541,182 | $1,751,118 |
| 2021 | $9,883,605 | $2,709,040 | $1,958,416 | $1,914,000 | 30 | $1,914,000 | $2,571,137 | $1,759,858 |
| 2020 | $9,154,065 | $1,460,786 | $1,455,967 | $1,419,000 | 27 | — | $1,257,289 | $1,406,401 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burt Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M 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
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support Colorado charitable and educational organizations that work to improve high school graduation rates or support early childhood development. Its filing says recipient organizations must be located in Colorado and have had less than $2 million in total revenue in each of their last two fiscal years.
Its 2025 grantees included organizations with a range of missions. Dog Is My Copilot describes its work as transporting at-risk animals from overcrowded shelters to adoption centers. Paws With A Cause says it transforms lives and strengthens communities through partnerships with custom-trained working dogs. The Performing Animal Welfare Society describes its mission as sheltering and providing permanent homes for abused, abandoned, and retired exotic animals. Alliance for the Great Lakes says it works to protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes. Horses’ Haven describes its work as rescuing, rehabilitating, retraining, and rehoming at-risk equines.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $2,429,000. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $300,000, with a median grant of $75,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $300,000 to Michigan Animal Rescue League; $175,000 to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary; $150,000 each to Dog Is My Copilot, Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society, Paws With A Cause, and UMRC Foundation; and $125,000 each to Friends of Pima County Animal Care and Humane Society of Huron Valley. Other grantees included Performing Animal Welfare Society ($100,000), Alliance for the Great Lakes ($75,000), Horses’ Haven ($75,000), Pilots to the Rescue ($75,000), Tucson Wildlife Center ($75,000), and Sasha Farm ($50,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Andrea L. Holmes as president, treasurer, secretary, and director. It also lists Christine M. Holmes and Erik H. Serr as directors.
Burt Foundation is led by Andrea L. Holmes, President, Treasurer, Secretary & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrea L. Holmes
President, Treasurer, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christine M. Holmes
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Erik H. Serr
Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Burt Foundation
How much does Burt Foundation give each year?
Burt Foundation gave $2.4M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.4M across 30 grants.
What is Burt Foundation's typical grant size?
Burt Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $75,000, and its average grant was $83,759, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Burt Foundation that year got $67K on average.
Where does Burt Foundation give grants?
Burt Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Arizona (19%) and Utah (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (5 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (2 grants) and Tuscon, AZ (2 grants).
Does Burt Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Burt Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Used Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status" (20 grants) and "Consistent W/ 501(C)(3) Status" (9 grants).
Who are Burt Foundation's largest grantees?
Burt Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Michigan Animal Rescue Le ($300,000), Best Friends Animal Sanctuary ($175,000) and Dog Is My Copilot Inc ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Burt Foundation?
Burt Foundation reported $14.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Burt Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support Colorado charitable and educational organizations that work to improve high school graduation rates or support early childhood development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Burt Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Burt Foundation's EIN?
Burt Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3309907. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Burt Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Burt Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Burt Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/burt-foundation-morg_f177c94d6da94f87b7b591c546801dc2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383309907_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Burt Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/burt-foundation-morg_f177c94d6da94f87b7b591c546801dc2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Burt 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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