Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation
The Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including religious, educational, healthcare, arts, and therapy-related recipients.
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation at a glance
In short: Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation gave $3.8M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $157K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,759,665
- +39.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +41.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $156,653
- -1.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $16,187,961
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 662 Croswell Ave Se, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Phone: (616) 791-9934
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Robert Catholic Church ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 87 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 1% to Illinois, and less than 1% to Arizona. The listed grants include recipients in Grand Rapids and other Michigan communities, as well as grants to organizations in Illinois and Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
How Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation gives
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 189% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 496% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $1000K (2023) to $3.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $3.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Robert Catholic Church Ada, MI | Religious | $2,000,000 |
| Catholic Central High School Grand Rapids, MI | Education | $1,084,500 |
| St Mary's Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Healthcare | $166,666 |
| San Juan Diego Academy Wyoming, MI | Education | $110,000 |
| Grand Action Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | ARTS | $83,333 |
| Hope College Holland, MI | Education | $75,000 |
| One World Surgery Deerfield, IL | Health Care | $50,000 |
| Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI | Education | $50,000 |
| Beer City Dog Biscuits Grand Rapids, MI | Therapy | $25,000 |
| Oak Heart Lodge Newaygo, MI | Therapy | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dan and Sherry Bowen 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 | $16,187,961 | $3,695,146 | $3,830,332 | $3,759,665 | 24 | $3,759,665 | $921,054 | $757,322 |
| 2024 | $16,316,977 | $1,349,003 | $2,756,823 | $2,697,499 | 17 | $2,697,499 | $1,289,679 | $850,136 |
| 2023 | $17,724,797 | $-833,354 | $1,060,089 | $999,576 | 21 | $999,576 | $660,160 | $846,170 |
| 2022 | $19,617,480 | $-456,287 | $1,539,021 | $1,302,167 | 17 | $1,302,167 | $407,523 | $904,507 |
| 2021 | $21,616,812 | $20,776,902 | $1,178,325 | $1,144,286 | 8 | $1,144,286 | $9,808,378 | $402,723 |
| 2020 | $1,917,819 | $664,067 | $1,132,244 | $1,125,000 | 5 | — | $656,823 | $109,051 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $757K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for religious organizations and organizations working in education, healthcare, arts, and therapy.
Among its grantees, Hope College describes its mission as educating students for leadership and service through liberal arts programs in the context of the historic Christian faith. Aquinas College describes itself as an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition, providing a liberal arts education and emphasizing career preparation, service, and lifelong learning.
Other grantees describe work with people with disabilities: Beer City Dog Biscuits says it provides vocational training, employment, and community through dog-biscuit production, while Artists Creating Together says it offers artistic and cultural experiences, personal growth, and learning opportunities for people with disabilities in West Michigan. Camp Blodgett describes its work as providing youth in West Michigan with educational and recreational experiences that promote social responsibility, academic success, and healthy self-esteem.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $3,759,665. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $2,000,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest reported grants were $2,000,000 to St Robert Catholic Church for religious purposes; $1,084,500 to Catholic Central High School for education; $166,666 to St Mary's Foundation for healthcare; $110,000 to San Juan Diego Academy for education; and $83,333 to Grand Action Foundation for arts.
Other 2025 grants included $75,000 to Hope College, $50,000 each to One World Surgery and Aquinas College, and $25,000 each to Beer City Dog Biscuits and Oak Heart Lodge.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Daniel J. Bowen as president and Sharon Bowen as secretary/treasurer.
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation is led by Daniel J. Bowen, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Daniel J. Bowen
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Bowen
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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 Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation
How much does Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation give each year?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation gave $3.8M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 17 grants.
What is Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's typical grant size?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $156,653, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation give grants?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 98% 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 (16 grants) and Wyoming, MI (2 grants).
Does Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (8 grants), "Religious" (5 grants) and "Arts" (4 grants).
Who are Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's largest grantees?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Robert Catholic Church ($2,000,000), Catholic Central High School ($1,084,500) and St Mary's Foundation ($166,666), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation reported $16.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $757K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for religious organizations and organizations working in education, healthcare, arts, and therapy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation?
The foundation 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 Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's EIN?
Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5984891. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Dan and Sherry Bowen 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dan-and-sherry-bowen-foundation-morg_1acea0907c5d49d0ac456f636ddeccf9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205984891_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dan and Sherry Bowen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dan-and-sherry-bowen-foundation-morg_1acea0907c5d49d0ac456f636ddeccf9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Dan and Sherry Bowen 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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