Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation

GRAND RAPIDS, MI EIN: 20-5984891

The Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2006 and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking in education and religious initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$16.3M

-7.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.7M

+169.9% YoY

Grant Count

-19.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$159K

+233.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $850K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation focuses on the following primary areas:

Education
Religion
Christianity
Catholicism

Grantmaking

The foundation made five grants in 2023, with total giving of $2,697,499 according to the most recent available data. Typical award ranges are $500 to $2,000,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across multiple states, with particular focus on:

Michigan (including Grand Rapids and East Lansing)
Illinois
Alabama (including Cullman)
Arizona

Grant Distribution by State

Michigan $6.8M (94%)

Alabama $350K (5%)

Illinois $100K (1%)

Arizona $10K (0%)

States

Alabama Arizona Illinois Michigan

Cities

AdaCullmanDeerfieldEast LansingGrand RapidsHollandRockfordScottsdaleWyoming

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2023):

Metric	Amount
Total Assets	$17,724,797
Total Assets (alternate source)	$16,316,977
Total Giving	$2,697,499
Total Revenues	-$833,354
Total Expenses	$1,060,089
Investment Income and Dividends	$720,673
Number of Employees	0

The foundation's assets have remained relatively stable, with investment income serving as a primary revenue source for grantmaking activities.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$16,316,977	$17,724,797	$19,617,480
Revenue	$1,349,003	$-833,354	$-456,287
Expenses	$2,756,823	$1,060,089	$1,539,021
Qualifying Distributions	$2,697,499	$999,576	$1,302,167
Net Investment Income	$1,289,679	$660,160	$407,523
Distributable Amount	$850,136	$846,170	$904,507

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

68 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids ($2,000,000), Our Shepherds Our Future ($250,000), St Mary's Foundation ($166,666).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER GRAND RAPIDS, MI	ARTS	$20,000
BABIES WELFARE GUILD GRAND RAPIDS, MI	HEALTHCARE	$2,500
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF WEST MICHIGAN GRAND RAPIDS, MI	RELIGIOUS	$7,500
DOMINICAN SISTERS GRAND RAPIDS, MI	EDUCATION	$5,000
HOPE COLLEGE HOLLAND, MI	EDUCATION	$30,000
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL GRAND RAPIDS, MI	EDUCATION	$30,000
ONE WORLD SURGERY DEERFIELD, IL	HEALTH CARE	$50,000
OUR SHEPHERDS OUR FUTURE GRAND RAPIDS, MI	RELIGIOUS	$250,000
ST JOHN VIANNEY WYOMING, MI	RELIGIOUS	$2,500
THE NEW GROWTH PROJECT ROCKFORD, MI	FOOD	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Daniel J. Bowen — President (serves without compensation)
Sharon Bowen — Secretary/Treasurer (serves without compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DANIEL J BOWEN	PRESIDENT	1	—
SHARON BOWEN	SECRETARY/TREASURER	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation fund?

The foundation focuses on the following primary areas: • Education • Religion • Christianity • Catholicism

How do I apply for a grant from Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation?

The foundation made five grants in 2023, with total giving of $2,697,499 according to the most recent available data. Typical award ranges are $500 to $2,000,000. Notable grants made include: • Michigan State University: $383,000 (Education, 2023) • Grand Rapids Civic Theatre (GRCT): $25,000 (Arts, 2023) • Greater Grand Rapids Independent Catholic Elementary Schools: $20,500 (Education, 2023) • Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids (historical grantee)

Where does Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports projects across multiple states, with particular focus on: • Michigan (including Grand Rapids and East Lansing) • Illinois • Alabama (including Cullman) • Arizona

What size grants does Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation award?

In 2024, Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $159K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $850K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation's EIN?

Daniel and Sharon Bowen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5984891. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.