Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation
The Dart Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1984 by William A. and Claire T. Dart and based in Mason, Michigan. It invests in local organizations, with mid-Michigan a longstanding focus and grantmaking also extending to communities connected to Dart Container Corporation’s production facilities and sales headquarters.
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation at a glance
In short: Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation gave $2.3M across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $146K), top state New York. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,330,000
- -20.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- -27.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $145,625
- +9.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $62,500
- Total assets
- $46,321
- -35.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (9 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The stated process is to submit a letter describing the project in detail and specifying the requested amount, with a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter. Grants to individuals are not made.
- Contact
Application contact: Dart Foundation Attn Emily Matthews
Mailing address: 500 Hogsback Rd, Mason, MI 48854-9547
Phone: (517) 244-6688
Website: https://dartfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Columbia University ($900K). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 135 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies mid-Michigan as a longstanding focus and says it gives in communities that are homes to Dart Container Corporation production facilities and sales headquarters. Its listed communities include locations in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Michigan (47%) and New York (31%), followed by Georgia (4%), Florida (3%), and Maryland (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 16 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $64K; repeat grants $251K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 19% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 $1.2M (2021) to $3.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University New York, NY | Support of the Dart Center for Journalism at Columbia University. | $900,000 |
| Impression 5 Science Center Lansing, MI | Continuation of travel exhibits and HVAC updates/improvements. | $550,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Ennis Ennis, TX | Kitchen/bathroom renovations and scholarships for their afterschool programming. | $100,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster Lancaster, PA | Fund multiple programs and other necessary capital improvements. | $100,000 |
| Child and Family Charities Lansing, MI | Upgrades/renovations to their Nonprofit Hub space in the former McLaren Professional Building. | $100,000 |
| Highfields Inc Onondaga, MI | Modernize and upgrade the Jean Schultz Center Administration Building. | $100,000 |
| PAWS Chicago Chicago, IL | Purchase of an autoclave. | $100,000 |
| Woldumar Nature Association Lansing, MI | Grounds, facility maintenance, and volunteer coordination. | $75,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta Inc Atlanta, GA | Bolster existing youth programming. | $50,000 |
| Friends of the Children of Mississippi Inc Flowood, MS | Build a sensory friendly classroom as well as purchase additional sensory friendly items for multiple classrooms. | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management 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 | $46,321 | $2,350,000 | $2,375,934 | $2,330,000 | 16 | $2,375,934 | — | $13,324 |
| 2024 | $72,255 | $3,000,000 | $2,988,368 | $2,930,000 | 22 | $2,988,368 | — | $14,305 |
| 2023 | $60,623 | $3,350,000 | $3,377,035 | $3,288,300 | 25 | $3,377,035 | — | $12,884 |
| 2022 | $87,658 | $3,550,002 | $3,535,961 | $3,510,699 | 30 | $3,535,961 | $2 | $40,717 |
| 2021 | $73,617 | $1,100,365 | $1,210,673 | $1,192,296 | 42 | — | $365 | $31,395 |
| 2020 | $183,925 | $1,026,817 | $1,696,787 | $1,660,512 | 188 | — | $1,817 | $44,127 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K 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 says it aims to strengthen communities through local investment. Its stated fields of interest include education, engineering and technology, environment, science, youth, math, journalism, and victims.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of community work. Highfields Inc describes its mission as providing opportunities for children, youths, families, and others to take greater responsibility for their lives and strengthen relationships. CASA of Talbot County says it advocates for the best interests of children under court protection because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. North Texas Food Bank describes its work as closing the hunger gap through a network of feeding partners, while REACH Studio Art Center offers visual arts education for youth and adults in the Greater Lansing area.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $2,930,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $900,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest were $900,000 to Columbia University for support of the Dart Center for Journalism; $625,000 to Lansing Public Media Authority for sound-system upgrades; $250,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Lansing for kitchen and dining-hall renovations; and $130,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region for a school-based mentorship program. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 16 grants totaling $2.3 million.
The foundation says it proactively reaches out to local organizations in its giving communities to identify partnership opportunities. Its board determines the amount and frequency of giving based on local needs and charitable investment opportunities. The 2023 filing describes an application by letter with a detailed project description, the amount requested, and a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter. Grants to individuals are not made.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James D. Lammers as director, president, and treasurer; Kenneth B. Dart as director and vice president; Arianna C. Wooledge as director and secretary; and Jackie Doak as director. The foundation’s website identifies Lammers as board president and describes his previous roles with Dart Container Corporation, including chief executive officer. It describes Kenneth Dart as a longtime board member and former president of Dart Container Corporation, and Arianna Wooledge as a third-generation Dart family member who joined the board in 2021.
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation is led by James D Lammers, Director, President & Treasurer since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James D Lammers
Director, President & Treasurer
Vice President → President, Vice President & Treasurer, 2023
President, Vice President & Treasurer → Director, President & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kenneth B Dart
Director & Vice President
Vice President → Director & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Arianna C Wooledge
Director & Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jackie Doak
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Claire T Dart (2020–2023) — Vice President & Treasurer
- Former: Francis X Liesman II (2020–2023) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Robert C Dart (2020–2023) — Chairman, President & Secretary
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 Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation
How much does Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation give each year?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation gave $2.3M across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 22 grants.
What is Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's typical grant size?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $62,500, and its average grant was $145,625, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation that year got $64K on average.
Where does Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation give grants?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's top state is New York, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Michigan (36%) and Illinois (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lansing, MI (3 grants).
Does Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's largest grantees?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Columbia University ($900,000), Impression 5 Science Center ($550,000) and Boys & Girls Club of Ennis ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation reported $46K 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 $13K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation fund?
The foundation says it aims to strengthen communities through local investment. Its stated fields of interest include education, engineering and technology, environment, science, youth, math, journalism, and victims. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation?
The stated process is to submit a letter describing the project in detail and specifying the requested amount, with a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's EIN?
Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2849841. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 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 September 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dart-foundation-fka-solid-waste-management-foundation-morg_ef53c0ac615248459f039c0a2a4dcde5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382849841_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dart-foundation-fka-solid-waste-management-foundation-morg_ef53c0ac615248459f039c0a2a4dcde5},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Dart Foundation fka Solid Waste Management 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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