Dart Foundation
The Dart Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1984 by William A. and Claire T. Dart, headquartered in Mason, Michigan. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since November 1989. Over its 40-year history, the Dart Foundation has invested more than $100 million in community initiatives across mid-Michigan and beyond.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$72K
+19.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
-10.9% YoY
Grant Count
22
-12.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$133K
+1.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Dart Foundation's mission centers on values-based philanthropy guided by its founders' principles of curiosity and open-mindedness. The foundation creates lasting change through both program support and infrastructure investments.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education, with particular emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Workforce development
- Community services
- Programs of interest to trustees
The foundation is known for identifying emerging community needs before they become mainstream priorities, having been early champions of STEM education and workforce development initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation emphasizes a community-first approach, building long-term relationships with grantees rather than simply providing financial support. The foundation supports both program grants and infrastructure improvements, focusing on helping organizations make the biggest impact in their communities.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Dart Foundation provides grants in mid-Michigan and in several other specific geographic communities. The foundation supports more than 20 communities nationwide, including:
- Michigan: Lansing, Mason
- Kentucky: Horse Cave
- Pennsylvania: Lancaster
- Major urban centers: Chicago, New York, Miami
- Additional communities: Twin Falls (Idaho) and various other U.S. cities
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $72,255
- Revenue: $3,000,000
- Expenses: $2,988,368
- Net Income: $11,632
Previous Fiscal Year (2023):
- Total Assets: $60,623
- Revenue: $3,350,000
- Expenses: $3,377,035
The foundation is supported by the William and Claire Dart Foundation, which provided $1,000,000 in general support in 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $72,255 | $60,623 | $87,658 |
| Revenue | $3,000,000 | $3,350,000 | $3,550,002 |
| Expenses | $2,988,368 | $3,377,035 | $3,535,961 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,988,368 | $3,377,035 | $3,535,961 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | $2 |
| Distributable Amount | $14,305 | $12,884 | $40,717 |
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
169 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Robert C. Dart: Chairman, President, and Secretary
- Claire T. Dart: Vice President and Treasurer
- William A. Dart: Founder
- Claire T. Dart: Founder
All leadership members report no compensation for their roles.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James D Lammers | Director, President, Treasurer | — | — |
| Kenneth B Dart | Director, Vice President | — | — |
| Arianna C Wooledge | Director, Secretary | — | — |
| Jackie Doak | Director | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Dart Foundation has announced grants to expand access to Project Lead The Way (PLTW) programming, supporting STEM education initiatives. The foundation has also made grants to support arts integration research and state-of-the-art educational facilities at institutions including North Central College.
The Hop Announces Arts Integration Research Grants | DartmouthRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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