Denso North America Foundation
The DENSO North America Foundation is a private foundation based in Southfield, Michigan. Founded in 2001, it supports student education in engineering, technology, and related programs, as well as disaster relief in communities where DENSO operates.
Denso North America Foundation at a glance
In short: Denso North America Foundation gave $1.4M across 8 grants in 2025 (avg $178K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,426,100
- -56.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 8
- -65.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $178,263
- +25.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $199,050
- Total assets
- $8,007,807
- -11.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (56% 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 Denso North America Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for education grants; proposals are considered by invitation only. Its website directs applicants to contact the foundation office for more information. Disaster-relief grants are made in response to natural disasters in communities where DENSO operates.
- Review Cycle
- None stated in the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None stated in the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Denso North America Foundation
Mailing address: 24777 Denso Drive, Southfield, MI 48033
Phone: (248) 372-8120
Website: https://densofoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Denso North America Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Red Cross ($250K). Together the top 8 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 82 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides education grants to colleges and universities throughout North America. Disaster-relief grants support communities where DENSO operates. In 2025, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 14% to recipients in California; the filing’s remaining state-share entry is unspecified.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Denso North America Foundation gives
- Giving grew 1326% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 328% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $100K (2022) to $3.3M (2024). In 2025 it made 8 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Red Cross Detroit, MI | Disaster Relief | $250,000 |
| Michigan Tech University Houghton, MI | Research | $200,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Research | $200,000 |
| University of Guelph | Research | $200,000 |
| Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation Pomona, CA | Research | $198,100 |
| McMaster University | Research | $173,000 |
| Kettering University Flint, MI | Research | $155,000 |
| Candian Red Cross Society | Disaster Relief | $50,000 |
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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 | $8,007,807 | $366,222 | $1,428,600 | $1,426,100 | 8 | $1,426,100 | $363,722 | $434,187 |
| 2024 | $9,070,185 | $568,474 | $3,310,401 | $3,265,022 | 23 | $3,265,022 | $552,269 | $528,469 |
| 2023 | $11,812,112 | $571,728 | $7,100 | — | — | — | $557,912 | $559,967 |
| 2022 | $11,247,484 | $190,859 | $102,500 | $100,000 | 1 | $100,000 | $160,859 | $547,960 |
| 2021 | $11,159,125 | $42,913 | $1,731,400 | $1,703,900 | 50 | $1,728,900 | — | $584,711 |
| 2020 | $12,847,452 | $66,789 | $2,685,282 | $2,682,782 | 58 | — | $49,897 | $683,301 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Denso North America Foundation reported a distributable amount of $434K 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 is dedicated to helping students advance their education in engineering, technology, and related programs. Its stated grant areas include higher education, skilled trades, collegiate clubs, and disaster relief. Higher education and skilled-trade grants are invitation-only; the foundation says it is not currently accepting submissions for collegiate-club grants. Disaster-relief grants respond to natural disasters in communities where DENSO operates.
Its 2025 recipients included universities and other organizations. The Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation, which received $198,100, describes its mission as supporting and advancing California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The University of Michigan, which received $200,000, describes its mission as representing and advocating for its member physicians.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported eight grants totaling $1,426,100. Grants ranged from $50,000 to $250,000, with a median of $199,050. The largest awards included $250,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief; $200,000 each to Michigan Tech University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Guelph for research; $198,100 to the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation for research; and $173,000 to McMaster University for research.
The foundation’s 2025–2027 U.S. higher-education request for proposals invites projects involving equipment, student projects, or research in mobility-critical skills, manufacturing technologies, or data analytics. Projects are expected to provide hands-on training and contribute to student learning and retention. The stated maximum grant considered for this program is $200,000, with a two-year grant period from September 2025 to September 2027. The RFP asks for a problem statement, project design and timeline, measurable outcomes, student cohort information, and a budget. It says proposals should be no longer than five pages. A separate statement on the foundation’s 2024 filing describes a one-page concept statement covering student development and training, innovation, or workplace-efficiency gains; it also lists equipment, lab equipment, technological advances, and university-sanctioned projects and competitions among supported uses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Martin Deschenes as president and director; Robert Townsend as vice president; David Ewing as treasurer; and Chuntao Ye, Andrew Clemence, Andris Stalmanis, Santosh Singh, Roger Berg, Amber Schultz, and Katie Walters as directors.
Denso North America Foundation is led by Martin Deschenes, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Martin Deschenes
President & Director
Director → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amber Schultz
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ana Barbosa
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Clemence
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andris Stalmanis
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuntao Ye
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Klassen
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Ruge
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Walters
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Guidry
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger Berg
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Santosh Singh
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Towsend
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Ewing
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Kerr
Secretary
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: David Cole (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: David Grimmer (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Hugh Cantrell (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Micheal Guidry (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Vincente Rodriguez (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Douglas Patton (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Pat Bassett (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Kim Madaj (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Jack Helmboldt (2020) — President & Director
- Former: Melissa Smith (2020) — Secretary
- Former: William Foy (2020) — Director
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 Denso North America Foundation
How much does Denso North America Foundation give each year?
Denso North America Foundation gave $1.4M across 8 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.3M across 23 grants.
What is Denso North America Foundation's typical grant size?
Denso North America Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $199,050, and its average grant was $178,263, across 8 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Denso North America Foundation give grants?
Denso North America Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (14%).
Does Denso North America Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 8 grants with a stated purpose on Denso North America Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (6 grants).
Who are Denso North America Foundation's largest grantees?
Denso North America Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American Red Cross ($250,000), Michigan Tech University ($200,000) and University of Michigan ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Denso North America Foundation?
Denso North America Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $434K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Denso North America Foundation fund?
The foundation is dedicated to helping students advance their education in engineering, technology, and related programs. Its stated grant areas include higher education, skilled trades, collegiate clubs, and disaster relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Denso North America Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for education grants; proposals are considered by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Denso North America Foundation's EIN?
Denso North America Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3547055. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Denso North America 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
(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 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Denso North America Foundation funds
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