Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation is a private foundation based in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Founded in 2016, it supports qualified tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and governmental units focused on community betterment and basic human needs in states where Frankenmuth Insurance operates.
Key facts about Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation
In short: Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation gave $389K across 96 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), top state Michigan. 76% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 82-4383153
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $389,336
- Grants made (2024)
- 96
- Average grant
- $4,056
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 76% first-time grantees (68 of 90, 2024)
- Total assets
- $5,132,129
- Primary geography
- Michigan (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are submitted through the foundation’s online application form and are reviewed by the foundation committee. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation
How much does Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation give each year?
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation gave $389K across 96 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $371K across 70 grants.
What is Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's typical grant size?
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,056, across 96 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation give grants?
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's top state is Michigan, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (15%) and Georgia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saginaw, MI (4 grants), Grand Rapids, MI (4 grants), Madison, WI (3 grants) and Chicago, IL (3 grants).
Does Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 96 grants with a stated purpose on Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Support" (96 grants).
Who are Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's largest grantees?
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Eastern Kentucky University ($50,000), Georgia State University Foundation ($50,000) and United Way of Saginaw County ($40,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation open to new grantees?
76%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 68 of 90 grantees (76%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 18% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 71% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 146% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation
- How to evaluate Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.1M
+7.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$389K
+4.9% YoY
Grant Count
96
+37.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-23.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $276K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes its giving as guided by the spirit of “neighbor helping neighbor.” It supports eligible organizations and programs addressing community betterment and basic human needs, as well as health and wellness, disease research, and the arts. Its application form includes additional categories related specifically to insurance and risk management education.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of supported work. United Way of Saginaw County says its mission is to increase people’s organized capacity to care for one another and foster a safe, nurturing community where families can thrive. Food Gatherers says it works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its root causes in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Friends of Foster Kids describes its work as supporting holiday gifts for foster children and transitional assistance for young people leaving foster care. Tennessee Out-Reach Center for the Homeless says it provides services including street outreach, rapid rehousing, and shelter for families with children.
The foundation’s charitable grants guidance excludes support for individuals or families, political groups or candidates, projects normally financed by governments, sports groups, trips, conferences and special events, and operational costs for charitable organizations. Its guidance also lists educational or scholarship endeavors as excluded, while the application form identifies specific insurance-related education and career-preparation programs as eligible categories.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 96 grants totaling $389,336. Awards ranged from $250 to $50,000, with a median grant of $2,500.
Review Cycle
and that award guidelines are listed on application forms.
Ready to take the next step with Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Applicants must provide services in the states where Frankenmuth Insurance operates: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In 2024, Michigan accounted for 38% of reported grant dollars, Kentucky and Georgia 15% each, and Ohio and North Carolina 5% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 96 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,132,129 | $819,776 | $460,085 | $389,336 | 96 |
| 2023 | $4,771,776 | $427,836 | $432,983 | $371,212 | 70 |
| 2022 | $4,777,861 | $410,283 | $264,382 | $194,190 | 60 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,132,129 | $4,771,776 | $4,777,861 |
| Revenue | $819,776 | $427,836 | $410,283 |
| Expenses | $460,085 | $432,983 | $264,382 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $403,350 | $383,240 | $205,620 |
| Net Investment Income | $513,841 | $129,093 | $158,819 |
| Distributable Amount | $276,464 | $252,953 | $255,969 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
342 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Richmond, KY | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION Atlanta, GA | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| UNITED WAY OF SAGINAW COUNTY Saginaw, MI | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| HARVEST HOPE Columbia, SC | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE Boone, NC | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| TRUSTED CHOICE RELIEF FUND (FORTIFIED) Alexandria, VA | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| UNITED WAY OF SAGINAW COUNTY Saginaw, MI | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| VINA DENTAL CENTER Brighton, MI | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $5,406 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS MID-MICHIGAN Lansing, MI | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY Big Rapids, MI | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John S. Benson as chairman and director; Andrew H. Knudsen as president; Mark L. Pinkerton as vice president, charitable; Timothy S. Donnellon as vice president, educational; Scott G. Merrihew as vice president, scholarship; Dawn M. Jaffray as treasurer; Susannah W. Biskupski as secretary; and Frederick A. Edmond Jr. and Bryan L. Gilleland as directors.
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation is led by Andrew H. Knudsen, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Andrew H. Knudsen
President
Vice President & Charitable → President, Vice President & Educational, 2021
President, Vice President & Educational → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John S. Benson
Chairman & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan L. Gilleland
Director
Vice President & Educational → Vice President & Educational -, 2021
Vice President & Educational - → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frederick A. Edmond Jr.
Director
President → President -, 2021
President - → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susannah W. Biskupski
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy S. Donnellon
Vice President & Educational
Vice President & Scholarship - → Vice President & Scholarship, 2022
Vice President & Scholarship → Vice President & Educational, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark L. Pinkerton
Vice President & Charitable
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott G. Merrihew
Vice President - Scholarship
On filings since 2023
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dawn M. Jaffray
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Susan C. Bredemann (2023) — Treasurer
- Former: John D. Rosilier (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Phillip J. McCain (2021–2022) — Vice President & Charitable
- Former: David A. Pendleton (2020–2021) — Director -
- Former: Drew R. Zehnder (2020–2021) — Director -
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Applications Are Accepted Via Websi
Mailing address: 1 Mutual Avenue, Frankenmuth, MI 48787
Phone: (989) 652-6121
Website: https://www.fmins.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its giving as guided by the spirit of “neighbor helping neighbor.” It supports eligible organizations and programs addressing community betterment and basic human needs, as well as health and wellness, disease research, and the arts. Its application form includes additional categories related specifically to insurance and risk management education. Examples of grantees illustrate the range of supported work. United Way of Saginaw County says its mission is to increase p…
How do I apply for a grant from Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation?
Applications are submitted through the foundation’s online application form and are reviewed by the foundation committee. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $276K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's EIN?
Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4383153. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.