Frey Foundation
The Frey Foundation is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, Michigan. It is a place-based funder focused on West and Northern Michigan, supporting work in Building Community, Children & Families, Community Arts, and the Environment.
Frey Foundation at a glance
In short: Frey Foundation gave $4.8M across 195 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in Michigan. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,780,950
- -13.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 195
- -4.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $24,518
- -9.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $162,397,904
- +10.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (65 of 162, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Frey Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts inquiries from charitable or tax-exempt organizations whose work fits its geographic and program priorities; it does not limit giving to preselected organizations. Applicants submit a brief inquiry through the online grant portal and may be invited to complete a full application. The foundation says applicants can expect to hear back within 30 days of an inquiry, and staff contact invited applicants within 30 days after receiving a full application. It is not likely to fund general operating support or programs requiring participants to practice or adhere to specific religious beliefs. It typically funds up to 15% of the private-sector portion of program expenses and/or 5% of capital.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states that applications are due 12 weeks before board funding meetings, held in February, May, August, and November.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that applications are due 12 weeks before board funding meetings, held in February, May,…
- Contact
Application contact: Holly A Johnson
Mailing address: 40 Pearl Street Nw Ste 1100, Grand Rapids, MI 45903
Phone: (616) 451-0303
Email: contact@freyfdn.org
Website: https://freyfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Frey Foundation
Who Frey Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Grand Valley State University ($552K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,053 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 907 grants of 1,053 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Kent, Emmet, and Charlevoix Counties, as well as projects affecting broader West or Northern Michigan, as its geographic focus. It also accepts proposals from charitable organizations with a state-level presence or state government agencies when a proposal may directly affect its target areas. In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan; the remainder went to recipients in North Carolina, Connecticut, Illinois, and Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 195 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Frey Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 65 of 162 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.7M (2020) to $6.1M (2022). In 2024 it made 195 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Action Foundation 20 Grand Rapids, MI | Acrisure Amphitheater in Downtown Grand Rapids | $500,000 |
| Grand Valley State University Grand Rapids, MI | Fully endow the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy | $500,000 |
| Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, MI | The development of a childcare center in Rapid Central Station in downtown Grand Rapids and its first year of programming | $390,000 |
| Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Grand Rapids, MI | A Shared Vision for Brighter Futures - Building a Pediatric Rehabilitation Hospital | $300,000 |
| Pine Rest Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Pine Rest Pediatric Center for Behavioral Health | $300,000 |
| Grand Rapids Public Museum Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | The riverfront and community archives portions of the Expanding Curiosity Capital Campaign | $200,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Kent County Inc Grand Rapids, MI | Imagine capital campaign to create 100 units of affordable housing | $200,000 |
| West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition Grand Rapids, MI | Building Connections, Building Communities | $150,000 |
| Children's Healing Center Grand Rapids, MI | A Million Minutes More | $100,000 |
| Housing North Traverse City, MI | Support for a regional housing fund and expansion of existing programs | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Frey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $162,397,904 | $907,876 | $7,453,999 | $4,780,950 | 195 | $6,730,528 | $3,518,376 | $7,812,924 |
| 2023 | $147,686,324 | $1,037,790 | $8,879,633 | $5,522,441 | 205 | $7,424,479 | $1,830,683 | $6,779,390 |
| 2022 | $132,169,982 | $10,252,540 | $7,809,037 | $6,114,864 | 219 | $7,646,444 | $8,779,261 | $7,004,817 |
| 2021 | $174,201,865 | $28,162,989 | $9,167,920 | $5,487,793 | 180 | $6,994,556 | $30,430,607 | $7,913,106 |
| 2020 | $159,933,477 | $7,734,252 | $7,416,167 | $4,653,288 | 254 | — | $6,514,191 | $6,881,766 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frey Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.8M for 2024 — 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’s mission is to invest collaboratively in West and Northern Michigan to create a better place to live by strengthening communities, protecting the natural environment, enhancing the arts, and transforming the lives of individuals and families.
Its four program areas are Building Community, Children & Families, Community Arts, and the Environment. Building Community priorities include increasing access to attainable housing, encouraging well-planned development, supporting capital investments with local or regional impact, and promoting youth career readiness and opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs. The foundation also prioritizes mental health and wellness and values inclusion in board recruitment, hiring, and service delivery.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for varied community projects. For example, Grand Action Foundation 20 received support for the Acrisure Amphitheater in downtown an individual recipient; the an individual recipient Public Museum Foundation received support for a campaign involving riverfront and community archives projects; and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County received support for an affordable-housing capital campaign. The grantees describe their own missions: Grand Action Foundation 20 says it promotes an individual recipient economic and cultural development, while the West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition says it works to coordinate a regional trails and greenways network connecting communities and natural areas.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 195 grants totaling $4,780,950. Individual grants ranged from $50 to $500,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Examples of larger awards include $500,000 to Grand Action Foundation 20 for the Acrisure Amphitheater and $500,000 to an individual recipient State University to fully endow the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy. Other awards included $390,000 to the YMCA of an individual recipient for a childcare center at an individual recipient Station and its first year of programming; $300,000 each to Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation Center for a pediatric rehabilitation hospital and to Pine Rest Foundation for a pediatric behavioral health center; and $200,000 each to the an individual recipient Public Museum Foundation and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County.
The foundation also reported program-related investments in affordable housing through Northern Homes Community Development Corporation and in the Michigan Women’s Foundation’s West Michigan Microlending Investment Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation lists David G. “Tripp” Frey, Jr. as chair; Mary E. Frey Bennett as vice-chair and secretary; Laura D. Frey as treasurer; and Campbell W. Frey, Sarah R. Frey, and Ellie H. Frey Zagel as trustees. Ellie H. Frey Zagel is also listed as grants committee chair. The foundation states that all trustees serve on both the grants and investment committees.
Frey Foundation is led by Holly A. Johnson, President on every filing since 2020; all 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Holly A. Johnson
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$233K (2020) → $274K (2024)
David G. Frey Jr.
Chair
Treasurer → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
18 hrs/week
$40K (2020) → $47K (2024)
Campbell W. Frey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $18K (2024)
Sarah R. Frey Rose
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$24K (2020) → $17K (2024)
Eleonora H. Frey Zagel
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $41K (2024)
Laura D. Frey
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $38K (2024)
Mary Frey Bennett
Secretary
Chair → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$46K (2020) → $36K (2024)
Former officers (8)
- Former: David G. Frey (2020–2022) — Trustee Emeritus
- Former: Edward J. Frey Jr. (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: John M. Frey (2020–2022) — Trustee Emeritus
- Former: Katrine E. Frey (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Mary Caroline Frey (2020–2022) — Trustee Emeritus
- Former: Kenneth E. Long (2021) — CFO & COO
- Former: Cynthia A. Frey (2020) — Next General Advisory Committee
- Former: William O. Frey (2020) — Next General Advisory Committee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $274K, to Holly a Johnson (President). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Frey Foundation
How much does Frey Foundation give each year?
Frey Foundation gave $4.8M across 195 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.5M across 205 grants.
What is Frey Foundation's typical grant size?
Frey Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $24,518, across 195 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frey Foundation that year got $32K on average.
Where does Frey Foundation give grants?
Frey Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (81 grants), Petoskey, MI (13 grants), Harbor Springs, MI (13 grants) and Traverse City, MI (6 grants).
Does Frey Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 27% of Frey Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 195) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Frey Foundation's largest grantees?
Frey Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Grand Valley State University ($552,000 across 3 grants), Grand Action Foundation 20 ($520,000 across 3 grants) and Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Grand Rapids ($390,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Frey Foundation?
Frey Foundation reported $162.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Frey Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to invest collaboratively in West and Northern Michigan to create a better place to live by strengthening communities, protecting the natural environment, enhancing the arts, and transforming the lives of individuals and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frey Foundation?
The foundation accepts inquiries from charitable or tax-exempt organizations whose work fits its geographic and program priorities; it does not limit giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Frey Foundation's EIN?
Frey Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7094777. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Frey Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Frey Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frey-foundation-morg_dcb1738380754eac97b69124622bcfa9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237094777_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frey Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frey-foundation-morg_dcb1738380754eac97b69124622bcfa9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Frey 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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