Friends of the Parks
The Corporation is organized to create, build, maintain, operate, preserve, improve and promote public recreational programs, public parks, and public recreational facilities, all within the City of Farmington Hills; and to raise funds, and receive and manage contributions, donations, gifts and grants to be used to accomplish said purposes. The Corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to other organizations which are exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future United Stated federal tax code.
Friends of the Parks at a glance
In short: Friends of the Parks gave $90K across 3 grants in 2026 (avg $30K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $89,748
- -67.3% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 3
- -40.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $29,916
- -45.4% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $24,781
- Total assets
- $560,122
- +15.1% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2026; updated September 2026.
Who Friends of the Parks funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was City of Farmington Hills ($90K across 3 grants).
Grant Size Distribution
16 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 16 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Friends of the Parks gives
- Giving fell 86% from 2023 to 2026. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2024) to $634K (2023). In 2026 it made 3 grants totaling $90K.
*2021: Covers 16 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Farmington Hills Farmington Hills, MI | Expenses for Hawk Nature Trail & Outdoor Classroom | $58,426 |
| City of Farmington Hills Farmington Hills, MI | Expenses for Invasive Species Management | $24,781 |
| City of Farmington Hills Farmington Hills, MI | Expenses for Memorial Bench/Tree | $6,541 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $560,122 | $163,468 | $89,832 | $89,748 | 3 | $1,307 |
| 2025 | $486,486 | $328,822 | $282,237 | $274,153 | 5 | $1,408 |
| 2024 | $439,901 | $74,128 | $12,343 | $5,700 | 1 | $1,251 |
| 2023 | $378,116 | $296,153 | $642,758 | $634,117 | 4 | $674 |
| 2022 | $724,721 | $459,752 | $316,392 | $316,005 | 3 | $218 |
| 2021* | $858,039 | $223,473 | $24 | — | — | $288 |
*2021: Covers 16 months (fiscal year-end changed).
About Friends of the Parks
Based on IRS filings
Friends of the Parks is a public charity focused on Education, based in Farmington Hills, MI. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2026. As of 2026, the organization holds $560K in total assets. In 2026, it awarded 3 grants totaling $90K. Net investment income was $1K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Friends of the Parks is led by Ellen Schnackel, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 6 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Ellen Schnackel
President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Stimson
Chairperson
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Farmer
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Ruffolo
Secretary
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Antishin
Vice President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Skrobola
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Friends of the Parks
How much does Friends of the Parks give each year?
Friends of the Parks gave $90K across 3 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. In 2025 it gave $274K across 5 grants.
What is Friends of the Parks's typical grant size?
Friends of the Parks's median grant in 2026 was $24,781, and its average grant was $29,916, across 3 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990.
Where does Friends of the Parks give grants?
Friends of the Parks gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Farmington Hills, MI (3 grants).
Does Friends of the Parks give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Friends of the Parks's 2026 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Friends of the Parks?
Friends of the Parks reported $560K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $163K.
What is Friends of the Parks?
Friends of the Parks is a public charity focused on Education, based in Farmington Hills, MI. It holds $560K in total assets as of 2026.
What is Friends of the Parks's EIN?
Friends of the Parks's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2920710. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 29, 2022)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Browse active grant opportunities in Friends of the Parks's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Friends of the Parks'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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