Gary Sisters Foundation
The Gary Sisters Foundation is a private foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 2025, it gave 27 grants totaling $115,600, all to recipients in Michigan, supporting organizations and programs including education, housing and social services, youth activities, and basic needs.
Gary Sisters Foundation at a glance
In short: Gary Sisters Foundation gave $116K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Michigan. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $115,600
- +2.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,281
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $866,347
- -8.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gary Sisters Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Frances A Little as the contact. Applicants should provide a brief description and budget for the program the grant is intended to fund. Individuals are ineligible to receive grants or loans.
- Contact
Application contact: Frances A Little
Mailing address: 4415 Duke Street Suite 1E, Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (269) 344-6143
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gary Sisters Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kalamazoo Valley Community College ($21K). Together the top 10 received $70K.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 107 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan. Listed recipients include organizations in Kalamazoo and Portage, as well as elsewhere in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gary Sisters Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 79% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $81K (2020) to $126K (2022). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $116K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo, MI | Provision of Educational Opportunities | $21,100 |
| Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association Kalamazoo, MI | Support Programs | $9,500 |
| Community Homeworks Kalamazoo, MI | Organizational Tool Capacity | $5,000 |
| First Day Shoe Fund Portage, MI | SHOES | $5,000 |
| Kalamazoo Drop-in Child Care Kalamazoo, MI | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Kalamazoo Housing Advocates Kalamazoo, MI | Social Services | $5,000 |
| Open Doors Kalamazoo Kalamazoo, MI | Apartment Renovations and Repairs | $5,000 |
| SLD Read Kalamazoo, MI | Support Programs | $5,000 |
| Warm Kids Portage, MI | Winter Clothing | $5,000 |
| Special Olympics Michigan Bloomfield, MI | General Operations | $4,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Gary Sisters 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $866,347 | $39,227 | $123,430 | $115,600 | 27 | $119,238 | $35,590 | $150,641 |
| 2024 | $950,550 | $382,413 | $119,640 | $112,580 | 24 | $116,105 | $378,888 | $119,099 |
| 2023 | $687,777 | $23,205 | $125,494 | $109,088 | 18 | $112,138 | $20,168 | $115,630 |
| 2022 | $790,066 | $380,398 | $133,143 | $126,287 | 21 | $129,512 | $377,173 | $112,313 |
| 2021 | $542,811 | $18,328 | $104,263 | $99,243 | 17 | $101,743 | $15,687 | $128,823 |
| 2020 | $628,746 | $19,070 | $87,025 | $81,000 | 20 | — | $16,065 | $102,338 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gary Sisters Foundation reported a distributable amount of $151K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for educational opportunities, housing-related services and repairs, children’s shoes and winter clothing, and organizational operations and programs.
Among its grantees, Community Homeworks describes its mission as empowering neighbors to maintain safe, stable, and sustainable homes. Kalamazoo Housing Advocates says it works to break the cycle of homelessness in Kalamazoo County, while Open Doors Kalamazoo describes its work as building relationships to overcome homelessness. First Day Shoe Fund says it provides new athletic shoes at no cost to students at Kalamazoo County public elementary schools. Special Olympics Michigan describes providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $115,600. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $21,100, with a median grant of $3,000.
The largest reported award was $21,100 to Kalamazoo Valley Community College for educational opportunities. Other notable grants included $9,500 to Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association for program support and $5,000 each to Community Homeworks, First Day Shoe Fund, Kalamazoo Drop-In Child Care, Kalamazoo Housing Advocates, Open Doors Kalamazoo, SLD Read, and Warm Kids. The foundation also awarded $4,500 to Special Olympics Michigan, $4,000 to Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, and $4,000 to Kalamazoo Eastside Boxing.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cynthia P Ortega as president, George T Schumacher as vice president, Frances A Little as secretary, and Mitchell Wilson as treasurer.
Gary Sisters Foundation is led by Cynthia P. Ortega, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cynthia P. Ortega
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frances A. Little
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George T. Schumacher
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell Wilson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Gary Sisters Foundation
How much does Gary Sisters Foundation give each year?
Gary Sisters Foundation gave $116K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $113K across 24 grants.
What is Gary Sisters Foundation's typical grant size?
Gary Sisters Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,281, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gary Sisters Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Gary Sisters Foundation give grants?
Gary Sisters Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Kalamazoo, MI (22 grants) and Portage, MI (3 grants).
Does Gary Sisters Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Gary Sisters Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gary Sisters Foundation's largest grantees?
Gary Sisters Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kalamazoo Valley Community College ($21,100), Kalamazoo Junior Golf Association ($9,500) and Community Homeworks ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gary Sisters Foundation?
Gary Sisters Foundation reported $866K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $119K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $151K (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 Gary Sisters Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for educational opportunities, housing-related services and repairs, children’s shoes and winter clothing, and organizational operations and programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gary Sisters Foundation?
The filing lists Frances A Little as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gary Sisters Foundation's EIN?
Gary Sisters Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3109660. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gary Sisters Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation
Kalamazoo, MI
The Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation supports charitable organizations and projects that improve quality of life, with broad interests including education, housing, hunger relief, and community programs. Grants typically range from $3,000 to $30,000, with a median of $10,000; most go to the greater Kalamazoo area, Michigan. It accepts online applications during two annual periods, in March and August.
Assets
$17.6M
Grants
106
Total Given
$1.3M
Comerica Charitable Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Comerica Charitable Foundation supports economic and community development, education, human services, and equity, primarily through regional, state, and local organizations in Texas, Michigan, California, Arizona, and Florida. In 2025, its four grants ranged from $5,000 to $3,364,120, with a median of $142,250. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.9M
Grants
4
Total Given
$3.7M
Dorothy U Dalton Foundation Inc
Kalamazoo, MI
The Dorothy U Dalton Foundation supports Michigan charities working in areas including arts and theater, health care, senior services, violence prevention, and human services. In 2024, grants ranged from $361 to $150,000, with a median of $12,750. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$27.6M
Grants
100
Total Given
$2.1M
Tyler-Little Family Foundation
Kalamazoo, MI
The Tyler-Little Family Foundation supports organizations in areas including senior services, arts and culture, education, healthcare, and community support, with most funding going to Michigan. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $4,000. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.8M
Grants
71
Total Given
$524K
Enna Foundation
Kalamazoo, MI
ENNA Foundation funds Kalamazoo, Michigan organizations working to strengthen community ties, build collective capacity, bridge differences, and address systemic barriers. In 2024, grants ranged from $10,000 to $175,000, with a median of $50,000. It invites organizations to apply through its website, so unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$11K
Grants
37
Total Given
$2.1M
Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation
Kalamazoo, MI
The Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation supports arts and culture, health and human services, and education—particularly Jewish religious education—with an emphasis on long-term benefits for people in the Kalamazoo community, especially those facing financial or physical hardship. Its 2025 grants ranged from $434 to $150,000, with a median of $12,000; it says applications are considered twice a year and invites applicants to submit a grant application.
Assets
$26.1M
Grants
89
Total Given
$1.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Michigan
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gary Sisters Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gary-sisters-foundation-morg_85aec3c2290b465a87aaa5cb3ceda7e7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383109660_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gary Sisters Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gary-sisters-foundation-morg_85aec3c2290b465a87aaa5cb3ceda7e7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Gary Sisters 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.
Gary Sisters Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?