Gillett Family Foundation
The Gillett Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Ada, Michigan. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2024 grants included organizations working in environmental education, medical research and awareness, arts and museums, community events, legal services, and education.
Gillett Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Gillett Family Foundation gave $293K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $292,500
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- +8.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,905
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,616,849
- +2.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 37, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (90% 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 Gillett Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3100 Boynton Avenue Ne, Ada, MI 49301
Phone: (616) 915-6024
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gillett Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Blandford Nature Center ($40K). Together the top 10 received $163K.
Grant Size Distribution
178 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 178 grants of 178 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 9% to recipients in New York, and 2% to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Gillett Family Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 37 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $268K (2023) to $329K (2022). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $293K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blandford Nature Center Grand Rapids, MI | Environment | $40,000 |
| National Multiple Sclerosis Society New York, NY | Research and Awareness | $25,000 |
| Grand Rapids Art Museum Grand Rapids, MI | MUSEUM | $20,000 |
| Everybody Plays Rockford, MI | Community Events | $18,000 |
| CASA of Kent County Grand Rapids, MI | Legal Services | $10,000 |
| Children's Healing Center Grand Rapids, MI | Children's Healing Environment | $10,000 |
| Flat River Outreach Ministry Lowell, MI | Neighborhood Assistance | $10,000 |
| Frederick Meijer Gardens Grand Rapids, MI | Art and Nature | $10,000 |
| Gerald R Ford Presidential Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Library and Museum Activities | $10,000 |
| Grand Rapids Public Museum Grand Rapids, MI | MUSEUM | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gillett Family 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 | $4,616,849 | $449,868 | $337,442 | $292,500 | 37 | $298,460 | $410,886 | $293,803 |
| 2023 | $4,508,386 | $297,118 | $309,221 | $268,000 | 34 | $273,614 | $261,511 | $273,062 |
| 2022 | $4,553,941 | $169,088 | $377,186 | $328,500 | 38 | $329,930 | $130,422 | $292,440 |
| 2021 | $4,764,166 | $384,279 | $386,196 | $304,000 | 37 | $306,510 | $303,688 | $284,009 |
| 2020 | $4,726,345 | $306,959 | $318,305 | $270,000 | 32 | — | $260,510 | $276,074 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gillett Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $294K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of activities: Blandford Nature Center says it provides environmental education and community programs; the National Multiple Sclerosis Society says it works to cure MS and empower people affected by it; and the Grand Rapids Art Museum describes its mission as connecting people through art, creativity, and design.
Other 2024 grantees describe work supporting children and families. CASA of Kent County says it recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in Kent County. Children’s Healing Center says it provides a safe, clean, and engaging environment for children with weakened immune systems.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $292,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable grants included $40,000 to Blandford Nature Center, $25,000 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and $20,000 to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Other grants of $10,000 went to CASA of Kent County, Children’s Healing Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard M. Gillett Jr. as president and treasurer, Megan G. Vogrig as secretary, and Sarah A. Gillett as co-trustee.
Gillett Family Foundation is led by Richard M. Gillett Jr., President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard M. Gillett Jr.
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah A. Gillett
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Megan G. Vogrig
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Gillett Family Foundation
How much does Gillett Family Foundation give each year?
Gillett Family Foundation gave $293K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $268K across 34 grants.
What is Gillett Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Gillett Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,905, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gillett Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Gillett Family Foundation give grants?
Gillett Family Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (28 grants), Rockford, MI (3 grants) and Lowell, MI (2 grants).
Does Gillett Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Gillett Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (5 grants) and "Community Events" (3 grants).
Who are Gillett Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Gillett Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Blandford Nature Center ($40,000), National Multiple Sclerosis Society ($25,000) and Grand Rapids Art Museum ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gillett Family Foundation?
Gillett Family Foundation reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $298K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $294K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gillett Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gillett Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gillett Family Foundation's EIN?
Gillett Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1606747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gillett Family 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gillett Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gillett-family-foundation-morg_17b2f1e096e746d68d6a8376979ae3fb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261606747_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gillett Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gillett-family-foundation-morg_17b2f1e096e746d68d6a8376979ae3fb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Gillett Family 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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