Grand Traverse Regional Community
The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation established in 1992. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, the organization operates as a philanthropic fundraising services entity with 7 employees. The foundation serves as a leader in local philanthropy, managing community assets and directing charitable giving across its service region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$105.4M
+9.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
+6.0% YoY
Grant Count
118
-0.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
+6.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: We invest in the people and places of our region and steward community assets for lasting impact.
The foundation supports positive change across a variety of local causes, including:
- Youth
- Arts and Culture
- Education
- Environment
- Health and Human Services
The foundation also operates a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Fund dedicated to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, with particular focus on organizations led by community members of color, including Black and Indigenous people, as well as LGBTQ+, immigrant, neurodiverse, veteran, and disability community members.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with typical award ranges of $5,030–$490,468. In 2020, the foundation made 765 grant awards to support 338 nonprofit partners. The foundation also provides scholarship awards to students pursuing continuing education opportunities at traditional colleges, technical schools, or trade schools.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves five counties in Northern Michigan:
- Antrim County
- Benzie County
- Grand Traverse County
- Kalkaska County
- Leelanau County
The foundation also serves the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $105,417,500 (FY 2024)
Annual Revenue: $9,865,307 (FY 2024)
Total Giving: $3,766,943 (FY 2024)
Total Expenses: $5,129,814
Net Assets: $90,131,396
Total Liabilities: $93,100
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $105,417,500 | $96,120,361 | $86,232,237 |
| Revenue | $9,865,307 | $4,933,351 | $5,051,685 |
| Expenses | $5,441,697 | $5,203,080 | $4,956,807 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $7,187,127 | $3,672,663 | $3,448,190 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
21 open opportunities from Grand Traverse Regional Community
Boys and Girls Club of Grand Traverse Endowment Grant
GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL COMMUNITY
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Fund Grant
GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL COMMUNITY
Amount
Up to US $2,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Fall Field of Interest Grants: Health & Human Services- Healthy Youth and Healthy Seniors Endowment
GRAND TRAVERSE REGIONAL COMMUNITY
Amount
US $500 - US $3,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Central Lake Public Schools ($392,815), Communities in Schools of Nw Michigan ($107,852), Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan ($96,820).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5LOAVES2FISH NMI LELAND, MI | HUMAN SERVICES | $51,510 |
| ACME CHRISTIAN THRIFT STORE & FOOD PANTRY (ACTS) TRAVERSE CITY, MI | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $18,070 |
| ACME TOWNSHIP WILLIAMSBURG, MI | ENVIRONMENTAL | $11,160 |
| ADDICTION TREATMENT SERVICES INC TRAVERSE CITY, MI | HUMAN SERVICES | $6,500 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS NORTHERN MI CHAPTER TRAVERSE CITY, MI | HUMAN SERVICES | $10,000 |
| ANTRIM COUNTY BELLAIRE, MI | ENVIRONMENTAL | $8,180 |
| AU SABLE INSTITUTE MANCELONA, MI | ENVIRONMENTAL | $11,860 |
| BENZIE AREA CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS BENZONIA, MI | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $6,494 |
| BENZIE AREA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FRANKFORT, MI | ARTS, CULTURE | $5,400 |
| BENZIE CENTRAL SCHOOLS BENZONIA, MI | EDUCATION | $13,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Philip Ellis – Chief Executive Officer
- Steven Wade – Vice President Community Impact
- Mercedes Bowyer – Donor Engagement Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JERRY RING | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| LAURA ASIALA | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| BETH DUNCKEL | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| CASH COOK | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| JURGEN GRISWOLD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK IRWIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BARBARA MATTHEWS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAN PHILLIPS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROYCE RAGLAND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MEGAN ROYLE CARRELLA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELISE LOUD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LARIS GALEJS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PHYLLIS KLADDER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRIS MACINNES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CAROL MARSH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANN STREHLE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUZANNE MILLER ALLEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN BERCINI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANNIE DEVRIES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAMIAN LOCKHART | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RACHAEL BIRGY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAUREN CLARK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RICK HEITMEYER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CARI JO ROBERTS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANDI HALPIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TERRY BEAMSLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARSHALL COLLINS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KIRA DAVIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EDWARD LANPHIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RANVE MARTINSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LARRY NELSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAVE MENGEBIER | PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUT | 40 | $157,759 |
| ALISON METIVA | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $118,024 |
| STEVEN WADE | VICE PRESIDENT COMMUNITY IMPACT | 40 | $101,122 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in recent grant distributions. In 2020, the foundation played a collaborative leadership role in the region, including convening cross-sector leaders to develop and implement a community development strategy. The foundation also collaborated with philanthropic, donor, and nonprofit partners to leverage an Urgent Needs Fund in response to the coronavirus pandemic, awarding 85 grants to 62 nonprofit partners.
Leelanau Organizations Score Grants In Latest Grand Traverse Band GamingRecent grant announcements include awards exceeding $684,000 to local organizations and participation in the Grand Traverse Band's gaming revenue distribution, with more than $900,000 awarded to communities through the Band's 2% allocation.
More than $900K awarded to communities from Grand Traverse Band 2% allocationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Grand Traverse Regional Community fund?
**Mission:** We invest in the people and places of our region and steward community assets for lasting impact. The foundation supports positive change across a variety of local causes, including: • Youth • Arts and Culture • Education • Environment • Health and Human Services The foundation also operates a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Fund dedicated to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, with particular focus on organizations led by community members of color, including B…
How do I apply for a grant from Grand Traverse Regional Community?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with typical award ranges of $5,030–$490,468. In 2020, the foundation made 765 grant awards to support 338 nonprofit partners. The foundation also provides scholarship awards to students pursuing continuing education opportunities at traditional colleges, technical schools, or trade schools. The foundation operates donor-advised funds through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds. Community Funds broadly support th…
Where does Grand Traverse Regional Community make grants?
The foundation serves five counties in Northern Michigan: • Antrim County • Benzie County • Grand Traverse County • Kalkaska County • Leelanau County The foundation also serves the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians.
What size grants does Grand Traverse Regional Community award?
In 2024, Grand Traverse Regional Community awarded 118 grants totaling $3.0M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Grand Traverse Regional Community's EIN?
Grand Traverse Regional Community's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3056434. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Grand Traverse Regional Community's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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