Helen L Kay Charitable Trust

DETROIT, MI EIN: 38-3047073

Helen L Kay Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Detroit, Michigan. Established in 2000, it operates as a 501(c)(3) independent foundation with a focus on charitable giving in human services and health care sectors.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.3M

-1.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$331K

+3.9% YoY

Grant Count

38

+11.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

-7.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helen L Kay Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $333K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for human services and health care, including support for hospitals. Primary funding focus areas include:

  • Human Services
  • Health Care
  • Reproductive Health
  • Nursing Home Support
  • Nonprofit Human Services
  • General charitable purposes

The foundation supports a diverse range of initiatives, including Camp Discovery, furniture programs, district basketball, food rescue, and flights.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 31–34 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Recent grantees include:

Grant Range

$5,000–$10,000

Average Grant

approximately $11,600

Ready to take the next step with Helen L Kay Charitable Trust?

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan, Texas, and Illinois.

Grant Distribution by State

12states
+4 more states

Cities

AdrianAlbionAlexandriaAnn ArborAtlantaBaltimoreBirminghamBloomfieldBloomfield HillsChicagoCincinnatiClawsonClayClinton TownshipCommerceCommerce TownshipDallasDearbornDearborn HtsDetroit

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets:

  • Total assets: $5,286,590–$6,881,349 (as of 2024)

Annual Activity:

  • Total giving (2024): $330,500
  • Annual revenue (2024): $349,178
  • Total expenses (2024): $430,060

Staffing:

  • 1 employee
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$126K$252K$378K$503K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$5,286,590$5,376,035$5,594,000
Revenue$349,178$179,990$129,776
Expenses$430,060$396,949$450,578
Qualifying Distributions$340,019$325,693$380,060
Net Investment Income$260,503$108,734$60,338
Distributable Amount$333,394$308,024$322,097

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$94K$187K$281K$375K38 grants202031 grants202132 grants202234 grants202338 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

SALVATION ARMY-EASTERN M…$25KFIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURC…$25KSHRINER'S HOSPITAL FOR C…$25KSTARR COMMONWEALTH$25KGOODWILL IND OF GREATER …$25KCHILDRENS HOSPITAL MEDIC…$15KAMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION$10KJESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS$10KCROSSROADS OF MICHIGAN$10KTHE RAINBOW CONNECTION$10K

Grant Size Distribution

173 grants across all recorded years

173<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Salvation Army-eastern Michigan ($25,000), First Presbyterian Church of East Brady ($25,000), Shriner's Hospital for Children ($25,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
SALVATION ARMY-EASTERN MICHIGAN SOUTHFIELD, MISUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$25,000
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST BRADY EAST BRADY, PASUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$25,000
SHRINER'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN CHICAGO, ILSUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$25,000
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TXSUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$10,000
Presbyterian Villages of MI Foundation Southfield, MISUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$5,000
IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY PROJECT CHICAGO, ILSUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$5,000
JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS BALTIMORE, MDSUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$10,000
EDEN GARDENS BLOCK CLUB DETROIT, MISUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$5,000
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER CINCINNATI, OHSUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$15,000
DR GARY BURNSTEIN COMMUNITY PONTIAC, MISUPPORT OF DAILY OPERATIONS$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Matthew Grabowski – Vice President
  • Comerica Bank – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

COMERICA BANKTRUSTEE$95K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
COMERICA BANKTRUSTEE1$95,191

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Helen L Kay Charitable Trust fund?

The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for human services and health care, including support for hospitals. Primary funding focus areas include: • Human Services • Health Care • Reproductive Health • Nursing Home Support • Nonprofit Human Services • General charitable purposes The foundation supports a diverse range of initiatives, including Camp Discovery, furniture programs, district basketball, food rescue, and flights.

How do I apply for a grant from Helen L Kay Charitable Trust?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $2,500 to $40,000 • Median grant size: $5,000–$10,000 • Average grant size: approximately $11,600 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 31–34 grants in its most recent fiscal year. Recent grantees include: • Salvation Army / Eastern Michigan Division ($25,000) • Starr Commonwealth ($25,000) • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ($15,000) • Shriner's Hospital For Children **Total Giving:** • 2024: $330,500 • Annual g…

Where does Helen L Kay Charitable Trust make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan, Texas, and Illinois.

What size grants does Helen L Kay Charitable Trust award?

In 2024, Helen L Kay Charitable Trust awarded 38 grants totaling $331K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Helen L Kay Charitable Trust required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Helen L Kay Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $333K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Helen L Kay Charitable Trust's EIN?

Helen L Kay Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3047073. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Helen L Kay Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

What could you do with Helen L Kay Charitable Trust on Grantable?

  • Assess strategic fit with your organization
  • Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
  • Find open RFPs from this funder
  • Monitor for new funding opportunities

Go from researching Helen L Kay Charitable Trust to a real strategy.

Plan your approach