Herrick Foundation
The Herrick Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1949 by Ray Wesley Herrick, an industrialist and founder of Tecumseh Products Co. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the foundation operates as an invitation-only, 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a staff of three employees. The foundation seeks to empower and support organizations that strengthen communities and help people flourish.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$7.5M
+4.0% YoY
Grant Count
53
+112.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$141K
-50.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission emphasizes higher education, including research grants, scholarship programs (made through college and postgraduate educational institutions, not individual scholarships), and capital funding. The foundation also provides grants for church support, youth, health and welfare agencies, hospitals, and libraries.
Current focus areas include:
- Community Wellbeing
- Lifelong Learning
- Housing
Grantmaking
The Herrick Foundation operates as an invitation-only grantmaking organization. Recent grant activity demonstrates substantial support for various initiatives:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Herrick Foundation's geographic priorities include the following Michigan counties:
- Washtenaw
- Lenawee
- Livingston
- Jackson
- Monroe
- Emmet
- Charlevoix
The foundation generally does not support organizations focused on Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending September 2024:
- Total Assets: $179,053,825
- Total Revenue: $7,183,854
- Total Expenses: $8,956,937
- Net Income: -$1,773,083
- Total Liabilities: $17,000
- Total Giving: $7,463,088
A substantial portion of the foundation's assets consists of shares of Tecumseh Products Co. common stock, originally donated by Ray Wesley Herrick and his wife.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| 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
202 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Wendy Brightman — Chief Executive Officer and Secretary Holds a Masters in Business Management and Leadership (MML), CFRE, and CFRM credentials. Joined the Herrick Foundation as CEO in early 2023 after two decades of leadership in the nonprofit sector. Brings experience in collaborative board governance, donor relationships, and trust-based philanthropy.
Helen Starman — Senior Program Officer Joined the Herrick Foundation in 2025 with nearly 30 years of experience in fund development and nonprofit leadership. Holds a BA and MSW from the University of Michigan and is trained as a clinical social worker.
Jennifer Amormino — Administrative Services Manager Joined the foundation in September 2023, bringing 20 years of operations experience and relationship-building skills.
Lisa Herrick Parker — President and Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LISA HERRICK PARKER | PRESIDENT/TR | 40 | $120,000 |
| LINDA J HERRICK | TRUSTEE | 10 | $12,000 |
| WENDY BRIGHTMAN | CEO/SECRETAR | 40 | $279,786 |
| SHELBY HERRICK | TRUSTEE | 2 | $2,500 |
| ERIC R PARKER | TRUSTEE | 2 | $2,500 |
| RACHEL PARKER | TRUSTEE | 2 | $2,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Herrick Foundation has been active in directing resources to rural Michigan communities and supporting educational initiatives. Recent grant announcements include partnerships focused on arts sustainability, capacity building for nonprofit networks, and support for social work education programs serving at-risk youth.
Wilson, Herrick foundations direct $1.7M to ruralcommunities - Crain's DetroitRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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