Irving S Gilmore Foundation
The Irving S. Gilmore Foundation is a private foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Established in 1972, it supports nonprofit organizations working to enrich the cultural, social, and economic life of Greater Kalamazoo.
Irving S Gilmore Foundation at a glance
In short: Irving S Gilmore Foundation gave $15.7M across 205 grants in 2025 (avg $76K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $15,676,271
- +14.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 205
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $76,470
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $367,496,629
- +4.1% vs 2024
- 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.
How to apply to Irving S Gilmore Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit one single-sided paper application by mail or drop it off. Grants of $10,000 or less may be submitted at any time.
- Review Cycle
- For proposals above $10,000, the listed 2026 deadlines are January 5, March 2, May 1, July 1, September 1, and November 2. Trustee review dates are March 24, May 26, July 28, September 22, and November 24, 2026, and January 26, 2027, respectively.
- Deadline
- For proposals above $10,000, the listed 2026 deadlines are January 5, March 2, May 1, July 1, September 1, and…
- Contact
Application contact: See Statement
Mailing address: 136 E Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Phone: (269) 342-6411
Website: https://isgilmore.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Irving S Gilmore Foundation
Who Irving S Gilmore Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Irving S Gilmore International Keyboard Festival ($1.6M across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $8.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
638 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 434 grants of 638 (68%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation supports charitable organizations’ projects, programs, and purposes in Kalamazoo County. All 2025 grant dollars were reported for recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 205 itemized grants.
Cities
How Irving S Gilmore Foundation gives
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% 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 (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 $13.1M (2020) to $17.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 205 grants totaling $15.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | Industrial Trades Complex Renovation and Expansion | $1,300,000 |
| Irving S Gilmore International Keyboard Festival Kalamazoo, MI | Operational Support | $1,000,000 |
| Western Michigan University Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | Gilmore Theatre Complex Lighting/Technology Upgrades | $1,000,000 |
| Ecumenical Senior Center Kalamazoo, MI | Capital Campaign | $775,000 |
| Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency Portage, MI | EFA Operational Support | $670,000 |
| Senior Services Inc Kalamazoo, MI | Facilities Improvements | $549,000 |
| Irving S Gilmore International Keyboard Festival Kalamazoo, MI | Purchase of Three Steinway Pianos | $543,584 |
| Bureau of Services for Blind Persons Lansing, MI | Roof replacement for bureau of blind services training center | $500,000 |
| Kalamazoo Public Schools Kalamazoo, MI | Chenery Auditorium Phase 1 Capital Improvements | $450,000 |
| Southwest Michigan First Corporation Kalamazoo, MI | Operational Support | $350,000 |
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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 | $367,496,629 | $42,186,927 | $19,064,831 | $15,676,271 | 205 | $17,078,975 | $43,683,138 | $17,102,894 |
| 2024 | $352,967,314 | $26,937,160 | $19,858,059 | $13,677,147 | 209 | $15,046,298 | $26,654,728 | $16,709,600 |
| 2023 | $332,627,704 | $17,304,547 | $17,578,812 | $14,366,106 | 212 | $15,521,783 | $17,564,162 | $15,121,633 |
| 2022 | $291,511,560 | $17,858,585 | $21,159,494 | $17,148,606 | 6 | $18,340,171 | $15,994,094 | $15,445,364 |
| 2021 | $388,410,325 | $41,180,610 | $16,689,065 | $13,383,126 | 6 | $14,549,193 | $39,028,787 | $18,293,708 |
| 2020 | $358,881,475 | $37,813,176 | $16,717,442 | $13,054,503 | 6 | — | $36,117,319 | $14,545,328 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Irving S Gilmore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.1M 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
The Foundation’s mission is to support and enrich the cultural, social, and economic life of Greater Kalamazoo. Its priorities include:
- Arts, Culture & Humanities: Visual, performing and media arts; communications; humanities; and history.
- Human Services: Youth development, life skills, food and nutrition, public safety, parks and recreation, and other services benefiting individuals, families, and neighborhoods. The Foundation generally does not support athletics and provides only nominal support for housing and shelter.
- Education: Programs and activities that enhance lifelong learning. The Foundation generally does not support core operations and programming of K–12 educational institutions.
- Community Development: Investments that strengthen and unify communities, build community spirit, and enhance capacity for innovation and growth.
- Health & Well-Being: Programs and activities addressing individuals’ physical, mental, and emotional needs.
The Foundation supports a range of local organizations. For example, Ecumenical Senior Center describes its mission as improving quality of life for older adults; Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes says it works to feed hungry people and engage the community in ending hunger; and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as serving the community through musical listening and learning experiences.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation awarded 205 grants totaling $15,676,271. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $1,300,000, with a median grant of $25,000.
Among its largest 2025 awards were $1,300,000 to Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation for an industrial trades complex renovation and expansion; $1,000,000 to the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival for operational support; $1,000,000 to Western Michigan University Foundation for Gilmore Theatre Complex lighting and technology upgrades; and $775,000 to Ecumenical Senior Center for a capital campaign. Other notable awards included $670,000 to Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency for EFA operational support and $549,000 to Senior Services Inc. for facilities improvements.
Applications must be submitted as a single-sided paper copy; the Foundation does not accept applications online or by email. First-time applicants, and organizations that have not received Foundation funding in the past five years, must contact the Executive Director or Program Associate at least four weeks before applying. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or for academic research. Applications should include a cover letter with three required signatures, a narrative of up to four pages, operating and—where relevant—project budgets, recent financial statements, and the most recent audit, third-party review or compilation, or IRS Form 990. First-time applicants must also include their IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists FL Parks as chairman; MG Coleman as president; JH Moore as first vice president; CD Wattles as treasurer; RM Beam as secretary; RT Ezelle as trustee; RM Hughey Jr. as executive vice president/CEO; CE Duck as vice president–administration; and CR Snapp as vice president–program. The Foundation’s application information identifies Carol Snapp as Executive Director and Kristy Brady as Program Associate.
Irving S Gilmore Foundation is led by Rm Hughey Jr., Executive Vice President & CEO on every filing since 2022; all 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rm Hughey Jr.
Executive Vice President & CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$227K (2022) → $253K (2025)
Mg Coleman
President
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$30K (2022) → $30K (2025)
Fl Parks
Chairman
On filings since 2022
25 hrs/week
$29K (2022) → $20K (2025)
Rt Ezelle
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$2K (2023) → $29K (2025)
Cd Wattles
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$30K (2022) → $29K (2025)
Ce Duck
Vp-Admin
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$136K (2022) → $153K (2025)
Cr Snapp
Vp-Program
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$120K (2022) → $134K (2025)
Jh Moore
1st Vice President
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$29K (2022) → $29K (2025)
Rm Beam
Secretary
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$30K (2022) → $18K (2025)
Former officers (10)
- Former: Rn Kilgore (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Beam Rm (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Coleman Mg (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Duck Ce (2020–2021) — Vp-Admin
- Former: Hughey Jr Rm (2020–2021) — Executive Vice President & CEO
- Former: Kilgore Rn (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Moore Jh (2020–2021) — 1st Vice President
- Former: Parks Fl (2020–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Snapp Cr (2020–2021) — Vp-Program
- Former: Wattles Cd (2020–2021) — Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $253K, to RM Hughey Jr (Exec VP/CEO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Irving S Gilmore Foundation
How much does Irving S Gilmore Foundation give each year?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation gave $15.7M across 205 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $13.7M across 209 grants.
What is Irving S Gilmore Foundation's typical grant size?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $76,470, across 205 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Irving S Gilmore Foundation give grants?
Irving S Gilmore 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 (165 grants), Portage, MI (14 grants), Grand Rapids, MI (6 grants) and Battle Creek, MI (3 grants).
Does Irving S Gilmore Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 41% of Irving S Gilmore Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (85 of 205) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Programming" (5 grants) and "Capital Campaign" (3 grants).
Who are Irving S Gilmore Foundation's largest grantees?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Irving S Gilmore International Keyboard Festival ($1,581,279 across 5 grants), Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation ($1,300,000) and Western Michigan University Foundation ($1,055,450 across 6 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Irving S Gilmore Foundation?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation reported $367.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17.1M (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 Irving S Gilmore Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support and enrich the cultural, social, and economic life of Greater Kalamazoo. Its priorities include: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Irving S Gilmore Foundation?
Submit one single-sided paper application by mail or drop it off. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Irving S Gilmore Foundation's EIN?
Irving S Gilmore Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7236057. 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Irving S Gilmore Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/irving-s-gilmore-foundation-morg_f9294bcc195442bba744250f06958573
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237236057_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Irving S Gilmore Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/irving-s-gilmore-foundation-morg_f9294bcc195442bba744250f06958573},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Irving S Gilmore 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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