Jack and Lija Romence

GRAND RAPIDS, MI EIN: 38-3147551

The Jack and Lija Romence Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Established in January 1994, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a non-operating foundation. The foundation makes charitable contributions to preselected organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$117K

+42.9% YoY

Grant Count

33

+6.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

+34.2% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applications.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily supports organizations in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, which account for 65% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states, with concentrated focus in Michigan.

Grant Distribution by State

20states
+12 more states

Cities

ADAALBERT LEAALLENDALEARLINGTONATLANTABALTIMOREBEREABOONEBOSTONBRUNSWICKCHAMBERLAINCHICAGODALLASDEWITTDORRETNAGILLETTGRAND RAPIDSHILLSDALEKANSAS CITY

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Income:

  • Total assets: $1,925,956 (2024)
  • Total assets: $1,580,000 (2023)
  • Annual income: $783,000
  • Revenue: $433,000 (2023)
  • Expenses: $83,500 (2023)
  • Total liabilities: $0 (2023)

Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $16,000 in 2011 to $1,600,000 in 2023.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$29K$59K$88K$117K31 grants202040 grants202136 grants202231 grants202333 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

DA BLODGETT ST JOHNS$20KCALVIN UNIVERSITY$20KCURE INTERNATIONAL CHILD…$20KPOTTERS HOUSE$20KHOSPICE OF MICHIGAN$11KVAN ANDEL INSTITUTE$8KFIRST HAND FOUNDATION$2KGRAND VALLEY SCHOOL OF N…$2KMAP INTERNATIONAL$2KST JUDES RESEARCH HOSPITAL$2K

Grant Size Distribution

171 grants across all recorded years

171<$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 Da Blodgett St Johns ($20,300), Calvin University ($20,000), Cure International Childres Hospita ($20,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
ALICE LLOYD COLLEGE PIPP PASSES, KYCHARITABLE$500
BEREA COLLEGE BEREA, KYEDUCATIONAL$200
CALVIN UNIVERSITY GRAND RAPIDS, MIEDUCATIONAL$20,000
CARE ATLANTA, GACHARITABLE$200
CASCADE CHRISTIAN CHURCH GRAND RAPIDS, MICHARITABLE$500
CATHOLIC MEDICAL MISSION BOARD LONG ISLAND CITY, NYCHARITABLE$100
CHERRY STREET HEALTH CENTER GRAND RAPIDS, MICHARITABLE$1,000
COMPASSION & CHOICES ETNA, NHCHARITABLE$100
CURE INTERNATIONAL CHILDRES HOSPITA GRAND RAPIDS, MICHARITABLE$20,000
DA BLODGETT ST JOHNS GRAND RAPIDS, MICHARITABLE$20,300

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Principal Officer: Jack L Romence

The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
JACK L ROMENCEDIRECTOR
LIJA K ROMENCEDIRECTOR
KRISTINA A ROMENCEDIRECTOR

Contact Information

Phone: (616) 949-8304

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Jack and Lija Romence fund?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Jack and Lija Romence?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $117,040 (2024) • Annual giving has grown from $37,000 in 2020 to $82,000 in 2023 • The foundation has made 138 grants totaling $265,000 across available records • Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $20,000, with an average award of $2,000 and a median grant of $500 • Typical awards range from $30 to $20,300 **Application Process:** The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only and does not accept unsolicited applicat…

Where does Jack and Lija Romence make grants?

The foundation primarily supports organizations in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, which account for 65% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states, with concentrated focus in Michigan.

What size grants does Jack and Lija Romence award?

In 2024, Jack and Lija Romence awarded 33 grants totaling $117K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Jack and Lija Romence's EIN?

Jack and Lija Romence's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3147551. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

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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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