James a Welch Foundation
The James A Welch Foundation is a private foundation based in Flint, Michigan. Established in 1960, it supports educational opportunities for gifted and talented young people in Flint and Genesee County, Michigan.
James a Welch Foundation at a glance
In short: James a Welch Foundation gave $188K across 13 grants in 2026 (avg $14K), mostly in Michigan. 46% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $188,155
- +21.6% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 13
- +18.2% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $14,473
- +2.9% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,047,920
- +16.1% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James a Welch Foundation
- How to Apply
The 2024 filing says requests should include a summary page with information about the applicant organization, the amount requested, and the purpose; a narrative explaining the project’s expected impact and broader…
The 2024 filing says requests should include a summary page with information about the applicant organization, the amount requested, and the purpose; a narrative explaining the project’s expected impact and broader benefits; and supporting materials, including a project budget, projected and received grant lists, a financial statement, key project personnel, governing-body members, and a copy of the IRS exemption letter. The foundation requires eight copies of the paperwork. Awards are for education, guidance, and counseling for gifted students and are generally restricted to Genesee County residents.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists the 20th of February, May, August, or November as proposal submission dates; these dates are past cycles, and the filing’s deadline statement is incomplete.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists the 20th of February, May, August, or November as proposal submission dates; these dates are…
- Contact
Application contact: Stephen Schlott
Mailing address: 5206 Gateway Cnt Ste 100, Flint, MI 48507
Phone: (810) 238-4617
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from James a Welch Foundation
Who James a Welch Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Flint Science Fair ($25K). Together the top 10 received $177K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 52 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Flint, Michigan. All grant dollars listed for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan. Its 2024 filing says awards are generally restricted to residents of Genesee County, Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James a Welch Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 54% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+18%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $117K (2020) to $188K (2026). In 2026 it made 13 grants totaling $188K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Science Fair Flint, MI | General | $25,000 |
| Flint Institute of Arts Flint, MI | Pre-College Portfolio | $25,000 |
| International Academy of Flint Flint, MI | Robotics | $25,000 |
| Flint Institute of Music Flint, MI | FSPA Esembles | $25,000 |
| Regents of U of M Flint, MI | Growing STEM Futures | $20,000 |
| Flint Institute of Science & Histor Flint, MI | Power up | $18,850 |
| Sylvester Broome Empowerment Villag Flint, MI | Young Authors | $10,000 |
| Artdillo Studios Flint, MI | Common Clay Club | $10,000 |
| Active Boys in Christ Flint, MI | STEM | $10,000 |
| Grand Blanc Youth Arts Grand Blanc, MI | Youth Arts Program | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with James a Welch Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3,047,920 | $645,106 | $221,507 | $188,155 | 13 | $204,547 | $635,573 | $186,829 |
| 2025 | $2,624,321 | $301,794 | $182,585 | $154,750 | 11 | $169,493 | $293,289 | $164,031 |
| 2024 | $2,505,112 | $245,477 | $175,738 | $142,500 | 9 | $152,300 | $237,552 | $148,612 |
| 2023 | $2,435,373 | $428,414 | $183,690 | $159,000 | 9 | $159,000 | $420,331 | $139,858 |
| 2022 | $2,190,649 | $171,155 | $174,263 | $145,500 | 10 | $145,500 | $163,301 | $160,247 |
| 2021 | $2,193,757 | $322,568 | $163,914 | $147,012 | 9 | — | $313,285 | $145,234 |
| 2020 | $2,035,103 | $183,319 | $142,129 | $117,355 | 10 | — | $174,925 | $131,456 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James a Welch Foundation reported a distributable amount of $187K for 2026 — 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 stated focus is expanding educational opportunities and supporting the growth and development of talented young people. Its 2024 filing identifies education, guidance, and counseling for gifted students as areas of support.
Its 2025 grants included arts, music, science, robotics, and youth innovation projects. Among the grantees, Tapology Inc. describes its mission as preserving and promoting dance through performance, education, and community outreach. The Flint Institute of Music says it transforms lives through music, theatre, and dance; the Flint Institute of Arts says it connects diverse communities through visual art experiences.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $154,750 through 11 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $3,750 to $25,000, with a median of $15,000. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 13 grants totaling $188,155.
Largest 2025 grants included $25,000 each to Tapology for a summer tap intensive and Flint Science Fair for general support; $20,000 to Michigan Robotics Foundation for Metal Muscle; and $20,000 to McCree Theatre for its repertory company. Other grants included $16,000 to Flint Institute of Music for FSPA ensembles and $15,000 to Flint Institute of Arts for a pre-college portfolio program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gail Ganakas as president; Stephen Schlott as secretary/treasurer; Rebecca Pettengill as vice president; and Ernelle Taylor, Tina Smith, Dennis Haley, and Craig Coney as directors.
James a Welch Foundation is led by Gail Ganakas, President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 8 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Gail Ganakas
President
On filings since 2020
$2K (2020) → $2K (2026)
Rebecca Pettengill
V President
Director → V President, 2022
On filings since 2020
$2K (2022) → $1K (2026)
Dennis Haley
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ernelle Taylor
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Craig Coney
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Tina Smith
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Nathan Adams
Director
New on the 2026 filing
No compensation reported
Stephen Schlott
Secretary
Vice President → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
$2K (2020) → $800 (2026)
Former officers (1)
- Former: John C. Briggs (2020–2021) — Secretary-Tr
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $2K, to Gail Ganakas (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about James a Welch Foundation
How much does James a Welch Foundation give each year?
James a Welch Foundation gave $188K across 13 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $155K across 11 grants.
What is James a Welch Foundation's typical grant size?
James a Welch Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,473, across 13 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James a Welch Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does James a Welch Foundation give grants?
James a Welch Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Flint, MI (12 grants).
Does James a Welch Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of James a Welch Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James a Welch Foundation's largest grantees?
James a Welch Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Flint Science Fair ($25,000), Flint Institute of Arts ($25,000) and International Academy of Flint ($25,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is James a Welch Foundation?
James a Welch Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $205K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $187K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James a Welch Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated focus is expanding educational opportunities and supporting the growth and development of talented young people. Its 2024 filing identifies education, guidance, and counseling for gifted students as areas of support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James a Welch Foundation?
The 2024 filing says requests should include a summary page with information about the applicant organization, the amount requested, and the purpose; a narrative explaining the project’s expected impact and broader… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James a Welch Foundation's EIN?
James a Welch Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-1690381. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James a Welch Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-a-welch-foundation-morg_75361e0a673b4101a05d3ed9ff15b22b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_381690381_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James a Welch Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-a-welch-foundation-morg_75361e0a673b4101a05d3ed9ff15b22b},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. 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 James a Welch 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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