Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation
The Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation is a private foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It supports public and charitable causes primarily in the Kalamazoo community, with particular emphasis on improving downtown Kalamazoo.
Key facts about Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation
In short: Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation gave $499K across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Michigan. 37% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 36-3584018
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $499,068
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- Average grant
- $9,786
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (19 of 51, 2024)
- Total assets
- $16,244,807
- Primary geography
- Michigan (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation’s guidelines say unsolicited applications generally will not be reviewed or acknowledged. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.2M
-0.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$499K
+34.4% YoY
Grant Count
51
+18.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+13.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $723K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 51 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated aim is the improvement of downtown Kalamazoo. It considers requests for capital needs and special project funding.
Its 2024 grants included support for health, arts, education, community services, and cultural organizations. For example, Bronson Health Foundation describes its work as connecting philanthropic support with Bronson’s healing missions; the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo says it supports, promotes, and funds the arts in Kalamazoo County; and Gryphon Place says it helps people navigate conflict and crisis, foster resiliency, restore community, and support healing.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 51 grants totaling $499,068. Grants ranged from $100 to $53,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed awards included $53,000 to Ascension Borgess Foundation for Tree of Love/Emergency Department, $51,000 to Bronson Health Foundation for emergency/urgent care support, $30,000 to Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition for capital, and $29,239 to Community Healing Center for operations. Other awards included $25,000 to Kalamazoo College for HVAC upgrades, $20,000 to the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo for ASL programming, and $20,000 to Gryphon Place for capital.
Review Cycle
** None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation states that it primarily considers public and charitable causes within Kalamazoo, Michigan, with particular emphasis on downtown Kalamazoo. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan; the remaining reported shares went to recipients in Washington, DC (3%), New York (2%), Colorado (1%), and Illinois (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 51 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
255 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASCENSION BORGESS FOUNDATION Kalamazoo, MI | TREE OF LOVE/EMERGENCY DEPT | $53,000 |
| BRONSON HEALTH FOUNDATION Kalamazoo, MI | EMERGENCY/URGENT CARE SUPPORT | $51,000 |
| KALAMAZOO NONPROFIT ADVOCACY COALITION Kalamazoo, MI | CAPITAL | $30,000 |
| COMMUNITY HEALING CENTER Kalamazoo, MI | OPERATIONS | $29,239 |
| KALAMAZOO COLLEGE Kalamazoo, MI | HVAC UPGRADES | $25,000 |
| ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER KALAMAZOO Kalamazoo, MI | ASL PROGRAMMING | $20,000 |
| GRYPHON PLACE Kalamazoo, MI | CAPITAL | $20,000 |
| SPECIAL DAYS CAMPS Ann Arbor, MI | OPERATIONS | $18,000 |
| FARMERS ALLEY THEATRE Kalamazoo, MI | OPERATIONS | $17,000 |
| CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OF GRTR KALAMAZOO Kalamazoo, MI | OPERATIONS | $16,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,244,807 | $2,568,039 | $2,942,847 | $499,068 |
| 2023 | $16,262,032 | $2,384,534 | $2,716,462 | $371,373 |
| 2022 | $15,816,553 | $2,298,378 | $2,972,755 | $690,153 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,244,807 | $16,262,032 | $15,816,553 |
| Revenue | $2,568,039 | $2,384,534 | $2,298,378 |
| Expenses | $2,942,847 | $2,716,462 | $2,972,755 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $801,017 | $653,885 | $949,633 |
| Net Investment Income | $233,047 | $320,954 | $273,687 |
| Distributable Amount | $723,223 | $675,105 | $680,986 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Case Hoogendoorn as secretary/treasurer, Christopher Shook as president, George Lennon as director, Mariette Lemieux as chair, and James S. Gilmore III and Bethany Gilmore as trustees/directors. The Foundation’s website also identifies Sue Brockelbank as comptroller.
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation is led by Christopher Shook, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher Shook
President
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$195K (2020) → $223K (2024)
Mariette Lemieux
Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Lennon
Director
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Bethany Gilmore
Trustee & Director
Director → Trustee & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James S. Gilmore III
Trustee & Director
Director → Trustee & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Case Hoogendoorn
Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Elizabeth Gilmore Bystrycki (2021–2023) — Trustee & Director
- Former: Ruth Gilmore Langs (2021–2023) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Application contact: Chris Shook
Mailing address: 162 East Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Phone: (269) 381-3490
Email: cshook@jgfdn.org
Website: https://www.jgfdn.org
Frequently asked questions about Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation
How much does Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation give each year?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation gave $499K across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $371K across 43 grants.
What is Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's typical grant size?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,786, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation give grants?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Kalamazoo, MI (27 grants), Ithaca, NY (4 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants) and Portage, MI (2 grants).
Does Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (27 grants) and "Memorial" (3 grants).
Who are Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's largest grantees?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Ascension Borgess Foundation ($53,000), Bronson Health Foundation ($51,000) and Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation reported $16.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $801K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $723K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated aim is the improvement of downtown Kalamazoo. It considers requests for capital needs and special project funding. Its 2024 grants included support for health, arts, education, community services, and cultural organizations. For example, Bronson Health Foundation describes its work as connecting philanthropic support with Bronson’s healing missions; the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo says it supports, promotes, and funds the arts in Kalamazoo County; and Gryphon Place…
How do I apply for a grant from Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation?
The Foundation’s guidelines say unsolicited applications generally will not be reviewed or acknowledged. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's EIN?
Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3584018. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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