Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman

Private foundation · Grantmaker Traverse City, MI EIN: 83-1163711

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman is a private foundation based in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2025, it reported 16 grants totaling $1,772,662, all to recipients in Michigan.

Key facts about Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman

In short: Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman gave $1.8M across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
83-1163711
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,772,662
Grants made (2025)
16
Average grant
$110,791
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$5,092,229
Primary geography
Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Deadline
None stated.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.1M

-16.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.8M

+79.1% YoY

Grant Count

16

+60.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$111K

+11.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman reported a distributable amount of $384K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman gives

  • 27% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 303% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 467% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for Alma College, City Opera House, Cherryland Humane Society, libraries, public media organizations, and other charitable organizations.

Alma College describes its mission as preparing graduates “who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards.” Cherryland Humane Society says it provides a safe harbor for animals and works to find them responsible, loving, permanent homes while advancing animal well-being. The Women’s Resource Center describes its mission as protecting, sheltering, and empowering people impacted by domestic and sexual violence.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $1,772,662. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $1,500,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards were $1,500,000 to Alma College for a charitable gift match and $100,000 to Alma College for its general fund. Other notable grants included $67,662 to City Opera House and $10,000 each to several organizations, including Cherryland Humane Society and the Women’s Resource Center.

Review Cycle

None stated.

How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists Huntington National Bank as the contact, states that there is no form at present, and reports no restrictions on awards.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Traverse CityAlmaManisteeCadillacBaldwinElk RapidsHarbor SpringsInterlochenLelandMt Pleasant

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M2 grants2021 2 grants2022 4 grants2023 10 grants2024 16 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $410K (2023) to $1.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $1.8M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Alma College: $1.6M across 2 grantsAlma College$1.6M · 2 grantsCity Opera House: $68KCity Opera House$68KCadillac Rotary Charities: $10KCadillac Rotary Charities$10KCherryland Humane Society: $10KCherryland Humane Society$10KElk Rapids District Library: $10KElk Rapids District Library$10KLittle Rascals Cat Sanctuary Inc: $10KLittle Rascals Cat SanctuaryInc$10KOasis Family Resource Center: $10KOasis Family Resource Center$10KTraverse City Philharmonic: $10KTraverse City Philharmonic$10KWCMU Public Media: $10KWCMU Public Media$10KWomen's Resource Center: $10KWomen's Resource Center$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Alma College ($1.6M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

34 grants across all recorded years

22<$50K1$50–100K9$100–250K$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 34 (65%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Alma College Alma, MICharitable Gift Match$1,500,000
Alma College Alma, MIGeneral Fund$100,000
City Opera House Traverse City, MIGeneral Fund$67,662
Cadillac Rotary Charities Cadillac, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
Cherryland Humane Society Traverse City, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
Elk Rapids District Library Elk Rapids, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
Little Rascals Cat Sanctuary Inc Manistee, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
Oasis Family Resource Center Cadillac, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
Traverse City Philharmonic Traverse City, MIGeneral Fund$10,000
WCMU Public Media Mt Pleasant, MIGeneral Fund$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $5,092,229 $865,049 $1,849,353 $1,772,662
2024 $6,076,533 $263,910 $1,080,955 $990,000
2023 $6,893,578 $207,717 $490,380 $410,000
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$5,092,229$6,076,533$6,893,578
Revenue$865,049$263,910$207,717
Expenses$1,849,353$1,080,955$490,380
Qualifying Distributions$1,792,166$1,013,945$431,346
Net Investment Income$811,353$199,344$148,683
Distributable Amount$383,599$461,853$430,380

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 16, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 28, 2024)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  5. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Huntington National Bank and Philip E. Rodgers Jr. as co-trustees.

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Huntington National Bank

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    $82K (2021) → $68K (2025)

  • Philip E. Rodgers Jr.

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Huntington National Bank — Co-Trustee: $68KHuntington National BankCo-Trustee$68K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $68K, to Huntington National Bank (Co-Trustee).

Contact

Application contact: Huntington National Bank
Mailing address: 625 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
Phone: (231) 941-6198

Frequently asked questions about Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman

How much does Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman give each year?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman gave $1.8M across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $990K across 10 grants.

What is Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's typical grant size?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $110,791, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman give grants?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman 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 Traverse City, MI (6 grants), Alma, MI (2 grants), Cadillac, MI (2 grants) and Manistee, MI (2 grants).

Does Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman give general operating support?

Yes: 94% of Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's largest grantees?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's largest 2025 grantees include Alma College ($1,600,000 across 2 grants), City Opera House ($67,662) and Cadillac Rotary Charities ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 95% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $384K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for Alma College, City Opera House, Cherryland Humane Society, libraries, public media organizations, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's EIN?

Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-1163711. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does Joseph G and Helen I Zimmerman accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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