Leinweber Foundation
The Leinweber Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Michigan. It supports fundamental scientific research and educational opportunity, along with literacy, environmental protection, and other local priorities in Michigan.
Leinweber Foundation at a glance
In short: Leinweber Foundation gave $4.1M across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $272K), mostly in Michigan. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,075,084
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +66.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $271,672
- -34.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $71,909,410
- +11.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (5 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Leinweber Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The website says the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. The 2024 filing lists Larry Leinweber as the contact, with no form or materials, deadline, or award restrictions noted.
- Contact
Application contact: Larry Leinweber
Mailing address: 280 W Maple Road Suite 250, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (989) 573-4095
Website: https://leinweberfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leinweber Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Michigan ($3.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 22 grants of 49 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes Michigan as its home state and says it supports local priorities there. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 2% to recipients in New York; the filing also lists Florida at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Leinweber Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 14 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $426K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $120K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.7M (2023) to $4.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $4.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Charitable | $3,000,084 |
| National Wildlife Federation Ann Arbor, MI | Charitable | $200,000 |
| Beyond Basics Farmington Hills, MI | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Mi College Access Network Lansing, MI | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | Charitable | $120,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | CH | $120,000 |
| Science Philanthropy Alliance New York, NY | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Cranbrook Bloomfield Hills, MI | Charitable | $75,000 |
| 826 Michigan Ypsilanti, MI | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Oakland Family Services Pontiac, MI | Charitable | $25,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $71,909,410 | $10,956,942 | $4,947,870 | $4,075,084 | 15 | $4,421,470 | $8,823,533 | $4,700,908 |
| 2023 | $64,695,322 | $5,707,308 | $4,264,742 | $3,705,000 | 9 | $4,010,322 | $4,079,864 | $4,062,659 |
| 2022 | $64,750,286 | $950,253 | $5,171,396 | $4,600,000 | 5 | $4,927,324 | $1,550,382 | $4,341,324 |
| 2021 | $70,265,937 | $4,923,526 | $4,783,805 | $4,350,000 | 11 | $4,543,937 | $2,168,166 | $4,764,795 |
| 2020 | $72,700,492 | $2,525,587 | $4,168,238 | $3,940,000 | 9 | — | $2,354,643 | $4,477,961 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leinweber Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.7M for 2024 — 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 mission is to invest in fundamental scientific research and educational opportunity, while supporting literacy, environmental protection, and other local priorities in Michigan.
Its focus areas include theoretical physics and other fundamental sciences, engineering, space, and medicine; STEM scholarships and educational infrastructure; and Michigan community priorities. The foundation says its theoretical physics investment exceeds $165 million and supports a network of nine research centers. Its educational work includes scholarships, particularly for students from underserved and rural areas of Michigan, and support for educational buildings.
The 2024 filing shows grants to universities, educational and literacy organizations, and other nonprofits. Among the grantees described in their own words, Beyond Basics says it provides reading, writing, art, and enrichment programs to students in metropolitan Detroit and across Michigan. 826 Michigan says it mentors and teaches reading, writing, and other educational skills to public school children. Oakland Family Services describes its work as prevention, education, and treatment services that support children and families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $4,075,084. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $3,000,084, with a median grant of $75,000. Notable awards included $3,000,084 to the University of Michigan, $200,000 to the National Wildlife Federation, $150,000 each to Beyond Basics and the Michigan College Access Network, and $120,000 to Michigan State University. All are listed in the filing with a charitable purpose, except the $120,000 University of Michigan grant, whose purpose is recorded as “CH.”
The 2024 filing lists $50,000 to 826 Michigan, $25,000 to Oakland Family Services, and $25,000 to Fremont Area Community Foundation. The foundation’s website says it collaborates with expert partners and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The filing states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations; it lists Larry Leinweber as the contact and notes no application form or materials, deadline, or award restrictions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Larry Leinweber as president, treasurer, and director; Ashley Leinweber as vice president and director; and Jessica Leinweber as secretary, director, and executive director. Claudia Babiarz and David Leinweber are also listed as directors.
Leinweber Foundation is led by Jessica Leinweber, Secretary, Director & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jessica Leinweber
Secretary, Director & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$77K (2020) → $170K (2024)
Larry Leinweber
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Leinweber
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Claudia Babiarz
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Leinweber
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $170K, to Jessica Leinweber (Secretary, Director, Exec Director).
Frequently asked questions about Leinweber Foundation
How much does Leinweber Foundation give each year?
Leinweber Foundation gave $4.1M across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.7M across 9 grants.
What is Leinweber Foundation's typical grant size?
Leinweber Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $75,000, and its average grant was $271,672, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Leinweber Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does Leinweber Foundation give grants?
Leinweber Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants) and Detroit, MI (2 grants).
Does Leinweber Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Leinweber Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (14 grants).
Who are Leinweber Foundation's largest grantees?
Leinweber Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Michigan ($3,120,084 across 2 grants), National Wildlife Federation ($200,000) and Beyond Basics ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Leinweber Foundation?
Leinweber Foundation reported $71.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.7M (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 Leinweber Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to invest in fundamental scientific research and educational opportunity, while supporting literacy, environmental protection, and other local priorities in Michigan. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leinweber Foundation?
The website says the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Leinweber Foundation's EIN?
Leinweber Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0834290. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Leinweber Foundation 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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leinweber Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leinweber-foundation-morg_7e7c309e87424549bd8744f610a06942
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810834290_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leinweber Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leinweber-foundation-morg_7e7c309e87424549bd8744f610a06942},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Leinweber 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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