Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc
The Les & Ann Biederman Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 and based in Traverse City, Michigan. The foundation uses investment income to make grants to charitable organizations across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.1M
+5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$443K
+8.1% YoY
Grant Count
33
+13.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
-5.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $411K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports charitable activities in the following areas:
- Education
- Civic improvement
- Fine arts
- Health and human services
- Recreation and youth services
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded a three-year grant to the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation for trauma-informed expressive arts programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan, with some grants extending to Virginia and Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $7,110,999
- Total revenues: $824,452
- Total expenses: $476,232
- Total giving: $443,081
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,110,999 | $6,762,779 | $6,338,536 |
| Revenue | $824,452 | $872,680 | $296,924 |
| Expenses | $476,232 | $448,437 | $474,529 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $459,030 | $426,995 | $451,864 |
| Net Investment Income | $463,965 | $238,010 | $211,845 |
| Distributable Amount | $410,854 | $378,271 | $412,214 |
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
166 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nmc Foundation ($50,000), Mayo Clinic ($30,000), Nmc-scholarships ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BIG BROTHERSBIG SISTERS NW MI TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| BOTANIC GARDEN AT HISTORIC BARNS PK TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $25,000 |
| BOYS SCOUTS GUARDIAN MEMBERSHIP TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $1,000 |
| CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| DREAM TEAM TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| DYNAMIC FOUNDATION SAN JOSE, CA | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $500 |
| FATHER FRED FOUNDATION TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| GENERATIONS AHEAD TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| GREAT LAKES CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ross Biederman - Son of Les and Anne Biederman; currently administers the foundation
- Brenda Biederman - Wife of Ross Biederman; involved in foundation administration
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWRENCE E GORDON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| PAUL M BIEDERMAN | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ROSS A BIEDERMAN | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| CHRIS WARREN | SECRETARY | — | — |
| LEE RUSSELL | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| VOJIN BAIC | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In May 2025, the foundation awarded a grant to the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation to expand trauma-informed expressive arts programs addressing youth mental health in Northern Michigan. The three-year investment will support infrastructure development, including launching a data dashboard to track outcomes, expanding outreach to regional school districts, and hiring and training additional facilitators.
Les & Ann Biederman Foundation IncFrequently Asked Questions
What does Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation supports charitable activities in the following areas: • Education • Civic improvement • Fine arts • Health and human services • Recreation and youth services
How do I apply for a grant from Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $500–$50,000 • Made 37 grants in the most recent year **Recent Grants (2024):** • Mayo Clinic: $30,000 • Habitat for Humanity - Grand Traverse Region: $25,000 • Traverse City Philharmonic: $25,000 **Notable Multi-Year Grant:** The foundation awarded a three-year grant to the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation for trauma-informed expressive arts programs: • Year 1: $15,000 • Year 2: $10,000 • Year 3: $5,000 **Significant Historical Grant:** In 2017, …
Where does Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan, with some grants extending to Virginia and Minnesota.
What size grants does Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc awarded 33 grants totaling $443K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $411K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc's EIN?
Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2449838. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Les & Ann Biederman Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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