Leslie Tassell Foundation
The Leslie Tassell Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2025, it awarded 46 grants totaling $370,850 to organizations working in areas including research, workforce training, children’s services, recovery support, and education.
Leslie Tassell Foundation at a glance
In short: Leslie Tassell Foundation gave $371K across 46 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $370,850
- -16.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 46
- -38.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,062
- +36.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $8,563,592
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Leslie Tassell Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact the foundation in writing for its standard application form. Contact Michael Julien. Award restrictions are listed on the application form. The filing states that there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Michael Julien
Mailing address: 2397 N Dagget Rd, Pierson, MI 49339
Phone: (616) 481-0582
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Leslie Tassell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mayo Foundation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $283K.
Organizations only. It also paid 9 individual scholarships ($18,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
321 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 311 grants of 321 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Michigan recipients received 59% of grant dollars, Minnesota recipients 27%, Vermont recipients 7%, Tennessee recipients 3%, and Indiana recipients 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Leslie Tassell Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $319K (2020) to $579K (2023). In 2025 it made 46 grants totaling $371K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mayo Foundation Rochester, MN | Transplant Research & Innovation | $100,000 |
| GRCC - Tassell Tech Grand Rapids, MI | M-Tec/Robotics | $60,000 |
| Equine Assisted Development Grand Rapids, MI | General Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Imaging the World Charlotte, VT | KENYA | $27,500 |
| Children's Healing Center Grand Rapids, MI | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Gerald R Ford Presidential Foundati Grand Rapids, MI | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Saint Jude Research Memphis, TN | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Kcis Community Action Fund Grand Rapids, MI | Kent County Sheriff K9 | $10,000 |
| Alano Club of Kent County Grand Rapids, MI | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Bangla Ministries Worldwide Grand Rapids, MI | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,563,592 | $1,075,086 | $543,715 | $370,850 | 46 | $422,165 | $353,891 | $511,690 |
| 2024 | $8,032,221 | $679,294 | $597,825 | $444,133 | 75 | $481,506 | $186,746 | $543,385 |
| 2023 | $7,950,752 | $381,155 | $735,805 | $578,750 | 74 | $597,143 | $173,099 | $447,330 |
| 2022 | $8,305,402 | $368,472 | $474,541 | $320,250 | 55 | $325,540 | $241,011 | $463,037 |
| 2021 | $8,411,471 | $2,102,290 | $488,818 | $374,900 | 71 | $376,914 | $315,829 | $403,057 |
| 2020 | $7,254,212 | $384,292 | $423,156 | $318,900 | 55 | — | $311,299 | $342,370 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leslie Tassell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $512K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Imaging the World Corp describes its mission as bringing ultrasound technology and training around the world. Children’s Healing Center says it provides a safe, clean, engaging environment where children with weakened immune systems can interact. Alano Club of Kent County says it supports the community in addiction recovery, while Empowered Families says it builds power through relationships and equips families to advocate for high-quality, equitable education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 46 grants totaling $370,850. Grants ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest awards included $100,000 to Mayo Foundation for transplant research and innovation; $60,000 to GRCC - Tassell Tech for M-TEC/robotics; $30,000 to Equine Assisted Development for general operating support; and $27,500 to Imaging the World for Kenya. Other grants included $20,000 to Children’s Healing Center for general operating support and $15,000 to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation for general operating support.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. To apply, contact Michael Julien; the filing instructs applicants to contact the foundation in writing for a standard application form. Award restrictions are listed on the application form.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David Bottrall, Leslie Wisner, Hilary Snell, Michael R. Julien, and Donald Wisner as directors.
Leslie Tassell Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Bottrall
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $6K (2025)
Donald Wisner
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $7K (2025)
Hilary Snell
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Leslie Wisner
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $7K (2025)
Michael R. Julien
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $7K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Joyce Wisner (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $7K, to Leslie Wisner (Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Leslie Tassell Foundation
How much does Leslie Tassell Foundation give each year?
Leslie Tassell Foundation gave $371K across 46 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $444K across 75 grants.
What is Leslie Tassell Foundation's typical grant size?
Leslie Tassell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $8,062, across 46 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Leslie Tassell Foundation give grants?
Leslie Tassell Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (27%) and Vermont (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (12 grants), East Lansing, MI (7 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants) and Allendale, MI (2 grants).
Does Leslie Tassell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 35% of Leslie Tassell Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 46) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (24 grants).
Who are Leslie Tassell Foundation's largest grantees?
Leslie Tassell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mayo Foundation ($100,000), GRCC - Tassell Tech ($60,000) and Equine Assisted Development ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 9 individual scholarships ($18,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Leslie Tassell Foundation?
Leslie Tassell Foundation reported $8.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $422K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $512K (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 Leslie Tassell Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Imaging the World Corp describes its mission as bringing ultrasound technology and training around the world. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Leslie Tassell Foundation?
Contact the foundation in writing for its standard application form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Leslie Tassell Foundation's EIN?
Leslie Tassell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3186818. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Leslie Tassell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/leslie-tassell-foundation-morg_be970219c6964b2fad991e248ffff43e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383186818_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Leslie Tassell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/leslie-tassell-foundation-morg_be970219c6964b2fad991e248ffff43e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Leslie Tassell 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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