Life Action Ministries
Life Action Ministries is a public charity based in Buchanan, Michigan. Its work helps churches, families, and Christian leaders move toward revival, vitality, and mission with Jesus. The organization reports managing and training evangelistic teams to hold retreats and conferences.
Life Action Ministries at a glance
In short: Life Action Ministries gave $481K across 10 grants in 2023 (avg $48K), mostly in Michigan. 30% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $480,599
- +296.3% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $48,060
- +296.3% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $13,500
- Total assets
- $13,637,735
- -0.9% vs 2022
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2023; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (79% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Life Action Ministries
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 31, Buchanan, MI 49107
Phone: (269) 697-2002
Website: https://lifeaction.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Life Action Ministries funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was One Cry Movement ($362K). Together the top 10 received $481K.
Grant Size Distribution
36 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 36 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 grants were distributed among recipients in multiple states. Michigan received 79% of grant dollars, Texas 6%, California 5%, Arkansas 3%, and Pennsylvania 3%. The listed recipients also included organizations in Indiana and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Life Action Ministries open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $131K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $17K first-time, $12K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2023). 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 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $39K (2019) to $481K (2023). In 2023 it made 10 grants totaling $481K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One Cry Movement Niles, MI | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $362,254 |
| Houston Christian Broadcasters Inc Houston, TX | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $20,000 |
| Life Plan Niles, MI | Discipleship Ministry Support | $17,400 |
| Cornerstone Transitional Housing Newport, AR | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $15,900 |
| Pure Freedom Inc State College, PA | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $15,000 |
| Community Baptist Church South Bend, IN | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $12,000 |
| Fact Ministries Inc San Jose, CA | Discipleship Ministry Support | $12,000 |
| Revived Faith Ministries Fort Worth, TX | Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support | $10,045 |
| Far East Broadcasting Company Lamirada, CA | Discipleship | $10,000 |
| Compassionate Hope Foundation Antioch, TN | Discipleship Ministry Support | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Life Action Ministries?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $13,637,735 | $19,695,195 | $20,370,781 | $480,599 | 10 | $161,610 |
| 2022 | $13,761,466 | $20,860,658 | $17,940,746 | $121,262 | 10 | $53,152 |
| 2021 | $11,925,978 | $14,895,507 | $14,953,305 | $54,616 | 6 | $14,710 |
| 2020 | $11,662,974 | $15,602,260 | $16,005,695 | $38,900 | 5 | $73,984 |
| 2019 | $10,877,275 | $15,605,029 | $15,572,302 | $38,900 | 5 | $142,273 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Life Action’s stated mission is to ignite Christ-centered movements of revival among God’s people that display God’s glory and advance God’s kingdom throughout the world. On its website, it describes its work as helping churches, families, and Christian leaders move toward revival, vitality, and their mission with Jesus. Its stated program includes managing and training evangelistic teams to hold retreats and conferences.
In 2023, Life Action reported grants for evangelism and discipleship ministry support, discipleship, and discipleship ministry support. Among the grantees, Houston Christian Broadcasters said its mission is to provide teaching of the Word of God and religious music. Pure Freedom said its mission is to promote teenagers’ sexual abstinence through Christian teachings, including by writing books and reference materials, hosting conferences, and financially supporting similar organizations. Compassionate Hope Foundation said it is dedicated to expressing God’s compassion to the “least of these around the world.”
Grantmaking
In filing year 2023, Life Action reported 10 grants totaling $480,599. Grant sizes ranged from $6,000 to $362,254, with a median of $13,500. The largest award was $362,254 to ONE CRY MOVEMENT in Niles, Michigan, for evangelism/discipleship ministry support.
Other notable 2023 grants included $20,000 to Houston Christian Broadcasters Inc. for evangelism/discipleship ministry support; $17,400 to Life Plan for discipleship ministry support; $15,900 to Cornerstone Transitional Housing for evangelism/discipleship ministry support; and $15,000 to Pure Freedom Inc. for evangelism/discipleship ministry support. The filing also listed awards of $12,000 each to Community Baptist Church and FACT Ministries Inc.; $10,045 to Revived Faith Ministries; $10,000 to Far East Broadcasting Company; and $6,000 to Compassionate Hope Foundation.
The website describes a $22 million “Stir Up One Another” capital campaign, with support for existing ministry programs, expanded ministry for smaller churches, colleges, churches requiring customized programming and online ministry, and a Global Leader Vitality Initiative. Its giving page also invites donations for staff support, monthly partnership, church events teams, Life Action Canada, and planned giving. These are fundraising opportunities, not application instructions for outside grant applicants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing listed John Avant as president and Donnell Vanker as CEO/executive director. Other listed officers and directors were Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, president of Revive Our Hearts; Martin Jones, secretary/treasurer for part of the year; Byron Paulus, president of OneCry; Aaron Paulus, chief marketing officer; Delbert Fehsenfeld III, chief pastoral officer for part of the year; Mike Lee, chief impact officer; Meredith Miller, chief people and culture officer; and Richard Cummins, CAO and secretary for part of the year.
Life Action Ministries is led by Donnell Vanker, CEO & Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2021); 11 of 21 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Donnell Vanker
CEO & Executive Director
President & CEO → CEO & Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$53K (2021) → $164K (2023)
Byron Paulus
President Onecry
President & CEO - → Board Member & President Onecry, 2022
Board Member & President Onecry → President Onecry, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$23K (2019) → $115K (2023)
Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth
President Revive Our Hearts
Roh Division President → President Revive Our Hearts, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$110K (2019) → $139K (2023)
John Avant
President
La Division President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$111K (2020) → $187K (2023)
Chad Williams
Chairman of the Board
Director → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$100 (2020) → $0 (2023)
Aaron Paulus
Chief Marketing Officer
Communications Division Director → Chief Marketing Officer, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$112K (2019) → $103K (2023)
Martin Jones
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$86K (2019) → $127K (2023)
Walter Price
Board Member
Director - → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2019) → $0 (2023)
Delbert Fehsenfeld III
Chief Pastoral Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$43K (2020) → $89K (2023)
Ira Thompson
CFO Treasurer
New on the 2023 filing
40 hrs/week
$43K (2023)
Meredith Miller
Chief People & Culture Officer
New on the 2023 filing
40 hrs/week
$71K (2023)
Mike Lee
Chief Impact Officer
New on the 2023 filing
40 hrs/week
$74K (2023)
Richard Cummins
CAO Secretary
New on the 2023 filing
40 hrs/week
$68K (2023)
David Cooke
Board Member
Director → Director -, 2020
Director - → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Magnssen
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Fernandes
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Halford
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Wilson
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Allen
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Fetzer
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kara Bishop
Board Member
New on the 2023 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Charles Hoge (2019–2022) — CFO -
- Former: Marv Selge (2019–2022) — Board Member -
- Former: Paul Redmon (2019–2022) — Board Member -
- Former: Janine Nelson (2020–2022) — Roh Director of Marketing
- Former: Charles Halford (2019–2021) — Director -
- Former: Greg Belser (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Michael Wall (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Del Fehsenfeld III (2019) — Chief Pastoral Officer
- Former: Gregg Simmons (2019) — Revivalist
- Former: John Shelford (2019) — Director -
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $187K, to John Avant (President). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Life Action Ministries
How much does Life Action Ministries give each year?
Life Action Ministries gave $481K across 10 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. In 2022 it gave $121K across 10 grants.
What is Life Action Ministries's typical grant size?
Life Action Ministries's median grant in 2023 was $13,500, and its average grant was $48,060, across 10 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Life Action Ministries that year got $131K on average.
Where does Life Action Ministries give grants?
Life Action Ministries gives mostly in Michigan: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Niles, MI (2 grants).
Does Life Action Ministries give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Life Action Ministries's 2023 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Evangelism/Discipleship Ministry Support" (6 grants) and "Discipleship Ministry Support" (3 grants).
Who are Life Action Ministries's largest grantees?
Life Action Ministries's largest 2023 grantees include One Cry Movement ($362,254), Houston Christian Broadcasters Inc ($20,000) and Life Plan ($17,400), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is Life Action Ministries?
Life Action Ministries reported $13.6M in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $19.7M.
What does Life Action Ministries fund?
Life Action’s stated mission is to ignite Christ-centered movements of revival among God’s people that display God’s glory and advance God’s kingdom throughout the world. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Life Action Ministries?
Life Action Ministries has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check lifeaction.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Life Action Ministries's EIN?
Life Action Ministries's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2157686. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 9, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Life Action Ministries's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Michigan
Christian Community Foundation of Memphis
Memphis, TN
The foundation supports a broad range of U.S. charities through donor-advised funds, with a particular focus on Christian ministries and community transformation in Memphis; its Hope for Memphis Fund serves eligible Gospel-centered nonprofits in the Memphis metro area. Its 2025 grants had a median of $22,050, and it accepts applications for the Hope for Memphis Fund during its stated application cycle.
Assets
$229.0M
Grants
636
Total Given
$109.7M
WK Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek, MI
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds work to help children, families, and communities thrive, including early education, health equity, food systems, family economic well-being, and racial equity. In 2025, its grants ranged from $50 to nearly $5 million, with a median of $100,000; it funds across the United States, with long-term commitments in several states and communities, as well as parts of Mexico and Haiti. It accepts unsolicited proposals online at any time.
Assets
$481.0M
Grants
1,818
Total Given
$303.9M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Detroit, MI
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan funds nonprofits working in economic opportunity, health equity, youth and education, arts and culture, and public space and the environment across seven southeast Michigan counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, though awards varied widely; organizations begin with a brief proposal, and selected applicants are invited to submit a full application.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
938
Total Given
$105.1M
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Flint, MI
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation funds nonprofits working in civil society, youth engagement, environmental sustainability, and Flint-area community development, in Flint and communities around the world. Its 2024 grants had a median of $55,000, though awards ranged widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests and supports preselected organizations.
Assets
$3.8B
Grants
834
Total Given
$166.4M
The Kresge Foundation
Troy, MI
The Kresge Foundation funds nonprofit operations, projects, and planning across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and community development, with a focus on equity and opportunity in U.S. cities—especially Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans, and Fresno. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $5 million, with a median of $140,000. Program teams most often invite applicants, though some programs issue open calls or RFPs; unsolicited requests are not described as generally accepted.
Assets
$4.0B
Grants
800
Total Given
$170.0M
DTE Energy Foundation
Detroit, MI
DTE Energy Foundation funds community transformation, human needs, economic development, education, employment, and environmental initiatives, primarily in Michigan. Its 2024 grants had a median of about $10,000, though amounts ranged from $100 to $1.2 million. Its general application process is invitation-only, but it has offered open calls for specific Michigan programs.
Assets
$129.1M
Grants
442
Total Given
$15.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Michigan
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Life Action Ministries'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.
Life Action Ministries down — hundreds of funders to go?