Manistee County Community Foundation
Manistee County Community Foundation is a public charity based in Manistee, Michigan, formed in 1987. It builds community endowment, awards grants and scholarships, and provides leadership to support quality of life in Manistee County.
Manistee County Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Manistee County Community Foundation gave $722K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Michigan. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $721,964
- -3.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +61.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,895
- -39.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,876
- Total assets
- $48,200,107
- +19.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (11 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Manistee County Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a Grant Inquiry Form; eligible applicants are invited to complete the online Common Grant Application and provide a Project Budget Form.
- Review Cycle
- The listed Spring 2026 deadline was March 1, 2026, and the listed Fall 2026 deadline was September 15, 2026; both have passed. The program listing also describes rolling consideration for recreational projects of $5,000 or less, with decisions within 45 days.
- Deadline
- The listed Spring 2026 deadline was March 1, 2026, and the listed Fall 2026 deadline was September 15, 2026; both have…
- Contact
Mailing address: 400 River Street 50, Manistee, MI 49660
Phone: (231) 723-7269
Website: https://manisteefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Manistee County Community Foundation
Limitless Fund Grants
Manistee County Community Foundation
Amount
US $1,000 - US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Manistee Community Foundation Grant Program
Manistee County Community Foundation
Amount
US $1,000 - US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
MCCF: Youth Advisory Council Grant
Manistee County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Manistee County Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City of Manistee ($190K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $583K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($8,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 107 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says projects generally must be located in Manistee County, Michigan, and benefit county residents, unless pre-approved by the foundation. Its 2025 filing lists all grant dollars as going to Michigan recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Manistee County Community Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 25 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $23K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $364K (2019) to $1.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $722K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Manistee Manistee, MI | Manistee's veterans memorial park - north riverwalk boardwalk renovation project | $184,600 |
| Village of Bear Lake Bear Lake, MI | Hopkins Park Playground Inclusion Project | $99,180 |
| Arcadia Township Arcadia, MI | Arcadia Township Recreation Development Initiative | $61,200 |
| Manistee Area Public Schools Manistee, MI | Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 Pac Expenditures | $55,003 |
| Pleasant Valley Community Center Arcadia, MI | PVCC Campus and Building Plan Discovery Process | $40,000 |
| United Way of Manistee County Manistee, MI | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Manistee County Council on Aging Manistee, MI | Wagoner community center - commercial kitchen range hood project | $25,000 |
| Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI | To examine the use of edna techniques for conducting a standardized evaluation of 2025 arctic grayling reintroduction stocking efforts in the upper manistee, boardman and maple watersheds | $21,775 |
| United Way of Northwest Michigan Traverse City, MI | Mi Tri-Share Accelerator Project | $20,000 |
| Shoreline Cycling Club Ludington, MI | Non-Motorized Trail Park Grooming Sled and Shed | $19,490 |
Ready to take the next step with Manistee County Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,200,107 | $5,678,235 | $1,522,680 | $721,964 | 29 | $2,001,447 |
| 2024 | $40,230,535 | $2,252,887 | $1,456,939 | $744,006 | 18 | $2,031,308 |
| 2023 | $36,752,931 | $1,552,480 | $1,372,187 | $515,070 | 23 | $878,322 |
| 2022 | $32,748,618 | $1,456,058 | $2,021,282 | $1,110,852 | 20 | $960,017 |
| 2021 | $39,672,045 | $2,355,778 | $1,673,450 | $761,002 | 17 | $2,006,231 |
| 2020 | $35,509,024 | $1,594,172 | $1,256,090 | $529,508 | 22 | $1,073,807 |
| 2019 | $31,431,953 | $3,911,859 | $1,047,436 | $364,314 | 17 | $814,067 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states its mission is “to facilitate, promote, and serve philanthropy and permanent endowments to enhance the quality of life in Manistee County.” Its website describes support for all aspects of community life, including youth, education, human services, arts, environment, recreation, community development, and placemaking.
The foundation’s 2025 filing describes approximately 146 grants and scholarships to nonprofits, governments, and educational institutions. Its 2025 grants included support for local parks and recreation, schools, community services, and environmental research. Among the grantees, United Way of Manistee County describes its mission as improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of the county; the Manistee County Council on Aging says it provides services to senior citizens, including people with limited resources or who are homebound; and Munson Healthcare Manistee says it exists to deliver comprehensive quality care to patients in partnership with physicians.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 29 itemized grants totaling $721,964. Grant amounts ranged from $5,052 to $184,600, with a median of $10,876. The filing lists 100% of grant dollars as going to recipients in Michigan.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $184,600 to the City of Manistee for the Veterans Memorial Park–North Riverwalk boardwalk renovation project; $99,180 to the Village of Bear Lake for the Hopkins Park Playground Inclusion Project; $61,200 to Arcadia Township for a recreation development initiative; and $55,003 to Manistee Area Public Schools for fiscal year 2024–2025 PAC expenditures. Other grants included $40,000 to Pleasant Valley Community Center for a campus and building plan discovery process and $25,000 to United Way of Manistee County for general operating support.
The foundation’s website says applicants begin with a Grant Inquiry Form. The foundation responds within two weeks to indicate whether a project meets its guidelines; eligible applicants receive access to the online portal and submit a Common Grant Application. A completed Project Budget Form is required. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, school districts, and units of government, including federally recognized tribes; support may also be considered for religious institutions. Projects generally must be located in Manistee County and benefit its residents, unless the foundation pre-approves an exception. Requirements may vary by fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rosalind Jaffe as chair, Shannon Westgate as vice chair, Jim Thompson as treasurer, and Patrick Bentley as secretary. Directors listed are Geoffrey Paine, Richard Anderson, Brooke McIsaac, Rose Fosdick, Frank Beaver, John Mooney, Pete Finch, and Katie Gruenberg.
Manistee County Community Foundation is led by Laura Heintzelman, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Laura Heintzelman
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$90K (2019) → $132K (2025)
Rosalind Jaffe
Chair
Treasurer Starting → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoffrey Paine
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Anderson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brooke McIsaac
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Beaver
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rose Fosdick
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Mooney
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pete Finch
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Gruenberg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Westgate
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Thompson
Treasurer
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Bentley
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Beth McCarthy (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Charles N. Chip May III (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Brower (2021–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Leann Burger (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Steve Parsons (2019–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: David Mix (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Robert Carson (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Brad Hopwood (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kathryn Glancy (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Timothy Ervin (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Robert Evans (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $132K, to Laura Heintzelman (President and CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Manistee County Community Foundation
How much does Manistee County Community Foundation give each year?
Manistee County Community Foundation gave $722K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $744K across 18 grants.
What is Manistee County Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Manistee County Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,876, and its average grant was $24,895, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Manistee County Community Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does Manistee County Community Foundation give grants?
Manistee County Community Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Manistee, MI (10 grants), Bear Lake, MI (3 grants), Traverse City, MI (3 grants) and Arcadia, MI (2 grants).
Does Manistee County Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of Manistee County Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Manistee County Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Manistee County Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include City of Manistee ($189,685 across 2 grants), Village of Bear Lake ($99,180) and Manistee Area Public Schools ($66,003 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($8,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Manistee County Community Foundation?
Manistee County Community Foundation reported $48.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.7M.
What does Manistee County Community Foundation fund?
The organization states its mission is “to facilitate, promote, and serve philanthropy and permanent endowments to enhance the quality of life in Manistee County.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Manistee County Community Foundation?
Submit a Grant Inquiry Form; eligible applicants are invited to complete the online Common Grant Application and provide a Project Budget Form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Manistee County Community Foundation's EIN?
Manistee County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2741723. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 29, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Manistee County Community Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Manistee County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Manistee County Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/manistee-county-community-foundation-morg_44c449e387af452798aeb9b698cad181
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382741723_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Manistee County Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/manistee-county-community-foundation-morg_44c449e387af452798aeb9b698cad181},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Manistee County Community 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.
Manistee County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?