Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation
The Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation is a private foundation based in Wyoming, Michigan. In 2025, it made 69 charitable grants totaling $423,700, primarily to organizations in Michigan.
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation at a glance
In short: Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation gave $424K across 69 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Michigan. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $423,700
- +30.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 69
- +1.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,141
- +28.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,600
- Total assets
- $4,375,280
- -1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (3 of 69, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 440 28Th Street, Wyoming, MI 49548
Phone: (616) 241-9846
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cascade Christian Reformed Church ($86K). Together the top 10 received $241K.
Grant Size Distribution
316 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 309 grants of 316 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 8% to Colorado, 2% to Washington, DC, and 1% each to New Mexico and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 69 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 129% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $251K (2021) to $424K (2025). In 2025 it made 69 grants totaling $424K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cascade Christian Reformed Church Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable Contribution | $85,500 |
| Christian Reformed Conference Grounds Grand Haven, MI | Charitable Contribution | $55,000 |
| Children's Hope Chest Palmer Lake, CO | Charitable Contribution | $33,000 |
| Christian Reformed Church North America Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable Contribution | $15,000 |
| Jehovah Jireh Jamestown, MI | Charitable Contribution | $12,000 |
| Feeding America Comstock Park, MI | Charitable Contribution | $10,000 |
| Wedgewood Christian Services Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable Contribution | $7,900 |
| Ada Christian Schools Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable Contribution | $7,800 |
| Grandville Christian School Grandville, MI | Charitable Contribution | $7,500 |
| Inner City Christian Federation Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable Contribution | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation?
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 | $4,375,280 | $459,065 | $473,072 | $423,700 | 69 | $427,075 | $325,553 | $330,706 |
| 2024 | $4,419,365 | $506,273 | $372,035 | $324,900 | 68 | $328,436 | $236,174 | $280,871 |
| 2023 | $4,285,127 | $215,357 | $353,800 | $305,350 | 66 | $308,395 | $117,426 | $250,440 |
| 2022 | $4,423,057 | $533,637 | $330,139 | $278,150 | 58 | $281,055 | $396,054 | $265,972 |
| 2021 | $4,219,081 | $342,281 | $300,528 | $250,950 | 55 | $253,876 | $246,504 | $294,538 |
| 2020 | $4,177,310 | $293,429 | $387,392 | $345,895 | 80 | — | $163,704 | $251,637 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation reported a distributable amount of $331K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with a range of missions. For example, Daffodil Ministries says it facilitates safe, sustainable housing and support for survivors of domestic abuse; Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services describes its work as providing behavioral health services; and Bethany Christian Services says it protects children, empowers youth, and strengthens families through social services.
Other 2025 recipients include Christian schools and higher-education institutions. Grand Rapids Christian Schools describes its mission as preparing students to serve Christ in contemporary society, while Calvin University says it equips students to think deeply, act justly, and live as Christ’s agents of renewal.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 69 grants totaling $423,700. Grants ranged from $1,200 to $85,500, with a median grant of $3,600. The largest awards included $85,500 to Cascade Christian Reformed Church, $55,000 to Christian Reformed Conference Grounds, and $33,000 to Children’s Hope Chest. Other grants included $15,000 to Christian Reformed Church North America, $12,000 to Jehovah Jireh, and $10,000 to Feeding America.
Additional 2025 recipients included Daffodil Ministries ($6,500), Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services ($6,500), Calvin Theological Seminary ($5,500), Calvin University ($5,200), Grand Rapids Christian Schools ($4,800), Partners Worldwide ($4,800), Upper Peninsula Bible Camp ($4,200), and Bethany Christian Services ($4,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Marlene Betten as president, Laura Lamer as secretary, Alice Scholten as treasurer, and Gregory Betten as director.
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation is led by Marlene Betten, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marlene Betten
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Betten
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alice Scholten
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Lamer
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Rodney Betten (2020–2022) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation
How much does Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation give each year?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation gave $424K across 69 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $325K across 68 grants.
What is Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's typical grant size?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,600, and its average grant was $6,141, across 69 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation give grants?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (31 grants), Wyoming, MI (5 grants), Grandville, MI (2 grants) and Holland, MI (2 grants).
Who are Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's largest grantees?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cascade Christian Reformed Church ($85,500), Christian Reformed Conference Grounds ($55,000) and Children's Hope Chest ($33,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $427K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $331K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's EIN?
Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2848189. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Marion & Marlene Betten 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Marion & Marlene Betten Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/marion-and-marlene-betten-foundation-morg_49d9ce4fc3da4e74a47ad756bf2bf5b2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382848189_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Marion \& Marlene Betten Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/marion-and-marlene-betten-foundation-morg_49d9ce4fc3da4e74a47ad756bf2bf5b2},
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 Marion & Marlene Betten 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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