Michigan Humanities Council
Michigan Humanities Council, based in Marshall, Michigan, is a public charity that supports humanities and cultural programming across the state. Its work includes grants for public humanities projects and reimbursement grants for touring performers, artists, exhibitors, and humanities presenters.
Michigan Humanities Council at a glance
In short: Michigan Humanities Council gave $254K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Michigan. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $254,240
- -44.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -37.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,955
- -11.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,815
- Total assets
- $1,123,245
- -34.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (6 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- 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 Michigan Humanities Council
- How to Apply
-
The Arts and Humanities Touring Program awards reimbursement grants. Humanities Grants support collaborative public humanities programming by cultural, educational, and community-based organizations and institutions. Bridging Michigan Grants are currently closed; the council says it cannot decide whether to reopen them until funding levels are received after the federal FY26 budget has passed. If reopened, applications are submitted through the council’s online grant portal.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2364 Woodlake Drive 100, Okemos, MI 48864
Phone: (517) 372-7770
Website: https://michiganhumanities.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Michigan Humanities Council
Arts and Humanities Touring Program
Michigan Humanities Council
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Bridging Michigan Grants
Michigan Humanities Council
Amount
Up to $2,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Humanities Grants
Michigan Humanities Council
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Michigan Humanities Council funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Grand Rapids Children's Museum ($20K). Together the top 10 received $185K.
Grant Size Distribution
251 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 250 grants of 251 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The council’s grantmaking and program descriptions specify Michigan. Its 2025 reported grants went entirely to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Michigan Humanities Council open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 17 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $20K 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 $254K (2025) to $1.4M (2021). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $254K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Children's Museum Grand Rapids, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Plowshares Theatre Company Detroit, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| 826MICHIGAN Ann Abor, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Library of Michigan Foundation Lansing, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $20,000 |
| Next Birmingham, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $19,500 |
| Allied Media Projects Detroit, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $15,815 |
| Alma College Alma, MI | Regrant Expenditure | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,123,245 | $1,047,564 | $1,359,540 | $254,240 | 17 | $11,552 |
| 2024 | $1,724,566 | $1,962,819 | $1,752,433 | $455,397 | 27 | $5,951 |
| 2023 | $1,327,203 | $1,990,182 | $2,053,418 | $636,830 | 41 | $8,623 |
| 2022 | $1,368,817 | $1,471,188 | $1,680,496 | $455,480 | 35 | $550 |
| 2021 | $1,545,891 | $2,548,082 | $2,489,781 | $1,393,654 | 131 | $614 |
| 2020 | $1,515,892 | $2,474,215 | $2,133,923 | $996,091 | 128 | $-10,989 |
| 2019 | $1,190,656 | $1,368,448 | $1,644,312 | $368,632 | 30 | $1,047 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is “Bringing people together through stories, histories, cultures, and conversations.” It says it supports programming that explores, strengthens, and celebrates the stories, histories, and cultures of people in Michigan, and seeks to work with organizations across urban and rural communities and varied backgrounds.
Its grant programs support public humanities programming. Bridging Michigan Grants support projects that prompt in-depth thinking and conversation about persistent community challenges, including social, economic, cultural, and racial inequities. Humanities Grants focus on collaboration among cultural, educational, and community-based organizations and institutions. The Arts and Humanities Touring Program helps cover the fees and expenses of touring presenters and artists.
The 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum says it provides a hands-on environment that celebrates childhood and encourages learning and exploration. The Library of Michigan Foundation says it works to achieve high levels of library service in Michigan, while Allied Media Projects says it cultivates media strategies for a more just, creative, and collaborative world.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the council reported 17 grants totaling $254,240. The grants ranged from $8,925 to $20,000, with a median of $15,815. The reported purposes for the largest grants were regrant expenditures. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan.
Among the 2025 grants, the council awarded $20,000 each to the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Regents of the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Plowshares Theatre Company, Lawrence Technological University, 826Michigan, and the Library of Michigan Foundation. Allied Media Projects received $15,815, and Alma College, Marygrove Conservancy, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History each received $10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Rupp as president/CEO and Michelle Chrome as CFO. Listed council members are Deanne Hartman, Anne Donohue, Dr. Jennfer Drake, Ollie Johnson III, Jenee Velasquez, Antonio David Garcia, Julie Dorcey, and Colleen Graber.
Michigan Humanities Council is led by Jennifer Rupp, President & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 2 of 22 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Rupp
President & CEO
Acting President & CEO → President & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$56K (2021) → $128K (2025)
William Beekman
Chair
Council Member → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Chrome
CFO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$103K (2024) → $108K (2025)
Colleen Graber
Council Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Stevens
Council Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Dorcey
Council Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Stiffler PhD
Council Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ethriam Brammer
Past Chair
Council Member & Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Cialdella
Secretary
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angela Graham
Council Member
Council Member → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Council Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Antonio David Garcia
Council Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenee Velasquez
Council Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennfer Drake
Council Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deanne Hartman
Council Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Martin
Treasurer
Council Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Monique Marks
Vice Chair
Council Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peg Asmus
Council Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Kuntzsch
Council Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anne Donohue
Council Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emilio Rodriguez
Council Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ollie Johnson III
Council Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tansley Stearns
Council Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (31)
- Former: Jenell Leonard (2019–2024) — Council Member
- Former: Paul C. Chaffee (2019–2024) — Council Member
- Former: Masaki Takahashi (2023–2024) — Council Member
- Former: April Clobes (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Celeste L. Diehm (2019–2023) — Chair
- Former: James Napolitano (2019–2023) — 1st Vice Chair & Chair
- Former: Kathryn Spence (2019–2023) — Council Member
- Former: Rena Richtig PhD (2019–2023) — Council Member
- Former: Deanne Gavalis (2020–2023) — Council Member
- Former: Najah Bazzy (2023) — Council Member
- Former: Bill C. Alsover (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Margaret Stephanak (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jade Sims (2019–2021) — Council Member
- Former: Shannon Polk (2019–2021) — Council Member
- Former: Shelly Hendrick Kasprzycki (2019–2021) — President & CEO
- Former: Versell Smith Jr. (2019–2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Amisha Harijan (2020–2021) — Council Member
- Former: Matthew Fletcher (2020–2021) — Council Member
- Former: Larry Preston (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Ron Lamange (2019–2020) — Council Member
- Former: Anne Belanger (2019) — Past Chair
- Former: Debra K. McKeon (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Eric Hemenway (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Jody L. Egen (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Kelvin P. Smyth (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Melba Boyd (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Miranda Krajniak (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Sarah Jury (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Sean Everett (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Steve M. Wilson (2019) — Council Member
- Former: Susan Higman Larsen (2019) — Council Member
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 $128K, to Jennifer Rupp (President/CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Michigan Humanities Council
How much does Michigan Humanities Council give each year?
Michigan Humanities Council gave $254K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $455K across 27 grants.
What is Michigan Humanities Council's typical grant size?
Michigan Humanities Council's median grant in 2025 was $15,815, and its average grant was $14,955, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michigan Humanities Council that year got $14K on average.
Where does Michigan Humanities Council give grants?
Michigan Humanities Council 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 Detroit, MI (4 grants), Southfield, MI (2 grants) and Lansing, MI (2 grants).
Does Michigan Humanities Council give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Michigan Humanities Council's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Regrant Expenditure" (17 grants).
Who are Michigan Humanities Council's largest grantees?
Michigan Humanities Council's largest 2025 grantees include Grand Rapids Children's Museum ($20,000), Regents of the University of Michigan ($20,000) and Western Michigan University ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michigan Humanities Council?
Michigan Humanities Council reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.0M.
What does Michigan Humanities Council fund?
The organization’s stated mission is “Bringing people together through stories, histories, cultures, and conversations.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michigan Humanities Council?
The Arts and Humanities Touring Program awards reimbursement grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Michigan Humanities Council's EIN?
Michigan Humanities Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0164775. 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 2019 (received by the IRS March 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Michigan Humanities Council's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Michigan Humanities Council funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/michigan-humanities-council-morg_672200bd4b564a38ac8526c84dc2d1e4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510164775_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Michigan Humanities Council funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/michigan-humanities-council-morg_672200bd4b564a38ac8526c84dc2d1e4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 Michigan Humanities Council'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.
Michigan Humanities Council down — hundreds of funders to go?