MPS Foundation
MPS Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, it reported 25 grants totaling $200,000, primarily to Michigan organizations; its filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
MPS Foundation at a glance
In short: MPS Foundation gave $200K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $200,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,000
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $2,306,367
- +2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (95% 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 MPS Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co 480 Pierce Street 300, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (248) 567-7883
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who MPS Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lake Superior Conservancy & Watershed Council ($45K). Together the top 10 received $181K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 115 grants of 115 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 4% to recipients in Virginia. The listed 2025 grants also include recipients in Alabama and Pennsylvania, each reported as 0% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is MPS Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 25 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $170K (2019) to $200K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $200K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Superior Conservancy & Watershed Council Sault Ste Marie, MI | General Operating Support | $45,000 |
| McLaren Northern Mi Hospital Foundation Petoskey, MI | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Ann's Nest Harbor Springs, MI | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| MSRW (Mac Straits Raptor Watch) Petoskey, MI | General Operating Support | $24,000 |
| Little Traverse Bay Humane Society Harbor Springs, MI | General Operating Support | $17,500 |
| Little Traverse Conservancy Petoskey, MI | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| No Central Mi College Foundation Petoskey, MI | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| National Wildlife Federation Reston, VA | General Operating Support | $8,000 |
| Allen Bass Fund Lansing, MI | General Operating Support | $6,000 |
| Harbor Springs Historical Society Harbor Springs, MI | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with MPS 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 | $2,306,367 | $268,254 | $215,512 | $200,000 | 25 | $200,000 | $262,814 | $190,498 |
| 2024 | $2,254,640 | $452,584 | $202,675 | $200,000 | 24 | $200,000 | $449,909 | $175,789 |
| 2023 | $2,004,731 | $66,067 | $246,311 | $200,000 | 22 | $200,000 | $18,531 | $156,463 |
| 2022 | $2,181,064 | $58,988 | $264,154 | $200,000 | 22 | $200,000 | — | $164,785 |
| 2021 | $2,387,600 | $270,723 | $250,638 | $182,500 | 22 | $182,500 | $204,107 | $188,359 |
| 2020 | $2,367,239 | $94,227 | $228,507 | $170,000 | 22 | — | $38,018 | $151,515 |
| 2019 | $2,502,605 | $212,502 | $179,654 | $170,000 | 22 | — | $204,348 | $145,224 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, MPS Foundation reported a distributable amount of $190K 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including conservation, animal care, health care, education, community services, and the arts. For example, Little Traverse Bay Humane Society describes its mission as serving pets and the people who love them with compassionate, comprehensive care. Little Traverse Conservancy says it protects land in northern Michigan through nature preserves, working forest reserves, and conservation easements. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $200,000. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $45,000, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest awards included $45,000 to Lake Superior Conservancy & Watershed Council, $25,000 each to McLaren Northern MI Hospital Foundation and Ann’s Nest, $24,000 to MSRW (Mac Straits Raptor Watch), and $17,500 to Little Traverse Bay Humane Society. The listed largest grants were for general operating support.
Other 2025 recipients included Little Traverse Conservancy ($15,000), No Central MI College Foundation ($10,000), National Wildlife Federation ($8,000), and Rising Hope Equestrian Center ($5,000). Among smaller awards, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and Harbor Hall Foundation each received $2,000, and Great Lakes Center for the Arts received $500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joanne N. Arbaugh as president, secretary, and treasurer; Steven L. Arbaugh as vice president; and Flora Ottimer Arbaugh as director.
MPS Foundation is led by Joanne N. Arbaugh, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joanne N. Arbaugh
President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Flora Ottimer Arbaugh
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Steven L. Arbaugh
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about MPS Foundation
How much does MPS Foundation give each year?
MPS Foundation gave $200K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $200K across 24 grants.
What is MPS Foundation's typical grant size?
MPS Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $8,000, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from MPS Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does MPS Foundation give grants?
MPS Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Petoskey, MI (7 grants), Harbor Springs, MI (7 grants) and Lansing, MI (2 grants).
Does MPS Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of MPS Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are MPS Foundation's largest grantees?
MPS Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lake Superior Conservancy & Watershed Council ($45,000), McLaren Northern Mi Hospital Foundation ($25,000) and Ann's Nest ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is MPS Foundation?
MPS Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $190K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does MPS Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including conservation, animal care, health care, education, community services, and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from MPS Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is MPS Foundation's EIN?
MPS Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3421778. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does MPS 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in MPS Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). MPS Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mps-foundation-morg_f74f87770a5644a8ba23eec3ac09cf44
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383421778_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{MPS Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mps-foundation-morg_f74f87770a5644a8ba23eec3ac09cf44},
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 MPS 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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