Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr is a private foundation based in Jackson, Michigan. Its 2025 grants largely supported scholarships through Michigan colleges and universities, alongside a grant to the Jackson Community Foundation to administer scholarships.
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr at a glance
In short: Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr gave $320K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $320,000
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- -11.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,421
- +19.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $6,080,052
- +1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (7 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (90% 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 Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that applicants should contact the Jackson Community Foundation and submit an application form. The foundation accepts applications beginning in November until it receives 200 applications. The stated award range is $500 to $5,000.
- Review Cycle
- Applications open in November and close when 200 applications have been received.
- Deadline
- Applications open in November and close when 200 applications have been received.
- Contact
Application contact: Jackson Community Foundation
Mailing address: 100 S Jackson St 200, Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: (517) 787-1321
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Michigan State University ($56K). Together the top 10 received $199K.
Organizations only. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($78,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
192 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 187 grants of 192 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. Smaller shares went to recipients in Indiana (2%), Colorado (1%), Illinois (1%), and Virginia (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 30 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $297K (2020) to $330K (2022). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $320K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University E Lansing, MI | Scholarships | $56,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Scholarships | $51,000 |
| 8 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $78,000 |
| Jackson Community Foundation Jackson, MI | Administor Scholarships | $25,000 |
| Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, MI | Scholarships | $17,000 |
| Jackson College Jackson, MI | Scholarships | $15,500 |
| Central Michigan University Mt Pleasant, MI | Scholarships | $12,500 |
| Michian Technological University Houghton, MI | Scholarships | $9,500 |
| Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | Scholarships | $4,000 |
| Indiana Wesley University Marion, IN | Scholarship | $4,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr?
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 | $6,080,052 | $441,506 | $363,135 | $320,000 | 38 | $318,065 | $325,836 | $342,768 |
| 2024 | $6,001,681 | $404,881 | $347,770 | $302,500 | 43 | $304,621 | $317,178 | $328,641 |
| 2023 | $5,944,570 | $27,313 | $377,255 | $318,946 | 39 | $324,458 | $123,676 | $316,288 |
| 2022 | $6,294,512 | $437,031 | $383,319 | $330,000 | 39 | $335,341 | $346,559 | $330,240 |
| 2021 | $6,240,800 | $331,053 | $368,778 | $309,032 | 33 | $314,782 | $236,457 | $340,858 |
| 2020 | $6,278,525 | $30,507 | $352,185 | $297,200 | 39 | — | $161,074 | $310,633 |
| 2019 | $6,600,203 | $534,910 | $365,390 | $309,284 | 46 | — | $460,767 | $322,917 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr reported a distributable amount of $343K 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 grant purposes chiefly identify scholarships. Grantees describe their own work in varied terms: Michigan State University says its mission is to help students get scholarships for college; Spring Arbor University describes a community of learners grounded in the liberal arts and commitment to Jesus Christ; and the Jackson Community Foundation says it connects people and resources to strengthen the Jackson community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 38 grants totaling $320,000. Individual grants ranged from $1,000 to $56,000, with a median grant of $3,000. The largest awards included $56,000 to Michigan State University for scholarships, $51,000 to the University of Michigan for scholarships, $38,500 to an individual recipient State University for scholarships, and $25,000 to the Jackson Community Foundation to administer scholarships. Other large scholarship grants included $17,000 to Spring Arbor University, $16,000 to Western Michigan University, and $15,500 to Jackson College.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists the Jackson Community Foundation as the application contact, an application form as the required material, and awards ranging from $500 to $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Deborah Marshall, Rae M. Knoll, James Marshall, Michael Knoll, and Kristen Schilling as trustees.
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Deborah Marshall
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
James Marshall
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Kristen Schilling
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Michael Knoll
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Rae M. Knoll
Trustee
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 Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr
How much does Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr give each year?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr gave $320K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $303K across 43 grants.
What is Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's typical grant size?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $8,421, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr that year got $1K on average.
Where does Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr give grants?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr gives mostly in Michigan: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (3 grants) and Jackson, MI (2 grants).
Does Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 38 grants with a stated purpose on Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (28 grants) and "Scholarships" (9 grants).
Who are Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's largest grantees?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's largest 2025 grantees include Michigan State University ($56,000), University of Michigan ($51,000) and Jackson Community Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($78,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr reported $6.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $318K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $343K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grant purposes chiefly identify scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr?
The filing states that applicants should contact the Jackson Community Foundation and submit an application form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's EIN?
Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2715461. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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 March 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/myer-and-lois-franklin-charitable-tr-morg_fcdc1f5ddabc414fb32170b1e3327a6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382715461_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Myer \& Lois Franklin Charitable Tr funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/myer-and-lois-franklin-charitable-tr-morg_fcdc1f5ddabc414fb32170b1e3327a6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Myer & Lois Franklin Charitable Tr'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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