The Nickless Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 2000 and based in Saginaw, Michigan. The foundation was created by Arthur H. and Helen M. Nickless to enable the Nickless family to give back to the communities in which they lived and worked. The foundation maintains a primary focus on educational, vocational, and social service opportunities for families and individuals in need.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$641K
+2.7% YoY
Grant Count
32
+10.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$20K
-6.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Vision: To increase educational, vocational and social service opportunities to families and individuals in need.
Mission: To grant monies to agencies that support educational, vocational, and social service concentrations within Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Area and the geographical areas of the Board members.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Innovation awards and scholarships
- Support for teen mothers and children
- Youth development and community service
- Church and park renovation projects
- Educational advancement and STEM initiatives
- General operational support for nonprofits
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts applications. Contact information is available at 989-921-0010.
Grant Range
$4,000 to $150,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Area, including:
- Bay, Midland, Saginaw, and Tuscola counties
- The cities of Bay City and Millington, Michigan
- Sun City West, Arizona (historical interest)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $10,466,588
- Total revenues: $869,296
- Total expenses: $902,240
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $13,000,000
- Total distributions: $723,000
- Giving rate: 4.9% of assets
Employees: 0 (foundation operates without staff)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
176 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members and Officers (2023):
- Janet N Royce - President
- Joan N Tankersley - Vice President
- Stephen Tankersley - Treasurer
- Judith N Graham - Secretary
- Peter Tankersley - Member
- Christine Graham - Member
- Abbie Graham-Durkin - Member
- Tri-Star Trust Bank - Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUDITH N GRAHAM | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOAN N TANKERSLEY | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JANET N ROYCE | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| STEPHEN TANKERSLEY | TREASURER | 0.25 | — |
| TRI-STAR TRUST BANK | TRUSTEE | 20 | — |
| PETER TANKERSLEY | MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
| CHRISTINE GRAHAM | MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
| ABBIE GRAHAM-DURKIN | MEMBER | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation operates the A.H. Nickless Innovation Award, an annual competition for high school students ages 13 to 18 in Bay, Midland, Saginaw, and Tuscola counties. The award program is designed to:
20 student teams compete for $77,500 in A.H. Nickless Innovation AwardConnect business mentors with high school students for real-world experience
Provide financial awards for students' college costs
Award grants to schools for equipment, programs, and resources
Five schools, 20 teams, compete in A.H. Nickless Innovation AwardEncourage creative problem-solving and STEM exploration
Recent competition activity includes 20 student teams competing for $77,500 in awards through the innovation program.
20 student teams compete for $77,500 in A.H. Nickless Innovation AwardSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Grants
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Total Given
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Total Given
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Assets
—
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Total Given
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Assets
—
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Total Given
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Dr Shanti Swarup & Mrs Chawla Devi
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Assets
—
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Total Given
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Bojrab Family Foundation
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Assets
$185K
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Total Given
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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