Oleson Foundation
The Oleson Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1962 by Gerald and Frances Oleson. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, the foundation has been providing community support in Northwest Michigan for over six decades. The foundation is organized to accept contributions from individuals and organizations, with all income and principal designated exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+9.7% YoY
Grant Count
71
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
+9.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission reflects the wishes of its founders to help people help themselves through sustainable, collaborative projects and programs that improve quality of life for area residents.
The foundation organizes its work around five principal pillars of impact:
- Art — Providing access to arts and culture in all forms, especially for youth, and ensuring artistic opportunities, programs, and events flourish in Northern Michigan
- Education — Providing high-quality educational opportunities for all students and encouraging communities to prioritize education
- Environment — Protecting and stewarding natural resources including watersheds, wetlands, farmland, forest land, and Great Lakes protection
- Community Development — Supporting recreational, cultural, and special projects that help communities grow and prosper while respecting natural resources
- Health and Human Services — Aiding people in need and ensuring high-quality health care is available to all communities
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$815 to $200,000
Review Cycle
April 1st annually
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides support geographically in the following Michigan counties: Grand Traverse, Emmet, Charlevoix, Benzie, and Manistee. The foundation also funds projects in Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $23,094,804
- Total revenue: $1,298,017
- Total expenses: $2,294,378
- Total liabilities: $7,990
Giving Rate: 7.1%
Historical Assets (2023):
- Assets: $24,084,846 (ledger value)
- Income: $2,830,151
| 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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Oleson Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Directors Fund ($90,000), Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy ($85,000), Nonprofit Rentals ($70,211).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5 LOAVES 2 FISHES WELCH, WV | PURCHASE AND INSTALL CONVECTION OVEN | $6,000 |
| ADDICTION TREATMENT SERVICES TRAVERSE CITY, MI | FAMILY SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER | $15,000 |
| BENZIE AREA CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS BENZONIA, MI | EXPANSION OF FOOD PROGRAMS AT THEIR NEW CENTER | $10,000 |
| BENZIE SENIOR RESOURCES HONOR, MI | GRANT FOR MEALS ON WHEELS DELIVERY VEHICLE | $17,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CHILD SAFETY TRAINING FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS | $15,000 |
| BOTANIC GARDEN AT HISTORIC BARNS PARK TRAVERSE CITY, MI | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - DAIRY BARN INTO EDUCATION AND CONFERENCE CENTER | $20,000 |
| CHARLEVOIX AREA COMMUNITY POOL CHARLEVOIX, MI | AUTOMATED POOL CHEMICAL MIXING SYSTEM | $7,500 |
| CHERRYLAND HUMANE SOCIETY TRAVERSE CITY, MI | SUPPORT AND PROGRAMS | $10,000 |
| CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES NW MI TRAVERSE CITY, MI | RENOVATION OF YOUTHWORK TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER | $35,000 |
| CITY OF TRAVERSE CITY AND CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF GARFIELD TRAVERSE CITY, MI | STANDARDIZE WAYFINDING SIGNS ACROSS HICKORY PROPERTIES | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Marty Oleson, President
- Donald M. Oleson, Vice-President
- Richard Ford, Secretary
- Donald W. Oleson, Director
- Gerald Oleson, Director
- Connie Deneweth, Director
- Brad Oleson, Director
- Samantha Oleson-Hansen, Director
- Benjamin Watts, Director
Staff:
- Stephanie Rustem, Executive Director (32 hours/week, $105,582 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHANIE RUSTEM | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 32 | $105,582 |
| MARTY OLESON | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DONALD M OLESON | VICE-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| RICHARD FORD | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DONALD W OLESON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GERALD OLESON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CONNIE DENEWETH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRAD OLESON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SAMANTHA OLESON-HANSEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BENJAMIN WATTS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made notable grants including:
Oleson Foundation awards $50,000 in matching grants to McLaren building project$85,000 to Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy for acquisition of the Ridge Property (2024)
$50,000 to Goodwill Northern Michigan for a new box truck for food rescue program operations (2024)
Oleson Foundation awards $50,000 Matching Grant to support McLaren Northern\$50,000 in matching grants to McLaren Northern Michigan building project
Oleson Foundation awards $50,000 in matching grants to McLaren building projectContact Information
The Oleson Foundation P.O. Box 904 Traverse City, MI 49685-0904
Phone: 231-929-2605 Email: stephanie@olesonfoundation.org Website: olesonfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Oleson Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission reflects the wishes of its founders to help people help themselves through sustainable, collaborative projects and programs that improve quality of life for area residents. The foundation organizes its work around five principal pillars of impact: • **Art** — Providing access to arts and culture in all forms, especially for youth, and ensuring artistic opportunities, programs, and events flourish in Northern Michigan • **Education** — Providing high-quality educational …
How do I apply for a grant from Oleson Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • In 2025, the foundation awarded more than $1.5 million to 83 nonprofit organizations in northwest Michigan • Recent annual grant totals include $1.675 million (2024) across 130 grants awarded • Grant range: $815 to $200,000 • Median grant amount: $15,000 **Application Process:** • Grant deadline: April 1st annually • Proposals are reviewed by the Executive Director and submitted to the board of trustees for approval • All grants are evaluated in reference to the five pilla…
Where does Oleson Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides support geographically in the following Michigan counties: Grand Traverse, Emmet, Charlevoix, Benzie, and Manistee. The foundation also funds projects in Washington, D.C.
What size grants does Oleson Foundation award?
In 2024, Oleson Foundation awarded 71 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Oleson Foundation's EIN?
Oleson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6083080. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oleson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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