Pathways Foundation
Pathways Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2012 and located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The foundation supports visionary partners and leaders working to create equal access to opportunity for all who call metro Detroit home. The foundation operates on a trust-based grantmaking philosophy, providing unrestricted funds to partner organizations and trusting them to leverage social and systemic change most effectively.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.4M
-0.3% YoY
Grant Count
19
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$126K
-0.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philanthropic work centers on three core areas:
Food Justice
- Reimagining local food system functionality
- Challenging community thinking about food access
- Current partners include Keep Growing Detroit, Forgotten Harvest, and Eastern Market Partnership
Educational Opportunities
- Supporting learning access regardless of economic status
- Investing in programs providing knowledge across various industries
- Current partners include College for Creative Studies, Big Green, Detroit Horsepower, Midnight Golf, and Detroit Food Academy
Women's Equality
- Addressing systemic issues women face through lack of opportunity and support
- Supporting programs that develop foundational skills to empower women
- Current partners include Orchards Children's Services, Planned Parenthood, and Girls Group
Grantmaking
Grant Range
**
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Pathways Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Metro Detroit, Michigan, with primary focus on the Detroit area and surrounding communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue
- Total assets: $29.1 million (2023)
- Total revenues: $1.7 million (2023)
- Total expenses: $2.8 million (2023)
Revenue Composition (2023)
- Investment income and dividends: $875,220
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $870,151
Historical Assets
- 2023: $29,041,535
- 2022: $31.7 million
- 2021: $30.9 million
| 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
90 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include We Shall Read ($300,000), Friends of Acadia ($250,000), Girls Group ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU OF MICHIGAN NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL FUND | $125,000 |
| BLACK LEADERS DETROIT DETROIT, MI | GENERAL FUND | $100,000 |
| BRILLIANT DETROIT DETROIT, MI | GENERAL FUND | $150,000 |
| COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES DETROIT, MI | CAP PROGRAM | $120,000 |
| DOWNTOWN BOXING GYM DETROIT, MI | GENERAL FUND | $150,000 |
| FRIENDS OF ACADIA BAR HARBOR, ME | GENERAL FUND | $250,000 |
| FORGOTTEN HARVEST OAK PARK, MI | GENERAL FUND, CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $100,000 |
| GIRLS GROUP ANN ARBOR, MI | GENERAL FUND | $250,000 |
| GROSS POINTE THEATRE GROSS POINTE, MI | GENERAL FUND | $10,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GLOBAL AMERICUS, GA | GENERAL FUND | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was established by Jill and Todd Watson. Jill Watson is identified as the primary supporter. The foundation employs one staff member.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TODD R WATSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JILL WATSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 26055 Northpointe, Farmington Hills, MI 48331-4249
- Phone: 313-591-2866
- Website: https://pathwaysfoundationmi.org
- EIN: 45-6643839
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pathways Foundation fund?
The foundation's philanthropic work centers on three core areas: **Food Justice** • Reimagining local food system functionality • Challenging community thinking about food access • Current partners include Keep Growing Detroit, Forgotten Harvest, and Eastern Market Partnership **Educational Opportunities** • Supporting learning access regardless of economic status • Investing in programs providing knowledge across various industries • Current partners include College for Creative Studies, Big G…
How do I apply for a grant from Pathways Foundation?
**Grant Activity** • Annual charitable disbursements of approximately $2.5 million (2024) • 2023: $1.9 million in total giving across 18 grants • 2022: $1.7 million in total giving across 18 grants • 2021: $1.5 million in total giving across 16 grants **Grant Range** • Median grant: $95,000 (2023) • Grant range: $10,000 to $300,000 • Provides unrestricted grants to partner organizations **Application Process** • Invitation-only grant model • Does not accept unsolicited applications • Foundation…
Where does Pathways Foundation make grants?
Metro Detroit, Michigan, with primary focus on the Detroit area and surrounding communities.
What size grants does Pathways Foundation award?
In 2024, Pathways Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $126K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Pathways Foundation's EIN?
Pathways Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-6643839. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pathways 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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