Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker BIRMINGHAM, MI EIN: 38-6080075

The Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation is a private family foundation based in Birmingham, Michigan. Incorporated in 1962, the foundation focuses its philanthropic efforts on education, youth programs, and human services, with a particular emphasis on supporting initiatives in Michigan and select communities in Massachusetts and New York.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$759K

+0.8% YoY

Grant Count

-9.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$21K

+11.7% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's giving is primarily directed toward:

Education
Youth programs
Human services
Philanthropy and voluntarism
Nature conservation and environmental initiatives

Grantmaking

The foundation distributed $758,500 in total giving in its most recent fiscal year, with 69 grants awarded. Notable recent grants include:

Grant Range

approximately $78

Average Grant

approximately $78

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds projects across multiple states, with primary concentration in:

Michigan (primary focus, including Detroit and Lansing)
Massachusetts (including Boston)
New York

Grant Distribution by State

Michigan $3.8M (99%)

Massachusetts $30K (1%)

New York $20K (1%)

States

Massachusetts Michigan New York

Cities

BINGHAM FARMSBIRMINGHAMBLOOMFIELD HILLSBOSTONCOMMERCE CHARTER TWPDEARBORNDETROITDRYDENEAGLEFARMINGTON HILLSHOLLYINKSTERINTERLOCHENLANSINGLAPEERLIVONIAMT PLEASANTOAK PARKOXFORDPONTIAC

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data:

Metric	Amount
Total Assets	$13.9–$16.2 million
Total Annual Giving	$758,500
Total Expenses	$1.09 million
Total Revenue	$670,658

Tax Information:

EIN: 38-6080075
IRS 501(c)(3) status
Year formed: 1962–1964

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

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

227 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Detroit Zoological Society ($100,000), Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy ($50,000), The Nature Conservancy ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AUTOMOTIVE HALL OF FAME DEARBORN, MI	GENERAL FUND	$10,000
BUILDING BEDS 4 KIDS OAK PARK, MI	SERVICES FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED	$10,000
CHERRYLAND HUMANE SOCIETY TRAVERSE CITY, MI	ANIMAL CARE AND SUPPORT	$25,000
COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES DETROIT, MI	HIGHER EDUCATION	$25,000
CORNERSTONE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION DETROIT, MI	EDUCATION SERVICES	$20,000
DETROIT OPERA DETROIT, MI	GENERAL FUND	$10,000
DETROIT PAL DETROIT, MI	GENERAL FUND	$10,000
DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVENCY DETROIT, MI	NATURE CONSERVATION AND PROMOTION	$10,000
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY ROYAL OAK, MI	ZOOLOGICAL SERVICES	$100,000
FATHER FRED FOUNDATION TRAVERSE CITY, MI	GENERAL WELFARE SERVICES	$15,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is managed by a board of trustees composed of family members, including:

Katherine Polk Osborne - President, Treasurer, and Trustee

All trustees serve without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
KATHERINE POLK OSBORNE	PRESIDENT/TREASURER/TRUSTE	1	—
ROBERTA N POLK	TRUSTEE	0.5	—
SUSAN P SCYPHERS	TRUSTEE	0.5	—
STEPHEN R POLK	TRUSTEE	0.5	—
RYAN L POLK	TRUSTEE	0.5	—

Contact Information

Address: 260 E Brown St, Suite 280 Birmingham, MI 48009-6231 United States

Telephone: 248-385-5285

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation fund?

The foundation's giving is primarily directed toward: • Education • Youth programs • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Nature conservation and environmental initiatives

How do I apply for a grant from Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $2,500 to $100,000 • Average grant size: approximately $78 • Median grant size information available through recent filings **Recent Activity:** The foundation distributed $758,500 in total giving in its most recent fiscal year, with 69 grants awarded. Notable recent grants include: • Detroit Zoological Society: $100,000 (Zoological Services) • Rose Hill Center: $32,000 (Mental Health Services) • Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservan…

Where does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds projects across multiple states, with primary concentration in: • **Michigan** (primary focus, including Detroit and Lansing) • **Massachusetts** (including Boston) • **New York**

What size grants does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation award?

In 2024, Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $759K — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's EIN?

Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6080075. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.