Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation
The Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Michigan. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, all of them in Michigan, including organizations working in animal care, conservation, education, health, and hunger relief.
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation at a glance
In short: Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation gave $759K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Michigan. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $758,500
- +0.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- -9.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $20,500
- +11.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,500
- Total assets
- $16,252,806
- +16.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (3 of 37, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 260 E Brown Street 280, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (248) 385-5285
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Detroit Zoological Society ($100K). Together the top 10 received $390K.
Grant Size Distribution
236 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 222 grants of 236 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 37 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $16K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $728K (2022) to $891K (2021). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $759K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Zoological Society Royal Oak, MI | Zoological Services | $100,000 |
| Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Traverse City, MI | Nature Conservation and Promotion | $50,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Lansing, MI | Nature Conservation and Promotion | $50,000 |
| Trinity Health St Joseph Mercy Oakland Pontiac, MI | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Cherryland Humane Society Traverse City, MI | Animal Care and Support | $25,000 |
| College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI | Higher Education | $25,000 |
| Michigan Humane Society Bingham Farms, MI | Animal Care and Support | $25,000 |
| Cranbrook Educational Community Bloomfield Hills, MI | Education Services | $25,000 |
| Cornerstone Schools Foundation Detroit, MI | Education Services | $20,000 |
| Forgotten Harvest Oak Park, MI | Services for the Underprivileged | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,252,806 | $3,335,776 | $923,625 | $758,500 | 37 | $778,346 | $3,205,497 | $751,609 |
| 2023 | $13,942,952 | $670,658 | $1,093,696 | $752,500 | 41 | $810,420 | $368,911 | $763,803 |
| 2022 | $13,255,081 | $1,088,231 | $1,149,019 | $728,000 | 49 | $740,085 | $709,297 | $803,007 |
| 2021 | $14,162,386 | $1,695,203 | $1,153,183 | $890,500 | 50 | $901,170 | $1,443,190 | $881,104 |
| 2020 | $14,170,017 | $580,470 | $1,071,974 | $830,500 | 59 | — | $363,106 | $793,734 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $752K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. For example, the Detroit Zoological Society says its mission is to connect people, animals, and the natural world; the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy describes its work as protecting natural, scenic, and farm lands and advancing land stewardship. Education grantees include Cranbrook Educational Community, which says it provides education and encourages creativity and innovation, and the College for Creative Studies, which says it educates visual artists and designers.
Animal welfare grantees include Cherryland Humane Society, which says it provides safe harbor for animals and works to find them permanent homes, and Michigan Humane Society, which says it improves and saves lives through care, community engagement, and advocacy. Forgotten Harvest says it works to relieve hunger in Metro Detroit and prevent nutritious food waste.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $758,500. Awards ranged from $3,000 to $100,000, with a median of $15,500. Its largest reported grant was $100,000 to the Detroit Zoological Society for zoological services. Other notable awards included $50,000 each to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, and Trinity Health St Joseph Mercy Oakland; and $25,000 each to Cherryland Humane Society, College for Creative Studies, Michigan Humane Society, and Cranbrook Educational Community.
The foundation awarded 41 grants totaling $752,500 in 2023 and 49 grants totaling $728,000 in 2022.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katherine Polk Osborne as president, treasurer, and trustee. It also lists Roberta N Polk, Susan P Scyphers, Stephen R Polk, and Ryan L Polk as trustees.
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation is led by Katherine Polk Osborne, President, Treasurer & Trustee on every filing since 2022; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine Polk Osborne
President, Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen R. Polk
Trustee
President, Treasurer & Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan P. Scyphers
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roberta N. Polk
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan L. Polk
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Julie A. Polk (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Kathy Polk Osborne (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation
How much does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation give each year?
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation gave $759K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $753K across 41 grants.
What is Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's typical grant size?
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,500, and its average grant was $20,500, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation give grants?
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (14 grants), Traverse City, MI (5 grants), Bingham Farms, MI (2 grants) and Southfield, MI (2 grants).
Does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Nature Conservation and Promotion" (7 grants), "Services for the Underprivileged" (5 grants) and "Education Services" (5 grants).
Who are Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's largest grantees?
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Detroit Zoological Society ($100,000), Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy ($50,000) and The Nature Conservancy ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation?
Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation reported $16.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $778K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $752K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in several fields. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-l-and-winifred-e-polk-foundation-morg_d3a7927fd42d435bb30fb9c738b24858
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_386080075_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ralph L \& Winifred E Polk Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-l-and-winifred-e-polk-foundation-morg_d3a7927fd42d435bb30fb9c738b24858},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Ralph L & Winifred E Polk Foundation'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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