Robert and Bess Cook Foundation
The Robert and Bess Cook Foundation is a private foundation based in Bingham Farms, Michigan. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including food assistance, religion, education, culture, and general charitable purposes.
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert and Bess Cook Foundation gave $28K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $881.25), mostly in Michigan. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $28,200
- -5.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- -13.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $881
- +9.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $263
- Total assets
- $550,790
- -1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert and Bess Cook Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing describes a written request with the specific purpose detailed; restrictions on awards are listed as none. The filing names Regina Brodersen as the application contact.
- Contact
Application contact: Regina Brodersen
Mailing address: 30100 Telegraph Road Suite 403, Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Phone: (248) 645-2300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert and Bess Cook Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Capuchin Soup Kitchen ($4K). Together the top 10 received $22K.
Grant Size Distribution
144 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 144 grants of 144 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. The remaining shares were Wisconsin (4%), Iowa (3%), Ohio (1%), and Massachusetts (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert and Bess Cook Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 32 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $150; repeat grants $930. How we count
Medians: $150 first-time, $300 repeat.
- 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $28K (2025) to $40K (2022). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $28K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Capuchin Soup Kitchen Detroit, MI | Food Bank | $4,000 |
| Meadowbrook Congregational Church Novi, MI | Religious | $3,500 |
| Forgotten Harvest Oak Park, MI | Food Bank | $3,200 |
| St John Catholic Church Howell, MI | Religious | $2,500 |
| Cleary University Howell, MI | Education | $1,800 |
| Detroit Public Schools Foundation Detroit, MI | Education | $1,750 |
| Metro Detroit Police & Fire Royal Oak, MI | General | $1,300 |
| Royal Oak Historical Museum Royal Oak, MI | Cultural | $1,300 |
| Disabled American Veterans Fraser, MI | General | $1,200 |
| Olivet College Olivet, MI | Education | $1,150 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $550,790 | $36,773 | $46,470 | $28,200 | 32 | $28,239 | $18,542 | $29,048 |
| 2024 | $560,393 | $30,676 | $47,567 | $29,750 | 37 | $29,750 | $12,859 | $29,197 |
| 2023 | $577,188 | $20,800 | $49,792 | $32,100 | 25 | $32,100 | $5,594 | $29,371 |
| 2022 | $606,428 | $34,964 | $58,887 | $39,725 | 26 | $39,725 | $15,802 | $31,831 |
| 2021 | $630,351 | $38,819 | $51,712 | $37,050 | 24 | $37,050 | $24,157 | $36,799 |
| 2020 | $643,244 | $31,964 | $50,833 | $35,000 | 24 | — | $16,131 | $34,629 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert and Bess Cook Foundation reported a distributable amount of $29K for 2025 — 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 2025 grant purposes included food bank, religious, educational, cultural, and general support. The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of work represented: Forgotten Harvest says its mission is to relieve hunger in Metro Detroit and prevent nutritious food waste; Cleary University says it provides business education; and the Detroit Public Schools Foundation says it creates and enhances educational opportunities for students, families, and educators.
Other 2025 grantees describe work supporting veterans and their families, providing nutritious food, and delivering a liberal arts education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not statements of the foundation’s own mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $28,200. Awards ranged from $50 to $4,000, with a median of $262. Grant totals were $29,750 across 37 grants in 2024 and $32,100 across 25 grants in 2023.
The largest 2025 grants included $4,000 to Capuchin Soup Kitchen for food bank purposes, $3,500 to Meadowbrook Congregational Church for religious purposes, $3,200 to Forgotten Harvest for food bank purposes, and $2,500 to St John Catholic Church for religious purposes. Other notable grants were $1,800 to Cleary University, $1,750 to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, $1,200 to Disabled American Veterans, and $1,000 to Gleaners Community Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Libby Walker as president, Patricia Van Dommelen as vice president, Minette Grow as treasurer, and Regina Brodersen as secretary.
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation is led by Libby Walker, President on the 2025 filing; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Libby Walker
President
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Minette Grow
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Van Dommelen
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Regina Brodersen
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Libby Graham (2020–2024) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Robert and Bess Cook Foundation
How much does Robert and Bess Cook Foundation give each year?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation gave $28K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $30K across 37 grants.
What is Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $263, and its average grant was $881, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert and Bess Cook Foundation that year got $150 on average.
Where does Robert and Bess Cook Foundation give grants?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (5 grants), Royal Oak, MI (4 grants), Howell, MI (2 grants) and Wixom, MI (2 grants).
Does Robert and Bess Cook Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 56% of Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (6 grants), "Food Bank" (3 grants) and "Religious" (3 grants).
Who are Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Capuchin Soup Kitchen ($4,000), Meadowbrook Congregational Church ($3,500) and Forgotten Harvest ($3,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert and Bess Cook Foundation?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation reported $551K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $28K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Robert and Bess Cook Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grant purposes included food bank, religious, educational, cultural, and general support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert and Bess Cook Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's EIN?
Robert and Bess Cook Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3016880. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Figures come from Robert and Bess Cook 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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