Rotary Charities of Traverse City
Rotary Charities of Traverse City is a 501(c)(3) community foundation headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. Founded in 1976 following the discovery of oil and gas on land owned by the Traverse City Noon Rotary Club, the organization was established on the belief that those resources should benefit the region for generations to come. The organization operates with a staff of 6 employees and functions as a philanthropic grantmaking and community development entity.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50.3M
+4.4% YoY
Revenue
$4.2M
+72.9% YoY
Net Investment Income
$3.9M
+83.3% YoY
Expenses
$3.2M
-2.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Working in partnership with changemakers, Rotary Charities provides funding, learning, and connections to address the region's complex problems and create community assets for all.
Vision: Communities that are adaptive and equitable where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
The organization's work addresses complex regional challenges including housing, hunger, and climate change. Their approach emphasizes systems practice, adaptive leadership development, and collaborative problem-solving. Rotary Charities supports initiatives focused on community improvement and capacity building across multiple sectors.
Grantmaking
Rotary Charities provides funding through multiple grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Rotary Charities supports organizations and initiatives serving five counties in northwest lower Michigan:
- Antrim County
- Benzie County
- Grand Traverse County
- Kalkaska County
- Leelanau County
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2025:
- Total Assets: $50.3 million
- Total Revenue: $4.17 million
- Total Expenses: $3.24 million
- Total Liabilities: $383,000
Tax-Exempt Status: Designated as tax-exempt since June 1978 (EIN: 38-2170564)
Rating: Four-Star rating with 100% score from independent evaluation
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,332,157 | $48,203,748 | $46,937,028 |
| Revenue | $4,167,748 | $2,410,878 | $1,013,623 |
| Expenses | $3,240,352 | $3,317,871 | $3,417,345 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,864,963 | $2,108,992 | $576,165 |
| 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 0 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Rotary Charities of Traverse City
Good Works Fund Grants
ROTARY CHARITIES OF TRAVERSE CITY
Amount
Up to US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Rotary Charities of Traverse City: Assets for Thriving Communities Grant
ROTARY CHARITIES OF TRAVERSE CITY
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Rotary Charities of Traverse City: Learning Fund Grant
ROTARY CHARITIES OF TRAVERSE CITY
Amount
Up to US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
CEO: Sakura Takano
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LORRAINE BEERS | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GREG LUYT | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| BENJAMIN MARENTETTE | TREASURER/ SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOHN RODDY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOHN HALL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MADISON FORD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KELLY DUNHAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WENDY IRVIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| AUTUMN SOLTYSIAK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| REBECCA TEAHEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SAKURA TAKANO | CEO | 40 | $153,756 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Rotary Charities maintains an active grantmaking schedule with semi-annual funding cycles. The organization publishes annual reports documenting its impact and approach. The 2024-2025 Annual Report emphasizes themes of resilience through relationships, collaboration, adaptability, and shared leadership in supporting regional changemakers.
News & Media | Rotary CharitiesThe organization's work extends beyond traditional grantmaking to include providing learning opportunities and facilitating connections among community partners addressing systemic issues across the region.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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