Searles Family Foundation
The Searles Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its 2025 filing reports 14 grants totaling $117,000 to charitable organizations, including recipients in Michigan, New Hampshire, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, and Massachusetts.
Key facts about Searles Family Foundation
In short: Searles Family Foundation gave $117K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 34-1915489
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $117,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $8,357
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 14, 2025)
- Total assets
- $986,442
- Primary geography
- Michigan (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$986K
+6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$117K
+112.7% YoY
Grant Count
14
+7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+97.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Searles Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $65K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Searles Family Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 14 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 80% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 182% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the New Hampshire Boat Museum describes its mission as connecting people with New Hampshire’s freshwater boating heritage through exhibits, experiences, and educational programs. The Lake Winnipesaukee Association says it works to protect the lake’s water quality and natural resources. The Loon Preservation Committee describes its work as restoring and maintaining a healthy loon population and promoting understanding of loons and the natural world.
Other 2025 grantees include Barn Sanctuary, which says it rescues farmed animals and inspires people to embrace a plant-based lifestyle, and The Home for Little Wanderers, which says it helps vulnerable children and families build permanent, positive change.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $117,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $60,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest reported grants included $60,000 to Clark Lake Spirits Foundation and $14,000 to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation, both in Michigan. New Hampshire recipients Lake Winnipesaukee Association and New Hampshire Boat Museum each received $10,000. Hyde Schools in Maine and the Loon Preservation Committee in New Hampshire each received $5,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 22% to recipients in New Hampshire. The remaining reported shares were Maine (4%), Maryland (3%), and Ohio (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $47K (2019) to $117K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $117K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Clark Lake Spirits Foundation ($60K). Together the top 10 received $113K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 73 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clark Lake Spirits Foundation Clarklake, MI | General Fund | $60,000 |
| Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation NW Grand Rapids, MI | General Fund | $14,000 |
| Lake Winnipesaukee Association Gilford, NH | General Fund | $10,000 |
| New Hampshire Boat Museum Wolfeboro Falls, NH | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Hyde Schools Bath, ME | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Loon Preservation Committee Moultonborough, NH | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Abaco Strong Bethesda, MD | General Fund | $4,000 |
| Barn Sanctuary Chelsea, MI | General Fund | $2,000 |
| The Home for Little Wanderers Inc Boston, MA | General Fund | $2,000 |
| Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | General Fund | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $986,442 | $181,651 | $122,747 | $117,000 | 14 |
| 2024 | $927,538 | $110,349 | $58,355 | $55,000 | 13 |
| 2023 | $875,544 | $49,131 | $57,700 | $55,000 | 17 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $986,442 | $927,538 | $875,544 |
| Revenue | $181,651 | $110,349 | $49,131 |
| Expenses | $122,747 | $58,355 | $57,700 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $118,296 | $56,128 | $55,958 |
| Net Investment Income | $179,545 | $108,243 | $47,389 |
| Distributable Amount | $65,076 | $61,170 | $56,095 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William D. Searles as president and trustee, and Richard G. Lavalley Jr. as secretary/treasurer.
Searles Family Foundation is led by William D. Searles, President & Trustee on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William D. Searles
President & Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard G. Lavalley Jr.
Secretary, Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 6336 Lamppost Cir Se, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-9113
Phone: (419) 467-3132
Frequently asked questions about Searles Family Foundation
How much does Searles Family Foundation give each year?
Searles Family Foundation gave $117K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $55K across 13 grants.
What is Searles Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Searles Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $8,357, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Searles Family Foundation give grants?
Searles Family Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Hampshire (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Toledo, OH (4 grants).
Does Searles Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Searles Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Searles Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Searles Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Clark Lake Spirits Foundation ($60,000), Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation ($14,000) and Lake Winnipesaukee Association ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Searles Family Foundation?
Searles Family Foundation reported $986K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $118K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $65K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Searles Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the New Hampshire Boat Museum describes its mission as connecting people with New Hampshire’s freshwater boating heritage through exhibits, experiences, and educational programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Searles Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Searles Family Foundation's EIN?
Searles Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1915489. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Searles Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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