Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Formed in 1999, it makes grants to nonprofit organizations; its mission is to help individuals lead full, independent, and inspired lives by providing resources through nonprofit grantmaking.
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation gave $200K across 26 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Michigan. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $200,243
- -25.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 26
- -3.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,702
- -22.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,625
- Total assets
- $4,316,184
- +2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (6 of 25, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (96% 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 Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from nonprofits located in Washtenaw County, Canton, Michigan, Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Oak Park, Illinois, through its online application process. Organizations outside those areas may apply only if invited. The 2024 filing also describes a written application stating the purpose and intended use of the grant.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists Winter, Spring, and Summer cycles, with deadlines of March 31, June 30, and September 30, respectively, and decisions by the end of April, July, and October. The 2024 filing instead says grants are made in April and October, with applications due two months before the applicable cycle. Applicants should note that these published schedules differ.
- Deadline
- The website lists Winter, Spring, and Summer cycles, with deadlines of March 31, June 30, and September 30,…
- Contact
Application contact: Maureen Knight
Mailing address: 405 Little Lake Drive Suite A3, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone: (734) 355-9926
Website: https://www.speck-knight.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation
Who Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hands Across the Water ($20K). Together the top 10 received $125K.
Grant Size Distribution
149 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 149 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it gives geographic priority to Washtenaw County, Michigan, and to areas with which the board is familiar. Its application page lists Washtenaw County, Canton, Michigan, Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Oak Park, Illinois, for applications without an invitation; applicants elsewhere must be invited. In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 4% to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 25 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 49% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $200K (2024) to $391K (2021). In 2024 it made 26 grants totaling $200K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hands Across the Water Ann Arbor, MI | Foster Care and Adoption | $20,000 |
| Peace Neighborhood Center Ann Arbor, MI | Social Services - Parents and Families | $20,000 |
| Jackson Community Foundation Jackson, MI | Scholarship | $15,000 |
| Aware Inc Jackson, MI | Social Services - Domestic Violence | $10,000 |
| Washtenaw Area Council for Children Ypsilanti, MI | Children and Families | $10,000 |
| Dahlem Conservancy Jackson, MI | Education and Animals | $9,993 |
| Crystal Lake Teen Center Crystal Lake, IL | Children and Youth | $8,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House Ann Arbor, MI | Children and Families | $8,000 |
| Safe House Center Ann Arbor, MI | Social Services - Domestic Violence | $8,000 |
| Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy Superior Township, MI | Animals and Land | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation?
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 | $4,316,184 | $395,140 | $297,989 | $200,243 | 26 | $247,702 | $321,324 | $287,544 |
| 2023 | $4,219,033 | $240,689 | $370,503 | $268,100 | 27 | $313,292 | $167,090 | $279,740 |
| 2022 | $4,340,235 | $225,591 | $436,789 | $320,024 | 29 | $370,626 | $149,408 | $308,512 |
| 2021 | $4,551,453 | $623,691 | $500,978 | $390,749 | 33 | $439,837 | $540,883 | $318,598 |
| 2020 | $4,428,719 | $354,076 | $415,755 | $307,000 | 34 | — | $237,089 | $278,191 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $288K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide individuals with resources to lead full, independent, and inspired lives by granting to nonprofit organizations. It also underwrites the Faith Speckhard Scholarship through the Jackson Community Foundation.
Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose own missions address children and families, social services, domestic violence, scholarships, environmental education, and land conservation. For example, Hands Across the Water describes its work as supporting children and families through inclusive, strengths-based services, while the Washtenaw Area Council for Children describes its mission as promoting child safety and well-being and preventing child maltreatment. The Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy describes its mission as conserving natural land and open space, providing wildlife habitat, and enriching people’s lives.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $200,243. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $6,625. Notable awards included $20,000 each to Hands Across the Water and Peace Neighborhood Center; $15,000 to Jackson Community Foundation; $10,000 each to Aware Inc. and the Washtenaw Area Council for Children; and $9,993 to the Dahlem Conservancy.
The foundation’s website describes a Foundant-based application process for eligible nonprofits in the listed locations. Organizations outside those areas must be invited to apply, and the website says unsolicited applications from outside those areas will not be considered. The 2024 filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It names Maureen Knight as the application contact and calls for a written application describing the grant’s purpose and intended use; awards must meet the foundation’s charitable goals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marcus Knight as member, Jessica Knight as secretary, and Maureen Knight as president and treasurer.
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation is led by Maureen Knight, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Maureen Knight
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$17K (2020) → $15K (2024)
Jessica Knight
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1.3 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Marcus Knight
Member
On filings since 2020
1.3 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $7K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $15K, to Maureen Knight (President & Treasurer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation
How much does Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation give each year?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation gave $200K across 26 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $268K across 27 grants.
What is Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,625, and its average grant was $7,702, across 26 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation give grants?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ann Arbor, MI (10 grants), Jackson, MI (7 grants), Ypsilanti, MI (3 grants) and Superior Township, MI (2 grants).
Does Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Children and Families" (6 grants), "Education" (3 grants) and "Animals and Land" (3 grants).
Who are Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hands Across the Water ($20,000), Peace Neighborhood Center ($20,000) and Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy ($16,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $248K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $288K (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 Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide individuals with resources to lead full, independent, and inspired lives by granting to nonprofit organizations. It also underwrites the Faith Speckhard Scholarship through the Jackson Community Foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from nonprofits located in Washtenaw County, Canton, Michigan, Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Oak Park, Illinois, through its online application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3466344. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 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 November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/speckhard-knight-charitable-foundation-morg_c0f8155e53bd42acbe8eabb17660a4cb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383466344_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Speckhard-Knight Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/speckhard-knight-charitable-foundation-morg_c0f8155e53bd42acbe8eabb17660a4cb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Speckhard-Knight Charitable 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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