Sturgis Area Community Foundation
The Sturgis Area Community Foundation (SACF) is a public charity based in Sturgis, Michigan. Its mission is to make a positive, lasting impact in local communities through charitable giving, leadership, and action, with a focus on enriching quality of life in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
Sturgis Area Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Sturgis Area Community Foundation gave $1.0M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in Michigan. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,014,994
- +23.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,291
- +34.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,680
- Total assets
- $38,809,650
- +20.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (4 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sturgis Area Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
SACF’s website directs applicants to its grants portal for open opportunities and sample applications. It says Community Impact Grant committees review proposals quarterly. The filing says applications for unrestricted-fund grants must articulate the grant purpose and expected outcomes, and a follow-up report is required at the end of the project. Applicants must be eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, school districts, or universities; religious organizations may be considered, but sectarian religious programs are ineligible. SACF does not make grants to individuals or to cover deficits or previously incurred obligations, and applicants must have submitted all due final reports for earlier SACF grants. Grants must serve residents of communities in St. Joseph County, Michigan. The website describes a food assistance program with grants up to $10,000, applications accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted, and funding for eligible organizations and groups serving St. Joseph County.
- Review Cycle
- The Community Impact Grants page lists quarterly proposal-review deadlines of July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1. The website’s food assistance program description gives no fixed deadline and says applications are accepted until funds are depleted.
- Deadline
- The Community Impact Grants page lists quarterly proposal-review deadlines of July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1.
- Contact
Mailing address: 310 N Franks Avenue, Sturgis, MI 49091
Phone: (269) 659-8508
Website: https://sturgisfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sturgis Area Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Camp Fort Hill Inc ($185K). Together the top 10 received $852K.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 88 grants of 111 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SACF’s website says grants must serve residents of communities in St. Joseph County, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 6% to recipients in Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sturgis Area Community Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 24 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $21K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $615K (2021) to $1.1M (2023). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Fort Hill Inc Sturgis, MI | Renovation & Support | $185,350 |
| Sturgis DDA Sturgis, MI | General Support | $140,546 |
| Sturgis Public High School Sturgis, MI | General Support | $122,150 |
| City of Sturgis Sturgis, MI | General Support | $113,322 |
| Sturgis Historical Society Sturgis, MI | General Support | $75,500 |
| Rooted of St Joesph County Inc Centreville, MI | Roofing Project | $62,213 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Greater SW MI Goshen, IN | Formula for Impact | $60,350 |
| Sturgis Youth Center Sturgis, MI | Performing Arts | $40,090 |
| Klinger Lake Association White Pigeon, MI | Program Support | $28,000 |
| Youth for Christ Sturgis, MI | Program Support | $24,338 |
Ready to take the next step with Sturgis Area Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,809,650 | $2,875,634 | $2,190,891 | $1,014,994 | 24 | $1,187,566 |
| 2024 | $32,204,128 | $3,009,420 | $2,260,587 | $819,876 | 26 | $561,438 |
| 2023 | $27,342,706 | $1,257,420 | $2,379,512 | $1,121,957 | 20 | $-138,881 |
| 2022 | $29,895,680 | $4,555,632 | $1,291,845 | $652,585 | 13 | $3,800,701 |
| 2021 | $29,212,630 | $1,477,015 | $1,168,873 | $614,941 | 28 | $1,107,333 |
| 2020 | $22,553,363 | $2,274,844 | $1,284,550 | $816,985 | 12 | $1,235,483 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
In its 2023 filing, SACF stated its mission as promoting pooled funds for charitable, benevolent, industrial development, and educational uses to meet changing local community needs. The filing describes its work as managing donor-advised, field-of-interest, nonprofit endowment, scholarship, and unrestricted funds, and supporting charitable organizations and initiatives through grants and scholarships.
The foundation’s website identifies Community Impact Grant priorities that include educational attainment and career readiness, and community development and engagement. Examples it gives include early childhood education, career exploration and internships, vibrant downtowns, arts and cultural activities, parks, and trails. Its website also describes a food assistance program supporting organizations serving St. Joseph County, with eligible expenses including infrastructure, staffing, technology, program improvements, and limited food purchasing.
The 2025 grants included Camp Fort Hill, whose mission is to provide nature retreats for area schools and youth organizations; the Sturgis Historical Society, which says it preserves and promotes knowledge of Sturgis history; and Keystone Place, which describes itself as a homeless shelter for families and single adults. Other grantees included Thurston Woods Village, which describes its work as providing healthcare and services in a spirit of Christian love, and the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce, which says it promotes community and economic development.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, SACF reported 24 grants totaling $1,014,994. Grant amounts ranged from $5,350 to $185,350, with a median of $17,680.
The largest reported grants included $185,350 to Camp Fort Hill for renovation and support; $140,546 to Sturgis DDA for general support; $122,150 to Sturgis Public High School for general support; $113,322 to the City of Sturgis for general support; and $75,500 to the Sturgis Historical Society for general support. Other reported awards included $62,213 to Rooted of St. Joseph County for a roofing project and $60,350 to Boys & Girls Club of Greater SW MI for Formula for Impact.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lindsay Aguilar (Executive Di), Erin Melchi-Baker (Chair), Ned Haylett (Vice Chair), Kimberlee Bontrager (Treasurer), John Carmichael, Joe Haas, Frank Perez, and Michael Hughes (Trustees), Caroline Hughes (Youth Truste), and Shelly Luce (Operations M).
Sturgis Area Community Foundation is led by Erin Melchi-Baker, Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Erin Melchi-Baker
Chair
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2022
Chairman → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Joe Haas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John Carmichael
Trustee
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Frank Perez
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Caroline Hughes
Youth Trustee
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Alan Montoya
Youth Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Michael Hughes
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Mollie Felt
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Lindsay Aguilar
Executive Di
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$101K (2023) → $106K (2025)
Shelly Luce
Operations M
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$51K (2024) → $54K (2025)
Ned Haylett
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kimberlee Bontrager
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Elizabeth Whitehead (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Eric Eishen (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Jane Toner (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Claire Holtz (2022–2023) — Youth Trustee
- Former: Lindsay Richardson (2020–2022) — Executive Di
- Former: Tina Tran (2021–2022) — Youth Trustee
- Former: Brenda Aquino (2020–2021) — Youth Trustee
- Former: Michael Frost (2020–2021) — Chairman
- Former: John Wiedlea (2020) — Former Co-Di
- Former: Mary Dresser (2020) — Former Co-Di
- Former: Paige Pattison (2020) — Youth Trustee
- Former: Theo Omo (2020) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $106K, to Lindsay Aguilar (Executive Di). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sturgis Area Community Foundation
How much does Sturgis Area Community Foundation give each year?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation gave $1.0M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $820K across 26 grants.
What is Sturgis Area Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,680, and its average grant was $42,291, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sturgis Area Community Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Sturgis Area Community Foundation give grants?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sturgis, MI (14 grants), Centreville, MI (2 grants) and Centerville, MI (2 grants).
Does Sturgis Area Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of Sturgis Area Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (4 grants).
Who are Sturgis Area Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Camp Fort Hill Inc ($185,350), Sturgis DDA ($140,546) and Sturgis Public High School ($122,150), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sturgis Area Community Foundation?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation reported $38.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.9M.
What does Sturgis Area Community Foundation fund?
In its 2023 filing, SACF stated its mission as promoting pooled funds for charitable, benevolent, industrial development, and educational uses to meet changing local community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sturgis Area Community Foundation?
SACF’s website directs applicants to its grants portal for open opportunities and sample applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sturgis Area Community Foundation's EIN?
Sturgis Area Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3649922. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 24, 2026)
Live grants for the work Sturgis Area Community Foundation funds
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Browse active grant opportunities in Sturgis Area Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sturgis Area Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sturgis-area-community-foundation-morg_503246a651c841a09933093694aead62
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383649922_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sturgis Area Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sturgis-area-community-foundation-morg_503246a651c841a09933093694aead62},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Sturgis Area Community 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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