The Auto Club Group Foundation
The Auto Club Group Foundation is a private foundation based in Dearborn, Michigan. It supports traffic safety, driver education and financial literacy initiatives in the communities it serves across a 14-state footprint and two U.S. territories.
The Auto Club Group Foundation at a glance
In short: The Auto Club Group Foundation gave $539K across 74 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), top state Michigan. 86% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $539,268
- +18.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 74
- +57.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,287
- -25.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,362,008
- +9.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 86% first-time grantees (64 of 74, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (17% 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 The Auto Club Group Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a contact for application inquiries but gives no required form, materials, deadline or award restrictions. The website says applications are evaluated year-round when the application is open.
- Contact
Application contact: Matt Nasworthy
Mailing address: 1 Auto Club Drive, Dearborn, MI 48126
Phone: (313) 336-1877
Website: https://www.acgfoundation.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 The Auto Club Group Foundation
Who The Auto Club Group Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Safe Kids Worldwide ($50K). Together the top 10 received $225K.
Grant Size Distribution
245 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 241 grants of 245 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Applicants must provide services within the foundation’s 14-state footprint. The foundation also describes its work as spanning two U.S. territories. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Michigan (17%), Wisconsin (14%), Florida (14%), Georgia (13%) and Maryland (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 74 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Auto Club Group Foundation open to new grantees?
86%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 64 of 74 grantees (86%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 7% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 182% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $198K (2019) to $539K (2024). In 2024 it made 74 grants totaling $539K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Safe Kids Worldwide West Silver Spring, MD | Traffic Safety | $50,000 |
| Nashville International Center for Empowerment Nashville, TN | Driver Education | $30,480 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Traffic Safety | $26,500 |
| Milwaukee Board of School Directors Milwaukee, WI | Driver Education | $25,000 |
| Lincoln Township Fire Department Reed City, MI | Traffic Safety | $18,095 |
| City of Forsyth Fire Dept Forsyth, GA | Traffic Safety | $16,534 |
| Foothills Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council Lakewood, CO | Driver Education | $15,000 |
| Marietta Schools Foundation Inc Marietta, GA | Driver Education | $15,000 |
| Village of Hoffman Estates Hoffman Estates, IL | Traffic Safety | $14,736 |
| Mount Clemens High School Clemens, MI | Driver Education | $14,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Auto Club Group 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 | $6,362,008 | $753,800 | $815,600 | $539,268 | 74 | $554,941 | $236,084 | $304,356 |
| 2023 | $5,824,195 | $637,594 | $767,955 | $457,156 | 47 | $498,971 | $126,168 | $281,347 |
| 2022 | $3,606,936 | $534,748 | $707,550 | $461,644 | 41 | $705,119 | $74,477 | $194,652 |
| 2021 | $4,538,672 | $813,137 | $809,349 | $508,930 | 46 | $800,241 | $236,255 | $219,246 |
| 2020 | $4,072,069 | $250,268 | $371,869 | $266,772 | 37 | — | $82,760 | $178,835 |
| 2019 | $3,750,967 | $747,604 | $230,081 | $197,754 | 49 | — | $589,313 | $168,145 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Auto Club Group Foundation reported a distributable amount of $304K 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 mission is to work on behalf of its members and the communities it serves to create lasting solutions, inspire learning and provide funding in traffic safety, driver education and financial literacy.
Its priorities include traffic safety programs that make roadways safer for all users, including forward-looking initiatives addressing emerging issues and technology. Driver education support includes scholarships and programming in underserved communities. Financial literacy support is for K–12 programming that helps students make sound financial decisions.
The foundation awards grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, organizations fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3), municipal governments, law enforcement agencies, fire departments and other first responders, K–12 school districts, colleges and universities. Examples of supported organizations include the Nashville International Center for Empowerment, whose mission is to help refugees and immigrants achieve their full potential, and the Marietta Schools Foundation, which supports educational achievement in Marietta City Schools. The University of Michigan describes its mission as representing and advocating for member physicians.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 74 grants totaling $539,268. Individual grants ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. The foundation says grants typically range from $5,000 to $15,000, with larger awards possible at its discretion.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $50,000 to Safe Kids Worldwide for traffic safety; $30,480 to the Nashville International Center for Empowerment for driver education; $26,500 to the University of Michigan for traffic safety; and $25,000 to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors for driver education. Other notable awards included $18,095 to Lincoln Township Fire Department for traffic safety and $15,000 each to the Foothills Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council and Marietta Schools Foundation for driver education.
The foundation accepts applications year-round and evaluates them based on alignment with its priorities, project description, project outcomes and available budget. Its website states that the application is currently closed after reaching its maximum budget for the year and is scheduled to reopen January 4, 2027. Requests may not support active speed-enforcement equipment, mock vehicle crash events, general operating expenses or event sponsorships. Passive speed-enforcement equipment, such as speed display signs, may be considered.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Heather Drake as president, John Q Bruno as secretary and Sean Maloney as treasurer. Members listed were Margaret A Scheske, Marcia L Hannewald, Brian McNally, Roger Odle II and Donald Sain. Gene J Boehm and Jim McCafferty were listed as members through April.
The Auto Club Group Foundation is led by Heather Drake, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 12 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Heather Drake
President
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gene J. Boehm
Member
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Q. Bruno
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcia L. Hannewald
Member
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Maloney
Treasurer
Treasurer → Member, 2021
Member → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Nasworthy
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim McCafferty
Member
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret A. Scheske
Member
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Gradone
Member
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian McNally
Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald Sain
Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger Odle II
Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Anne L. Arvia (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Jeanie M. Raquet (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Dion D. Stevens (2019–2020) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 The Auto Club Group Foundation
How much does The Auto Club Group Foundation give each year?
The Auto Club Group Foundation gave $539K across 74 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $457K across 47 grants.
What is The Auto Club Group Foundation's typical grant size?
The Auto Club Group Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,287, across 74 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Auto Club Group Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Auto Club Group Foundation give grants?
The Auto Club Group Foundation's top state is Michigan, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (14%) and Florida (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (3 grants), Atlanta, GA (2 grants), Davie, FL (2 grants) and Fort Lauderdale, FL (2 grants).
Does The Auto Club Group Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 74 grants with a stated purpose on The Auto Club Group Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Traffic Safety" (44 grants), "Financial Literacy" (19 grants) and "Driver Education" (11 grants).
Who are The Auto Club Group Foundation's largest grantees?
The Auto Club Group Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Safe Kids Worldwide ($50,000), Nashville International Center for Empowerment ($30,480) and University of Michigan ($26,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Auto Club Group Foundation?
The Auto Club Group Foundation reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $555K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $304K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Auto Club Group Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to work on behalf of its members and the communities it serves to create lasting solutions, inspire learning and provide funding in traffic safety, driver education and financial literacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Auto Club Group Foundation?
The 2024 filing says 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 The Auto Club Group Foundation's EIN?
The Auto Club Group Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0785008. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 22, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work The Auto Club Group Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Auto Club Group Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Auto Club Group Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-auto-club-group-foundation-morg_ed394e5e07184b81b1be6ca3f11f725e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_470785008_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Auto Club Group Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-auto-club-group-foundation-morg_ed394e5e07184b81b1be6ca3f11f725e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 The Auto Club Group 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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