The Burdick-thorne Foundation
The Burdick-Thorne Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1990 and based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit grantmaking organization with a focus on supporting higher education, the arts, social services, and natural resource preservation and enhancement.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.2M
+1.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$499K
+13.2% YoY
Grant Count
73
+14.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-0.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Burdick-thorne Foundation reported a distributable amount of $603K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on giving for:
- Higher education
- The arts
- Social services
- Natural resource preservation and enhancement
Grantmaking
The foundation made 65 grants in 2023, with typical award amounts ranging from $500 to $50,000.
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $9,053,099 to $11,677,085
- Total Giving: $440,500 to $442,877
- Total Revenues: $442,877
- Total Expenses: $556,497
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,188,469 | $9,053,099 | $9,166,719 |
| Revenue | $770,920 | $442,877 | $299,655 |
| Expenses | $635,550 | $556,497 | $637,027 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $596,396 | $528,113 | $587,410 |
| Net Investment Income | $739,440 | $411,146 | $270,186 |
| Distributable Amount | $602,546 | $550,744 | $569,926 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra ($25,000), Bronson Health Foundation ($15,000), Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo ($11,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER KALAMAZOO KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $11,000 |
| KALAMAZOO CHORAL ARTS KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER KALAMAZOO KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| COMMUNITY HEALING CENTERS KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| CRESCENDO ACADEMY OF MUSIC KALAMAZOO, MI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $3,000 |
| FAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $11,000 |
| FOCUS HOPE DETROIT, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| FONTANA CHAMBER ARTS KALAMAZOO, MI | EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM | $10,500 |
| GRYPHON PLACE PORTAGE, MI | BUILDING CONNECTION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $5,000 |
| CENTRICA CARE NAVIGATORS KALAMAZOO, MI | OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Loyal A Eldridge — Secretary (as of 2023)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES C MELVIN | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LOYAL A ELDRIDGE III | VICE PRES/SECRETARY/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BETSY V THORNE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANDREA M THORNE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRADLEY E WELLER | VICE PRES/TREASURER/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Burdick-thorne Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on giving for: • Higher education • The arts • Social services • Natural resource preservation and enhancement
How do I apply for a grant from The Burdick-thorne Foundation?
The foundation made 65 grants in 2023, with typical award amounts ranging from $500 to $50,000. **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Kalamazoo College: $40,000 (Brighter Light Capital Campaign) • Milestone Senior Services: $25,000 (New Home New Hope Campaign) • Western Michigan University Foundation: $25,000 (Music Outreach Program) • Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra: Recipient of grant funding The foundation supports various grant types including operating support, scholarships for private lessons …
Where does The Burdick-thorne Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Michigan and California.
What size grants does The Burdick-thorne Foundation award?
In 2024, The Burdick-thorne Foundation awarded 73 grants totaling $499K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Burdick-thorne Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Burdick-thorne Foundation reported a distributable amount of $603K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Burdick-thorne Foundation's EIN?
The Burdick-thorne Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2904527. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Burdick-thorne Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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