The Carls Foundation
The Carls Foundation is a private foundation based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It supports charitable work focused principally on children’s welfare and the preservation of natural areas, with its stated children’s-welfare interests primarily in Michigan.
Key facts about The Carls Foundation
In short: The Carls Foundation gave $6.8M across 39 grants in 2024 (avg $174K), mostly in Michigan. 59% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 38-6099935
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,802,304
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- Average grant
- $174,418
- Median grant
- $100,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 59% first-time grantees (23 of 39, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests and requires no formal application or request form; a letter of inquiry is not required, and phone calls are welcome. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that there are no deadlines for submitting requests.
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$6.8M
-11.5% YoY
Grant Count
39
-37.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$174K
+40.6% YoY
Is The Carls Foundation open to new grantees?
59%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 23 of 39 grantees (59%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $222K; repeat grants $106K. How we count
Medians: $250K first-time, $41K repeat.
- 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation states that its principal purpose is children’s welfare and preservation of natural areas. Its children’s-welfare interests include health care facilities and programs—with special emphasis on preventing and treating hearing impairment—and recreational, educational, and welfare programs, especially for children disadvantaged by economic or health circumstances. It also supports preserving natural areas, open space, and historic buildings and areas, including through land trusts and land conservancies and related environmental education.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of work supported. Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital describes its mission as “restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.” The Nature Conservancy says its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Keweenaw Land Trust describes its work as protecting land, water, and quality of life through conservation, stewardship, and nature connections in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula. Forgotten Harvest says its mission is relieving hunger in Metro Detroit and preventing nutritious food waste.
Grantmaking
The Foundation offers capital grants, limited budget support, start-up or seed funding, and multi-year grants. Its website describes $5,000–$50,000 as the typical range for its most numerous grants; its 2024 grants ranged from $4,000 to $500,000, with a median of $100,000.
Review Cycle
** The 2024 filing states that there are no deadlines for submitting requests. The website encourages applicants to submit well ahead of trustee meetings and gives typical cutoffs of November 1 for January consideration, March 1 for May, and July 1 for September.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Carls Foundation
Ready to take the next step with The Carls Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s programming interests describe children’s welfare as primarily focused in Michigan. Its website says recent grants have principally been allocated within Michigan. All 39 itemized grants in 2024 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 39 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
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
299 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Lansing, MI | PURCHASE AND PROTECTION OF NORTHPOINT PRESERVE | $500,000 |
| GOODWILL INDUSTRIES NORTHERN MICHIGAN Traverse City, MI | CAPITAL SUPPPORT FOR WAREHOUSE RENOVATION FOR FOOD RESCUE | $500,000 |
| TRINITY HEALTH OAKLAND Pontiac, MI | RELOCATION AND RENOVATION OF NICU | $500,000 |
| MARY FREE BED REHABILITATION HOSPITAL Grand Rapids, MI | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN'S REHABILITATION HOSPITAL | $500,000 |
| MICHA 6 Pontiac, MI | RENOVATION OF WEBSTER SCHOOL FOR COMMUNITY CENTER | $500,000 |
| ASCENSION MICHIGAN - ST JOHN HOSPITAL Detroit, MI | EQUIP AND FURNISH TWO NEGATIVE PRESSURE ROOMS IN PICU | $475,000 |
| KEWEENAW LAND TRUST Hancock, MI | PURCHASE OF JACOB'S CREEK PARCEL FOR A PRESERVE | $325,000 |
| LEGACY CONSERVANCY Ann Arbor, MI | FARMLAND PRESERVATION THROUGH EASEMENT PURCHASE | $292,975 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH & FAMILY SERVICES Detroit, MI | CONSTRUCTION OF FAMILY & CHILDREN'S EXAM ROOMS | $250,000 |
| FREEDOM HOUSE Detroit, MI | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EAST CAMPUS PROJECT | $250,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,802,304 | 39 |
| 2023 | $7,689,511 | 62 |
| 2022 | $6,653,177 | 61 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth A. Stieg as president; Dr. Homer E. Nye, Edward C. Stieg, Bruce M. Fleischer, and Brian Derisley as trustees; Teresa Krieger-Burke as treasurer; and Donald A. DeLong as secretary. The Foundation’s website identifies Elizabeth A. Stieg as executive director and Kathy A. Stenman as program officer.
The Carls Foundation is led by Elizabeth A. Stieg, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 4 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth A. Stieg
President
Executive Director & CEO → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$141K (2020) → $174K (2024)
Bruce M. Fleischer PhD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $2K (2024)
Edward C. Stieg
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Homer E. Nye
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $2K (2024)
Brian Derisley
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald A. Delong Esq.
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Teresa Krieger-Burke PhD
Treasurer
Trustee → Assistant Treasurer, 2021
Assistant Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $2K (2024)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Brain Derisley (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Henry Fleischer (2020–2022) — Vice President & Treasurer
- Former: Robert A. Sajdak (2020) — Trustee
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
Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth A Stieg Executive Directo
Mailing address: 6001 N Adams Road Ste 215, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Phone: (248) 434-5512
Email: eastieg@carlsfdn.org
Website: https://carlsfdn.org
Frequently asked questions about The Carls Foundation
How much does The Carls Foundation give each year?
The Carls Foundation gave $6.8M across 39 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $7.7M across 62 grants.
What is The Carls Foundation's typical grant size?
The Carls Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $174,418, across 39 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carls Foundation that year got $222K on average.
Where does The Carls Foundation give grants?
The Carls Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (8 grants), Pontiac, MI (3 grants), Grand Rapids, MI (3 grants) and Lansing, MI (3 grants).
Does The Carls Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 39 grants with a stated purpose on The Carls Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Carls Foundation's largest grantees?
The Carls Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Nature Conservancy ($500,000), Goodwill Industries Northern Michigan ($500,000) and Trinity Health Oakland ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does The Carls Foundation fund?
The Foundation states that its principal purpose is children’s welfare and preservation of natural areas. Its children’s-welfare interests include health care facilities and programs—with special emphasis on preventing and treating hearing impairment—and recreational, educational, and welfare programs, especially for children disadvantaged by economic or health circumstances. It also supports preserving natural areas, open space, and historic buildings and areas, including through land trusts a…
How do I apply for a grant from The Carls Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests and requires no formal application or request form; a letter of inquiry is not required, and phone calls are welcome. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Carls Foundation's EIN?
The Carls Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6099935. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Carls Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Carls Foundation by hand.
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