The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
The Fred & Barbara Erb Family is a private foundation based in Royal Oak, Michigan. It supports work toward a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan, including environmental, arts and culture, sustainable business, jazz education, and Alzheimer’s research initiatives.
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family at a glance
In short: The Fred & Barbara ERB Family gave $17.3M across 122 grants in 2025 (avg $142K), mostly in Michigan. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $17,307,015
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 122
- -16.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $141,861
- +17.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $377,403,069
- +3.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (22 of 115, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says the first step is a conversation with its program team. It then directs prospective applicants to submit a Letter of Inquiry online. Applicants must meet stated eligibility requirements, including 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and not being a private foundation, at least $100,000 in revenue in the preceding year, a request of at least $10,000, and a nondiscrimination policy and practice. Financial reporting requirements vary by annual contributions: a 990-series return is required below $250,000; an independently reviewed financial statement is required from $250,000 to $500,000; and an independently audited financial statement is required above $500,000. The website says the board reviews requests three times a year, in January, May, and September, and that requests typically take four to six months from initial conversation to board consideration. The guidelines state that the foundation does not consider requests for endowments.
- Contact
Application contact: Melissa Damaschke
Mailing address: 34100 Woodward Ave Suite 310, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (248) 498-2510
Website: https://www.erbff.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
Erb Foundation: Arts and Culture Grant
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
Amount
More than US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Erb Foundation: Democracy Grant
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
Amount
More than US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Erb Foundation: Great Lakes Grant
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
Amount
More than US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Fred & Barbara ERB Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Henry Ford ($2.6M). Together the top 10 received $9.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
669 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 372 grants of 669 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated vision includes the Great Lakes ecosystem and Southeast Michigan. Its website identifies arts and culture work in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and Detroit’s jazz culture. In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan; 4% went to Illinois, 2% to Washington, D.C., 2% to recipients listed with an unclear state, and 1% to Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 122 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Fred & Barbara ERB Family open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 22 of 115 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $165K; repeat grants $147K. How we count
Medians: $65K first-time, $38K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 129% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $12.2M (2021) to $17.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 122 grants totaling $17.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Henry Ford Dearborn, MI | Program Support | $2,600,000 |
| National Wildlife Federation Ann Arbor, MI | Program Support | $1,300,000 |
| Detroit Public Media Wixom, MI | Program Support | $1,125,000 |
| Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces Detroit, MI | Program Support | $1,000,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Program Support | $893,230 |
| Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc Chicago, IL | Program Support | $655,000 |
| Foundation for Detroit's Future Detroit, MI | Program Support | $500,000 |
| Huron River Watershed Council Ann Arbor, MI | Program Support | $455,000 |
| Ecology Center Inc Ann Arbor, MI | Program Support | $385,000 |
| Council of Michigan Foundations Grand Haven, MI | Program Support | $379,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Fred & Barbara ERB Family?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $377,403,069 | $21,257,523 | $21,026,277 | $17,307,015 | 122 | $22,996,421 | $22,167,379 | $17,865,819 |
| 2024 | $363,118,936 | $17,647,921 | $21,861,682 | $17,696,127 | 146 | $21,569,343 | $16,616,095 | $16,856,270 |
| 2023 | $342,348,054 | $9,986,071 | $25,505,821 | $16,104,770 | 135 | $20,117,174 | $10,994,454 | $16,342,072 |
| 2022 | $329,525,987 | $16,148,869 | $22,901,996 | $13,981,662 | 127 | $16,367,801 | $15,866,487 | $17,756,223 |
| 2021 | $367,107,126 | $14,319,746 | $15,465,652 | $12,229,040 | 139 | — | $14,086,756 | $16,156,121 |
| 2020 | $295,394,682 | $13,535,888 | $14,564,924 | $12,504,502 | 131 | — | $12,280,340 | $14,587,753 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fred & Barbara ERB Family reported a distributable amount of $17.9M for 2025 — 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 vision is a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan. It says it strengthens cultural and environmental organizations that share this vision.
Its stated areas of work include Great Lakes health and resilience, arts and culture, sustainable business, and Alzheimer’s research. Its arts and culture priorities include Detroit jazz culture and mentorship, as well as the resilience and development of arts and culture organizations in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Great Lakes priorities include community leadership, effective public policy, watershed health, climate adaptation, and environmental justice. The foundation’s filing also describes support for the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, a public-private partnership focused on green stormwater infrastructure, habitat restoration, and green space development.
Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Detroit Public Media describes its mission as educating, engaging, entertaining, and inspiring through public media. The Huron River Watershed Council says it protects and restores the river for healthy and vibrant communities; Friends of the Rouge says it works to restore, protect, and enhance the Rouge River watershed through stewardship, education, and collaboration. The Alzheimer’s Association describes its work as advancing research, risk reduction and early detection, and care and support.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 122 grants totaling $17,307,015. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $2,600,000, with a median of $25,000.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $2,600,000 to The Henry Ford, $1,300,000 to the National Wildlife Federation, $1,125,000 to Detroit Public Media, $1,000,000 to the Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces, and $893,230 to the University of Michigan. The listed purposes for these grants were program support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John M. Erb as chair and CEO and Melissa Damaschke as president. Listed trustees are Deborah D. Erb, Leslie Erb Liedtke, Douglas Ebert, Lawrence Garcia, and Rhonda D. Welburn. Tara Tuomaala is vice president of programs, and Mary Lyons-Richards is vice president of administration.
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family is led by John M. Erb, Chair & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 4 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John M. Erb
Chair & CEO
Chair, CEO & Trustee → Chair, 2023
Chair → Chair & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$214K (2020) → $335K (2025)
Melissa Damaschke
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$120K (2021) → $369K (2025)
Deborah D. Erb
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Ebert
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence Garcia
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Erb Liedtke
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rhonda D. Welburn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Lyons-Richards
Vice President of Administration
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$137K (2024) → $199K (2025)
Tara Tuomaala
Vice President of Programs
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$166K (2024) → $245K (2025)
Former officers (6)
- Former: Chacona W. Baugh (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Ira Jaffe (2020–2023) — Trustee & Chairman Emeritus
- Former: Neil Hawkins (2020–2023) — President, COO & Trustee -
- Former: Jodee F. Raines (2020–2021) — Secretary & Executive Vice President -
- Former: Darly Larson (2021) — Former CFO
- Former: Daryl Larson (2020) — Chief Financial Officer-
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 $369K, to Melissa Damaschke (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Fred & Barbara ERB Family
How much does The Fred & Barbara ERB Family give each year?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family gave $17.3M across 122 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $17.7M across 146 grants.
What is The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's typical grant size?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $141,861, across 122 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Fred & Barbara ERB Family that year got $165K on average.
Where does The Fred & Barbara ERB Family give grants?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family gives mostly in Michigan: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (54 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (8 grants), Southfield, MI (4 grants) and Birmingham, MI (4 grants).
Does The Fred & Barbara ERB Family give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 122 grants with a stated purpose on The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (103 grants), "Discretionary" (12 grants) and "Honorariums" (7 grants).
Who are The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's largest grantees?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's largest 2025 grantees include The Henry Ford ($2,600,000), National Wildlife Federation ($1,300,000) and Detroit Public Media ($1,125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Fred & Barbara ERB Family?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family reported $377.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Fred & Barbara ERB Family fund?
The foundation’s vision is a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan. It says it strengthens cultural and environmental organizations that share this vision. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Fred & Barbara ERB Family?
The foundation’s website says the first step is a conversation with its program team. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's EIN?
The Fred & Barbara ERB Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5966333. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Fred & Barbara ERB Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-fred-and-barbara-erb-family-morg_e0a293d5851b43c59a8325f285d86755
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205966333_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Fred \& Barbara ERB Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-fred-and-barbara-erb-family-morg_e0a293d5851b43c59a8325f285d86755},
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 The Fred & Barbara ERB Family'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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