The Fred & Barbara Erb Family
The Fred A & Barbara M Erb Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2008 in Michigan. Founded by Fred Erb, who established the Erb Lumber Company as a multi-state enterprise, and his wife Barbara, the foundation is headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. The foundation was created with an initial $100 million commitment from Fred and Barbara Erb to support their vision of creating a better world for current and future generations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$17.3M
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
122
-16.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$142K
+17.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to nurture environmentally healthy and culturally vibrant communities in metropolitan Detroit and support initiatives to restore the Great Lakes Basin, consistent with sustainable business models.
The foundation operates across four primary program areas:
- Great Lakes: Supporting people, organizations, and institutions working to achieve a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem
- Arts and Culture: Strengthening cultural organizations that contribute to a vibrant Southeast Michigan
- Sustainable Business: Supporting sustainable business initiatives and models
- Democracy: Investing in people and systems that keep elections safe, credible, and accessible, recognizing that a healthy democracy underpins all program areas
The foundation also supports Alzheimer's research and jazz education initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation has awarded over $180 million since 2008. Recent grantmaking activity shows:
Grant Range
of $19,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Fred & Barbara Erb Family?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region, with specific focus on:
- Wayne County
- Oakland County
- Macomb County
- Detroit metropolitan area
- Great Lakes Basin
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $363.1 million (as of 2024)
- Total assets have grown from $107.9 million in 2010 to $342.3 million in 2023
- Annual income: $46.1 million
- Investment income and dividends: $6.4 million (2024)
- Total revenues: $17.6 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $21.9 million (2024)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) organization
- IRS ruling year: 2007
- EIN: 20-5966333
- Tax-deductible contributions
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
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
Rolling / Open
Erb Foundation: Democracy Grant
THE FRED & BARBARA ERB FAMILY
Amount
More than US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Erb Foundation: Great Lakes Grant
THE FRED & BARBARA ERB FAMILY
Amount
More than US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Detroit Public Media ($1,125,000), Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc ($655,000), Foundation for Detroit's Future ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A HOST OF PEOPLE INC DETROIT, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| ACCENT PONTIAC INC PONTIAC, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| ACLU OF MICHIGAN DETROIT, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| ALL THE WORLDS A STAGE CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| ALLIANCE OF ROUGE COMMUNITIES CANTON, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $133,000 |
| ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS DETROIT, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE & RELATED DISORDERS ASSOCIATION INC CHICAGO, IL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $655,000 |
| ANTON ART CENTER MOUNT CLEMENS, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| ARAB COMMUNITY CENTER FOR ECONOMIC & SOCIAL SERVICES ACCESS DEARBORN, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $18,750 |
| ARTS & SCRAPS DETROIT, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Staff:
- John M Erb – Chair and CEO
- Melissa Damaschke – President
- Tara Tuomaala – Vice President of Programs
- Mary Lyons-Richards – Vice President of Administration
- Christine A W Doby – Senior Program Officer
Board of Trustees:
- Deborah D Erb
- Leslie Erb Liedtke
- Douglas Ebert
- Lawrence Garcia
- Rhonda D Welburn
The foundation is governed by 10 officers and trustees and employs 8 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN M ERB | CHAIR AND CEO | 40 | $335,208 |
| MELISSA DAMASCHKE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $369,458 |
| DEBORAH D ERB | TRUSTEE | 0.2 | — |
| LESLIE ERB LIEDTKE | TRUSTEE | 0.2 | — |
| DOUGLAS EBERT | TRUSTEE | 0.2 | — |
| LAWRENCE GARCIA | TRUSTEE | 0.2 | — |
| RHONDA D WELBURN | TRUSTEE | 0.2 | — |
| TARA TUOMAALA | VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $244,792 |
| MARY LYONS-RICHARDS | VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $198,833 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**February 2026**: The foundation announced $18.3 million in new and ongoing grants supporting leaders strengthening the region's future. President Melissa Damaschke emphasized that "a healthy democracy underpins all of our program areas – from the Great Lakes to burgeoning cultural organizations." The grants cycle included $3.6 million dedicated to election protection and democratic participation.
Nearly $13M Awarded to Legacy, Great Lakes, and Democracy Partners - Erb**2024**: The foundation awarded more than $13.1 million in funding to nonprofits, with significant grants to major regional institutions including the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Henry Ford.
Detroit Opera Receives $3M Grant from Fred and Barbara Erb Family FoundationThe foundation continues to carry forward Fred and Barbara's legacy of stewardship across Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region through strategic investments in environmental health, cultural vitality, democratic participation, and sustainable business practices.
Nearly $13M Awarded to Legacy, Great Lakes, and Democracy Partners - ErbSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Fred & Barbara Erb Family fund?
The foundation's mission is to nurture environmentally healthy and culturally vibrant communities in metropolitan Detroit and support initiatives to restore the Great Lakes Basin, consistent with sustainable business models. The foundation operates across four primary program areas: • **Great Lakes**: Supporting people, organizations, and institutions working to achieve a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem • **Arts and Culture**: Strengthening cultural organizations that …
How do I apply for a grant from The Fred & Barbara Erb Family?
**Grant Activity & Scale** The foundation has awarded over $180 million since 2008. Recent grantmaking activity shows: • 146 grants documented in recent filings with a median grant size of $19,000 • Individual grants range from $50 to $3,000,000 • Average award of approximately $109,000 • Annual giving has grown from $12.5 million in 2020 to $16.1 million in 2023, with peak activity in 2022 when $28 million was distributed across 254 grants • The foundation has supported 242 unique organizations
Where does The Fred & Barbara Erb Family make grants?
The foundation primarily funds in Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region, with specific focus on: • Wayne County • Oakland County • Macomb County • Detroit metropolitan area • Great Lakes Basin
What size grants does The Fred & Barbara Erb Family award?
In 2025, The Fred & Barbara Erb Family awarded 122 grants totaling $17.3M — an average of about $142K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fred & Barbara Erb Family's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.