The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation is a private foundation based in Leland, Michigan. It gives grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 grants included organizations working in conservation, education, food assistance, public media, and humanitarian response.
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation at a glance
In short: The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation gave $160K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Michigan. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $159,800
- +31.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -5.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,878
- +38.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,074,590
- +2.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (75% 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 Gordon J Hammersley Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5931 North Birchwood, Leland, MI 49654
Phone: (419) 324-6950
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Leelanau Conservancy ($30K). Together the top 10 received $129K.
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 79 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. Recipients in Indiana, Florida, and Washington, DC each received 6% of grant dollars; recipients in New York received 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 93% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 127% 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 $80K (2021) to $160K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $160K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Leelanau Conservancy Leland, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $30,000 |
| Traverse City Central High School Traverse City, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $15,000 |
| Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes Kalamazoo, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| Lenawee County Mission Neighbors of Hope Adrian, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Bloomington, IN | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| Harry Chapin Food Bank Naples, FL | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| WCMU Public Media Mt Pleasant, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive Copemish, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
| Wuom Michigan Public Ann Arbor, MI | Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Gordon J Hammersley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,074,590 | $212,086 | $176,765 | $159,800 | 18 | $163,250 | $201,370 | $129,021 |
| 2024 | $1,050,698 | $44,264 | $138,239 | $122,000 | 19 | $125,720 | $167,847 | $120,721 |
| 2023 | $1,024,070 | $29,624 | $130,208 | $105,000 | 17 | $116,970 | $229,361 | $103,756 |
| 2022 | $927,074 | $27,281 | $105,272 | $83,000 | 15 | $94,210 | $62,397 | $105,241 |
| 2021 | $970,782 | $24,341 | $95,579 | $80,000 | 10 | $83,615 | $58,205 | $110,401 |
| 2020 | $1,008,538 | $29,521 | $95,587 | $83,500 | 10 | — | $31,026 | $86,679 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $129K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing describes grant purposes as support of sustainability, education, and humanitarian causes. The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate some of the work funded: Leelanau Conservancy says it conserves Leelanau County’s land, water, and scenic character and provides educational programs about the county’s natural heritage. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard says it provides food and nutrition education to people in need. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Michigan Climate Action Network describes its mission as supporting demands for equitable solutions and a just transition to a resilient future.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $159,800. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included $30,000 to Leelanau Conservancy; $15,000 to Traverse City Central High School; and $10,000 each to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, Lenawee County Mission Neighbors of Hope, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, Harry Chapin Food Bank, WCMU Public Media, The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, World Central Kitchen, and WUOM Michigan Public. The foundation also gave $5,000 to A4TE Education Fund, Tart Trails, and Michigan Climate Action Network in 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jeffrey R Hammersley as president and treasurer; Jennifer A Spaur as vice-president and secretary; and Ross A Hammersley and Amy A Spaur as directors.
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation is led by Jeffrey R. Hammersley, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeffrey R. Hammersley
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy A. Spaur
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ross A. Hammersley
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer A. Spaur
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation
How much does The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation give each year?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation gave $160K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $122K across 19 grants.
What is The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,878, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation give grants?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Indiana (6%) and Florida (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Traverse City, MI (3 grants), Leland, MI (2 grants) and Ann Arbor, MI (2 grants).
Does The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Ofsustainability, EDUCATION,AND Humanitarian Causes" (18 grants).
Who are The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Leelanau Conservancy ($30,000), Traverse City Central High School ($18,800 across 2 grants) and Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $163K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $129K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing describes grant purposes as support of sustainability, education, and humanitarian causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's EIN?
The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2218935. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gordon-j-hammersley-foundation-morg_959f757d7790455b85ed993dacaa8142
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_352218935_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gordon-j-hammersley-foundation-morg_959f757d7790455b85ed993dacaa8142},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Gordon J Hammersley 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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