The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Leland, MI EIN: 35-2218935

The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Leland, MI. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 18 grants totaling $160K. Net investment income was $201K.

Key facts about The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation

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.

EIN
35-2218935
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$159,800
Grants made (2025)
18
Average grant
$8,878
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2025)
Total assets
$1,074,590
Primary geography
Michigan (75% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.1M

+2.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$160K

+31.0% YoY

Grant Count

18

-5.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+38.3% YoY

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.

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. 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.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of all 18 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

Traverse CityLelandAnn ArborBloomingtonJacksonNew YorkAdrianLansingMt PleasantCopemishWashingtonAlbert LeaDetroitFederal WayKalamazooMontgomerySuttons BayToledoBostonBrimley

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K10 grants202010 grants202115 grants202217 grants202319 grants202418 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Leelanau Conservancy: $30KLeelanau Conservancy$30KTraverse City Central High School: $19K across 2 grantsTraverse City Central HighSchool$19K · 2 grantsKalamazoo Loaves and Fishes: $10KKalamazoo Loaves and Fishes$10KLenawee County Mission Neighbors of Hope: $10KLenawee County MissionNeighbors of Hope$10KMother Hubbard's Cupboard: $10KMother Hubbard's Cupboard$10KHarry Chapin Food Bank: $10KHarry Chapin Food Bank$10KWcmu Public Media: $10KWcmu Public Media$10KThe Archangel Ancient Tree Archive: $10KThe Archangel Ancient TreeArchive$10KWorld Central Kitchen: $10KWorld Central Kitchen$10KWuom Michigan Public: $10KWuom Michigan Public$10K

Grant Size Distribution

79 grants across all recorded years

79<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
LEELANAU CONSERVANCY Leland, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$30,000
TRAVERSE CITY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL Traverse City, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$15,000
KALAMAZOO LOAVES AND FISHES Kalamazoo, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
LENAWEE COUNTY MISSION NEIGHBORS OF HOPE Adrian, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
MOTHER HUBBARD'S CUPBOARD Bloomington, INSUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
HARRY CHAPIN FOOD BANK Naples, FLSUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
WCMU PUBLIC MEDIA Mt Pleasant, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
THE ARCHANGEL ANCIENT TREE ARCHIVE Copemish, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN Washington, DCSUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000
WUOM MICHIGAN PUBLIC Ann Arbor, MISUPPORT OFSUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION,AND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,074,590$1,050,698$1,024,070
Revenue$212,086$44,264$29,624
Expenses$176,765$138,239$130,208
Qualifying Distributions$163,250$125,720$116,970
Net Investment Income$201,370$167,847$229,361
Distributable Amount$129,021$120,721$103,756

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

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 is The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation?

The Gordon J Hammersley Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Leland, MI. It holds $1.1M in total assets as of 2025.

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.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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