The Henry Ford II Fund
The Henry Ford II Fund is a private foundation based in Detroit, Michigan. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including health, cultural, educational, and community organizations.
The Henry Ford II Fund at a glance
In short: The Henry Ford II Fund gave $1.6M across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $109K), mostly in Michigan. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,630,000
- +33.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +7.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $108,667
- +24.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $32,936,850
- +18.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (6 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Henry Ford II Fund
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a brief letter, a financial statement, and a copy of the applicant’s IRS determination letter as application materials. Awards are generally limited to charitable organizations already favorably known to, and of interest to, the foundation’s substantial contributors. The foundation makes no grants to individuals.
- Contact
Application contact: David P Larsen
Mailing address: 1901 St Antoine St 6Th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 259-7777
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Henry Ford II Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Henry Ford Health ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 93 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York each received 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Henry Ford II Fund open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 15 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $225K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $80K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 40% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 59% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2024). 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 2018 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2021) to $1.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Ford Health Detroit, MI | Program Services | $1,000,000 |
| Grosse Pointe Memorial Church Grosse Pointe Farms, MI | Program Services | $100,000 |
| The Children's Foundation Detroit, MI | Program Services | $100,000 |
| Wayne State University Law School Detroit, MI | Program Services | $60,000 |
| ACLU Fund of Michigan Detroit, MI | Program Services | $50,000 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Charlestown, MA | Program Services | $50,000 |
| Detroit Institute of Arts Detroit, MI | Capital Campaign Endowment | $50,000 |
| JDRF Hagerstown, MD | Program Services | $50,000 |
| New York-Presbyterian New York, NY | Program Services | $50,000 |
| Detroit PBS Wixom, MI | Program Services | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Henry Ford II Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $32,936,850 | $6,945,182 | $1,744,939 | $1,630,000 | 15 | $1,655,643 | $6,814,160 | $1,606,065 |
| 2023 | $27,736,607 | $505,657 | $1,293,551 | $1,225,100 | 14 | $1,250,120 | $435,318 | $1,553,716 |
| 2022 | $28,524,501 | $-3,619,410 | $1,291,388 | $1,187,740 | 20 | $1,212,780 | $151,388 | $1,575,217 |
| 2021 | $33,473,328 | $8,336,844 | $1,484,801 | $1,023,000 | 23 | $1,043,170 | $7,987,468 | $1,674,727 |
| 2020 | $26,621,756 | $227,244 | $2,008,634 | $1,813,000 | 21 | — | $339,702 | $2,256,612 |
| 2018 | $28,904,622 | $2,074,441 | $1,956,185 | $1,659,333 | 13 | — | $1,826,393 | $1,568,672 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Henry Ford II Fund reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. The Detroit Institute of Arts says it creates experiences that help visitors find personal meaning in art and with each other. The Henry Ford Estate says its mission is to illuminate the lives and legacy of Clara and Henry Ford through preservation and reinterpretation of their estate. Forgotten Harvest says it works to relieve hunger in Metro Detroit and prevent nutritious food waste. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan says it works to expand equitable access to opportunities and make the region a desirable place to live, work, and play. The Detroit Zoological Society says it connects people, animals, and the natural world and operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Center.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the fund reported 15 grants totaling $1,630,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest awards included $1,000,000 to Henry Ford Health; $100,000 each to Grosse Pointe Memorial Church and The Children’s Foundation; and $60,000 to Wayne State University Law School. Other reported grants included $50,000 to the ACLU Fund of Michigan, $50,000 to the Detroit Institute of Arts for a capital campaign endowment, and $25,000 each to Forgotten Harvest for a capital campaign and the Henry Ford Estate for program services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edsel B Ford II as president and director; Thomas J Motschall as treasurer; David P Larsen as secretary; and Cynthia N Ford and Henry Ford III as directors.
The Henry Ford II Fund is led by Edsel B. Ford II, President & Director on every filing since 2018; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edsel B. Ford II
President & Director
On filings since 2018
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia N. Ford
Director
On filings since 2018
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Ford III
Director
On filings since 2018
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David P. Larsen
Secretary
On filings since 2018
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas J. Motschall
Treasurer
On filings since 2018
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "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 Henry Ford II Fund
How much does The Henry Ford II Fund give each year?
The Henry Ford II Fund gave $1.6M across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 14 grants.
What is The Henry Ford II Fund's typical grant size?
The Henry Ford II Fund's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $108,667, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Henry Ford II Fund that year got $225K on average.
Where does The Henry Ford II Fund give grants?
The Henry Ford II Fund gives mostly in Michigan: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (6 grants) and Wixom, MI (2 grants).
Does The Henry Ford II Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on The Henry Ford II Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (13 grants).
Who are The Henry Ford II Fund's largest grantees?
The Henry Ford II Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Henry Ford Health ($1,000,000), Grosse Pointe Memorial Church ($100,000) and The Children's Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Henry Ford II Fund?
The Henry Ford II Fund reported $32.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Henry Ford II Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. The Detroit Institute of Arts says it creates experiences that help visitors find personal meaning in art and with each other. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Henry Ford II Fund?
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Henry Ford II Fund's EIN?
The Henry Ford II Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6066332. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
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 2018 (received by the IRS November 15, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2018–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Henry Ford II Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-henry-ford-ii-fund-morg_15cb4e977b6d40888e377564b997916e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_386066332_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Henry Ford II Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-henry-ford-ii-fund-morg_15cb4e977b6d40888e377564b997916e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Henry Ford II Fund'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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