The Hough Foundation
The Hough Foundation is a private foundation based in Bingham Farms, Michigan. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including scholarships, medical services and research, natural-resource preservation, public safety, veteran services, religious activities, and education.
The Hough Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hough Foundation gave $1.1M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), mostly in Michigan. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,055,000
- -15.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $47,955
- -30.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,250
- Total assets
- $12,241,956
- -3.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (6 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (86% 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 Hough Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 32907 Bingham Lane, Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Phone: (248) 737-4200
Website: https://houghfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hough Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hillsdale College ($501K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 100 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Michigan recipients received 86% of grant dollars, Montana recipients 8%, and recipients in Washington, D.C., Florida, and Utah received 3%, 1%, and 1%, respectively.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Hough Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 22 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $984K (2020) to $1.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Scholarships | $501,000 |
| Beaumont Hospital Foundation Southfield, MI | Medical Services | $250,000 |
| University of Michigan Health Syste Ann Arbor, MI | Medical Research | $75,000 |
| Big Sky Community Organization Big Sky, MT | Preserve Natural Resources | $60,000 |
| Apopo US Inc Washington, DC | Public Safety | $35,000 |
| Northbrook Presbyterian Church Beverly Hills, MI | Religious | $25,000 |
| Warriors and Quiet Waters Bozeman, MT | Veteran Services | $25,000 |
| Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI | Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance Saugatuck, MI | Preserve Natural Areas | $10,000 |
| Foundation St Louis Academy Coral Springs, FL | Education | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hough 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,241,956 | $597,272 | $1,079,915 | $1,055,000 | 22 | $1,072,447 | $596,804 | $819,201 |
| 2023 | $12,724,599 | $673,639 | $1,263,412 | $1,244,000 | 18 | $1,255,940 | $666,167 | $742,649 |
| 2022 | $13,314,372 | $374,472 | $1,150,389 | $1,123,000 | 21 | $1,140,408 | $364,696 | $791,371 |
| 2021 | $14,090,289 | $450,849 | $1,480,096 | $1,474,100 | 18 | $1,475,238 | $446,376 | $891,369 |
| 2020 | $15,119,536 | $312,113 | $999,586 | $983,500 | 21 | — | $311,234 | $331,437 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hough Foundation reported a distributable amount of $819K for 2024 — 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 this foundation is available in the information provided. Its 2024 grants included scholarship support for Hillsdale College and Kalamazoo College; medical services and research grants to Beaumont Hospital Foundation and University of Michigan Health System; and grants for natural-resource or natural-area preservation to Big Sky Community Organization and Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance.
The supported organizations describe their own work in varied terms. Big Sky Community Organization says it facilitates year-round recreation, outdoor spaces, and community partnerships. Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance describes itself as a coalition working to protect the ecological, historical, and cultural resources of the Saugatuck Dunes and Kalamazoo River mouth. Children’s Miracle Network says it raises money for children’s healthcare in local communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1,055,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $501,000, with a median of $8,250. Its largest awards were $501,000 to Hillsdale College for scholarships, $250,000 to Beaumont Hospital Foundation for medical services, and $75,000 to University of Michigan Health System for medical research. Other awards included $60,000 to Big Sky Community Organization to preserve natural resources and $35,000 to APOPO US Inc for public safety.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David R. Hough as president; Bonnie J. Hough as vice president (title listed as “VICE PRESIDE”); Trevor D. Hough as treasurer; and Hilary M. Romkey, Shannon M. Hough, and John E. Grenke as directors.
The Hough Foundation is led by David R. Hough, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David R. Hough
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Hilary M. Romkey
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John E. Grenke
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shannon M. Hough
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bonnie J. Hough
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Trevor D. Hough
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Hough Foundation
How much does The Hough Foundation give each year?
The Hough Foundation gave $1.1M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 18 grants.
What is The Hough Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hough Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,250, and its average grant was $47,955, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hough Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does The Hough Foundation give grants?
The Hough Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Montana (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (2 grants).
Does The Hough Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Hough Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (4 grants).
Who are The Hough Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hough Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hillsdale College ($501,000), Beaumont Hospital Foundation ($250,000) and University of Michigan Health Syste ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hough Foundation?
The Hough Foundation reported $12.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $819K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hough Foundation fund?
No mission statement for this foundation is available in the information provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hough Foundation?
The foundation 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 Hough Foundation's EIN?
The Hough Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2697781. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hough 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hough Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hough-foundation-morg_82eceeb2c3c742aeae2155c6876c562b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_452697781_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hough Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hough-foundation-morg_82eceeb2c3c742aeae2155c6876c562b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Hough 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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