The Mercantile Bank Foundation
The Mercantile Bank Foundation is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, Michigan. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing states that it contributes only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
The Mercantile Bank Foundation at a glance
In short: The Mercantile Bank Foundation gave $311K across 139 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $310,550
- +118.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 139
- +172.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,234
- -19.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $8,428,580
- +13.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Mercantile Bank Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 310 Leonard Street Nw, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Phone: (616) 726-1202
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mercantile Bank Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mel Trotter Ministries ($25K). Together the top 10 received $120K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
361 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 360 grants of 361 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. Listed 2025 grantees include organizations in an individual recipient, Kalamazoo, Mount Pleasant, and Traverse City.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 139 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Mercantile Bank Foundation gives
- 19% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 186% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $109K (2022) to $518K (2023). In 2025 it made 139 grants totaling $311K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mel Trotter Ministries Grand Rapids, MI | Immeasurably More Tiny Home Campaign - General Support | $25,000 |
| American Heart Association Grand Rapids, MI | Funding for Small-Scale. | $23,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Kent County Grand Rapids, MI | Imagine Campaign - General Support | $20,500 |
| BBB Educational Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | 2025 Program Sponsorship | $10,000 |
| Cherry Health Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Health Leader Sponsorship | $10,000 |
| Mount Pleasant Area Community Foundation Mt Pleasant, MI | 2025 Gold Sponsor | $8,300 |
| Hispanic Center of Western Michigan Grand Rapids, MI | Hispanic Festival Sponsor - General Support | $8,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $5,000 |
| NMC Foundation Traverse City, MI | Support financial education and the arts in the community | $5,000 |
| Grand Rapids Symphony Grand Rapids, MI | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Mercantile Bank 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 | $8,428,580 | $1,325,216 | $346,233 | $310,550 | 139 | $313,789 | $377,757 | $406,991 |
| 2024 | $7,448,976 | $1,884,876 | $175,924 | $141,850 | 51 | $145,735 | $194,377 | $326,281 |
| 2023 | $5,740,024 | $805,749 | $553,533 | $517,820 | 161 | $529,294 | $107,007 | $258,421 |
| 2022 | $5,487,808 | $1,621,697 | $133,889 | $108,500 | 10 | $120,749 | $88,848 | $186,319 |
| 2021 | $4,000,000 | $4,019,969 | $19,969 | — | — | $19,969 | — | $1,080 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mercantile Bank Foundation reported a distributable amount of $407K 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 grants include support for human services, housing, health, education, community organizations, and arts and cultural activities. These are areas represented by its grantees, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
Grantees describe their work in varied ways. Mel Trotter Ministries says its mission is to provide rescue and restoration for people experiencing hunger and homelessness. Habitat for Humanity of Kent County says it brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. The Hispanic Center of an individual recipient describes its mission as empowering the Hispanic community toward self-sufficiency through services including job coaching, preschool and youth programs, and social-service navigation. Other 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions address heart health, child and family services, environmental education, Christian education, and hunger relief.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 139 grants totaling $310,550. Grants ranged from $100 to $25,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest awards included $25,000 to Mel Trotter Ministries for general support of its Immeasurably More Tiny Home Campaign, $23,000 to the American Heart Association for “Funding for Small-Scale,” and $20,500 to Habitat for Humanity of Kent County for general support of its Imagine Campaign. Other awards included $10,000 each to the BBB Educational Foundation for a program sponsorship and Cherry Health Foundation for a health leader sponsorship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ray Reitsma as president, Charles Christmas as treasurer, and Scott Setlock as secretary. Directors listed are Doug Holtrop, Justin Karl, Tara Randall, and Janina Kreider.
The Mercantile Bank Foundation is led by Ray Reitsma, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ray Reitsma
President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Doug Holtrop
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Justin Karl
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tara Randall
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janina Kreider
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Christmas
Treasurer
Treasurer & Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Setlock
Secretary
Secretary & Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Robert Kaminski (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Raymond Reitsma (2021) — President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Mercantile Bank Foundation
How much does The Mercantile Bank Foundation give each year?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation gave $311K across 139 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $142K across 51 grants.
What is The Mercantile Bank Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,234, across 139 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Mercantile Bank Foundation give grants?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (54 grants), Kalamazoo, MI (16 grants), Belding, MI (6 grants) and Mt Pleasant, MI (4 grants).
Does The Mercantile Bank Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 76% of The Mercantile Bank Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (105 of 139) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Cheers for Peers Donation" (3 grants).
Who are The Mercantile Bank Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mel Trotter Ministries ($25,000), American Heart Association ($23,000) and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County ($20,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Mercantile Bank Foundation?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation reported $8.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $314K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $407K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Mercantile Bank Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for human services, housing, health, education, community organizations, and arts and cultural activities. These are areas represented by its grantees, not stated focus areas of the foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mercantile Bank Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mercantile Bank Foundation's EIN?
The Mercantile Bank Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-4152774. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Mercantile Bank 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 2021 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work The Mercantile Bank Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mercantile Bank Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Mercantile Bank Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mercantile-bank-foundation-morg_bf78f1f7c91b46dbaaca65eed677e327
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_874152774_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mercantile Bank Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mercantile-bank-foundation-morg_bf78f1f7c91b46dbaaca65eed677e327},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Mercantile Bank 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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