The Michelson Foundation
The Michelson Foundation is a private foundation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It makes grants to organizations; its 2025 filing reports eight grants totaling $961,473.
The Michelson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Michelson Foundation gave $961K across 8 grants in 2025 (avg $120K), top state Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $961,473
- +158.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 8
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $120,184
- +158.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $14,937,008
- -2.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (47% 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 Michelson Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should be made as a formal written request; the filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Susan P Doell
Mailing address: 155 Bovet Road Suite 770, San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone: (650) 653-2406
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Michelson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vanderbilt University Blair Community Scholars Pr ($453K). Together the top 8 received $961K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 63 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee (47%) and Washington, DC (35%), followed by California (6%), Missouri (5%), and Pennsylvania (3%). The listed grants also included recipients in New York and Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Michelson Foundation gives
- Giving fell 36% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 35% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $225K (2021) to $1.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 8 grants totaling $961K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Blair Community Scholars Pr Nashville, TN | Unrestricted | $453,140 |
| The Better Angels Society Inc Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $333,333 |
| Child Mind Institute Inc San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Book Book Go Warson Woods, MO | Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Eagles Autism Foundation Philadelphia, PA | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Teach for America New York City, NY | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Kukio Ho'omana Fund Kailua Kona, HI | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Libertas College Preparatory Los Angeles, CA | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
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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 | $14,937,008 | $537,994 | $978,522 | $961,473 | 8 | $971,823 | $531,295 | $2,767,627 |
| 2024 | $15,377,536 | $451,027 | $388,133 | $371,667 | 8 | $381,467 | $444,361 | $2,034,774 |
| 2023 | $15,314,642 | $353,876 | $744,677 | $725,266 | 18 | $736,975 | $373,167 | $1,364,356 |
| 2022 | $15,705,443 | $294,454 | $1,529,343 | $1,500,366 | 17 | $1,517,686 | $318,382 | $1,341,763 |
| 2021 | $16,940,332 | $270,319 | $262,954 | $225,200 | 12 | $249,018 | $256,383 | $1,320,595 |
| 2020 | $16,932,967 | $316,271 | $556,302 | $532,151 | 19 | — | $305,641 | $969,842 |
| 2018 | $20,129,132 | $5,817,142 | $1,142,750 | $1,110,768 | 7 | — | $212,621 | $803,293 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Michelson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.8M 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
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation or identify formal funding focus areas. Its 2025 grantees included organizations with different missions. The Better Angels Society supports American history documentaries intended to promote lifelong learning, civic engagement, and civil discourse. Teach for America works to find, develop, and support leaders to teach students in underserved communities. Libertas College Preparatory aims to prepare students in grades 4–8 for high-performing high schools and competitive colleges. The Kukio Ho'omana Fund supports local organizations working in areas including youth empowerment, affordable housing, environmental preservation, cultural enrichment, and food security.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported eight grants totaling $961,473. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $453,140, with a median of $40,000. All eight grants were listed as unrestricted.
Largest grants included $453,140 to Vanderbilt University Blair Community Scholars Pr; $333,333 to The Better Angels Society Inc; $50,000 each to Child Mind Institute Inc and Book Book Go; and $30,000 to Eagles Autism Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael W. Michelson as director and chairmen; Susan P. Doell as secretary and treasurer; and Kate M. Goldkamp and Laura E. Michelson Sievers as directors.
The Michelson Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kate M. Goldkamp
Director
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael W. Michelson
Director & Chairmen
Director & Chariman → Director & Chairmen, 2020
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura E. Michelson Sievers
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan P. Doell
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Laura E. Michelson (2018–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "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 Michelson Foundation
How much does The Michelson Foundation give each year?
The Michelson Foundation gave $961K across 8 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $372K across 8 grants.
What is The Michelson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Michelson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $120,184, across 8 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Michelson Foundation give grants?
The Michelson Foundation's top state is Tennessee, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (35%) and California (6%).
Does The Michelson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Michelson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 8) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Michelson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Michelson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Vanderbilt University Blair Community Scholars Pr ($453,140), The Better Angels Society Inc ($333,333) and Child Mind Institute Inc ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Michelson Foundation?
The Michelson Foundation reported $14.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $972K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.8M (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 Michelson Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation or identify formal funding focus areas. Its 2025 grantees included organizations with different missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Michelson Foundation?
The filing says 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 Michelson Foundation's EIN?
The Michelson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4978561. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS November 15, 2019)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Michelson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-michelson-foundation-morg_7fe4b0e80b0e4c378516eb3c32ee7f66
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464978561_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Michelson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-michelson-foundation-morg_7fe4b0e80b0e4c378516eb3c32ee7f66},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Michelson 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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