The Simpson Foundation
The Simpson Foundation is a private foundation based in Detroit, Michigan. In 2024, it reported 33 grants totaling $2,070,000, primarily to organizations in South Carolina and North Carolina.
The Simpson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Simpson Foundation gave $2.1M across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $63K), mostly in South Carolina. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,070,000
- +23.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- +3.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $62,727
- +20.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $25,099,477
- +2.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (69% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Simpson Foundation
- Review Cycle
- April 1 and October 1 annually.
- Deadline
- April 1 and October 1 annually.
- Contact
Application contact: Andrea Duggins Co Comerica Bank
Mailing address: 36455 Corporate Dr, Farmington Hills, MI 48331
Phone: (248) 732-6756
Website: https://thesimpsonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Simpson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Samaritans Purse ($450K). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 122 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that contributions are made primarily to worthy organizations in the Greenville County, South Carolina, community. In 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina and 27% to recipients in North Carolina; the remaining shares went to Florida (2%), Ohio (1%), and Virginia (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Simpson Foundation gives
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $1.5M (2021) to $6.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Samaritans Purse Boone, NC | Support of Daily Operations | $450,000 |
| Miracle Hill Ministries Inc Greenville, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $400,000 |
| Brookgreen Gardens Pawleys Isl, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $250,000 |
| Converse College Spartanburg, SC | Scholarship | $170,000 |
| Presbyterian College Clinton, SC | Scholarship | $150,000 |
| Anderson University Anderson, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $110,000 |
| Bon Secours St Francis Health Systems Greenville, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $100,000 |
| Law Enforcement Chaplaincy for Columbia, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $65,000 |
| Young Life Greenville, SC | Support of Daily Operations | $45,000 |
| Christ Community Church Montreat Montreat, NC | Scholarship | $35,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,099,477 | $3,650,744 | $2,399,702 | $2,070,000 | 33 | $2,072,766 | $3,333,980 | $1,830,229 |
| 2023 | $24,463,522 | $1,779,295 | $1,950,555 | $1,671,000 | 32 | $1,673,802 | $1,461,913 | $1,436,374 |
| 2022 | $26,625,347 | $1,920,833 | $2,252,665 | $1,876,000 | 21 | $1,882,750 | $1,630,764 | $1,909,733 |
| 2021 | $25,698,022 | $4,441,746 | $1,868,066 | $1,506,000 | 35 | $1,517,840 | $4,081,528 | $1,975,471 |
| 2020 | $23,326,572 | $1,643,750 | $7,014,282 | $6,707,266 | 1 | — | $1,409,096 | $1,732,760 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Simpson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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 is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations whose work includes human services, education, health, arts and culture, and religious activities. For example, Miracle Hill Ministries says it works toward life transformation for children and adults experiencing homelessness; Brookgreen Gardens says it collects, preserves, and exhibits American sculpture and South Carolina flora and fauna; and Presbyterian College describes its purpose as developing students’ capacities within the framework of Christian faith.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $2,070,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $450,000, with a median grant of $20,000. The largest awards included $450,000 to Samaritan’s Purse for daily operations, $400,000 to Miracle Hill Ministries for daily operations, and $250,000 to Brookgreen Gardens for daily operations. Other notable awards were $170,000 to Converse College and $150,000 to Presbyterian College, both for scholarships; $110,000 to Anderson University for daily operations; and $100,000 to Bon Secours St Francis Health Systems for daily operations.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests are generally made by letter or written proposal and should include a copy of the organization’s IRS Determination Letter, a list of its current Board of Directors and officers, and its operating budget. The filing lists Andrea Duggins, co Comerica Bank, as the contact.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John Kuhne, Caroline Schmitt, Lucy S Kuhne, Wilma Johnson, Nell Rice, William Kuhne, and Clifton Schmitt as members of the Board of Advisors. Comerica Bank is listed as trustee.
The Simpson Foundation's 2024 filing lists 8 officers; all 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Comerica Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$6K (2022) → $21K (2024)
Caroline Schmitt
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2024)
John Kuhne
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2024)
Lucy S Kuhne
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2024)
Nell Rice
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $500 (2024)
William Kuhne
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2024)
Wilma Johnson
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $1K (2024)
Clifton Schmitt
Board of Advisors
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$500 (2021) → $1K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Wells Fargo (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Claire Efird (2020) — Board of Advisors
- Former: Katherine Sullivan (2020) — Board of Advisors
- Former: Wells Fargo Bank N A (2020) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $21K, to Comerica Bank (Trustee). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Simpson Foundation
How much does The Simpson Foundation give each year?
The Simpson Foundation gave $2.1M across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 32 grants.
What is The Simpson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Simpson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $62,727, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Simpson Foundation give grants?
The Simpson Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highlands, NC (7 grants), Naples, FL (6 grants), Greenville, SC (5 grants) and Columbia, SC (3 grants).
Does The Simpson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on The Simpson Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Daily Operations" (29 grants) and "Scholarship" (4 grants).
Who are The Simpson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Simpson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Samaritans Purse ($450,000), Miracle Hill Ministries Inc ($400,000) and Brookgreen Gardens ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Simpson Foundation?
The Simpson Foundation reported $25.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Simpson Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations whose work includes human services, education, health, arts and culture, and religious activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Simpson Foundation?
The Simpson Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check thesimpsonfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Simpson Foundation's EIN?
The Simpson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6017451. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Simpson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Simpson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-simpson-foundation-morg_cb7af804cc0c4362b9a5f5483337e4cb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_576017451_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Simpson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-simpson-foundation-morg_cb7af804cc0c4362b9a5f5483337e4cb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Simpson 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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