The Thelen Family Foundation
The Thelen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Bay City, Michigan. Its 2025 filing reports 15 grants totaling $25,674, with listed purposes including enhancing charitable activities and learning activities.
The Thelen Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Thelen Family Foundation gave $26K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Michigan. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $25,674
- +2.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,712
- -17.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $532,463
- +1.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (6 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- 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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Thelen Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website also displays a form for nonprofits to submit information for board consideration for matching funds, requesting organization and contact details, annual income goals, and the amount of support requested.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3203 Boy Scout Road, Bay City, MI 48706
Phone: (989) 686-7100
Website: https://www.thelenfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thelen Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Camp Fish Tales ($5K). Together the top 10 received $23K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 73 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Thelen Family Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 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 $769; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $558 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2024) to $30K (2022). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $26K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Fish Tales Pinconning, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $5,000 |
| Midland Street Merchants Association Bay City, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $2,500 |
| Good Sumaritan Rescue Mission of Bay City Bay City, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $2,059 |
| All Saints Central High School Bay City, MI | To enhance learning activities | $2,000 |
| Bangor Central Elementary School Bay City, MI | To enhance learning activities | $2,000 |
| Corpus Christi Parish Bay City, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $2,000 |
| New Beginnings Christian Church Saginaw, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $2,000 |
| Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church Bay City, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $2,000 |
| Resurrection of the Lord Parish Standish, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $1,500 |
| St Stanislaus Church Bay City, MI | To enhance charitable activities | $1,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Thelen Family 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 | $532,463 | $38,233 | $32,237 | $25,674 | 15 | $25,674 | $16,102 | $27,218 |
| 2024 | $526,467 | $-54,287 | $35,331 | $25,000 | 12 | $25,000 | $18,453 | $26,386 |
| 2023 | $616,085 | $14,026 | $33,436 | $28,000 | 16 | $28,000 | $37,519 | $25,360 |
| 2022 | $635,495 | $39,419 | $33,816 | $30,061 | 17 | $30,061 | $38,734 | $26,970 |
| 2021 | $629,892 | $32,519 | $33,065 | $29,500 | 13 | $29,500 | $31,677 | $30,385 |
| 2020 | $630,438 | $17,035 | $35,263 | $29,705 | 12 | — | $29,368 | $27,851 |
| 2019 | $648,666 | $29,302 | $31,823 | $28,225 | 10 | — | $36,821 | $29,702 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thelen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27K 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 foundation states its mission is “Doing the Right Thing.” Its 2025 grants included charitable-activity support for organizations such as churches, a rescue mission, and a merchants association, and learning-activity support for schools. These descriptions reflect the grant purposes listed in the filing.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 15 grants totaling $25,674. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Among the largest were $5,000 to Camp Fish Tales; $2,500 to Midland Street Merchants Association; $2,059 to Good Sumaritan Rescue Mission of Bay City; and $2,000 each to All Saints Central High School, Bangor Central Elementary School, Corpus Christi Parish, New Beginnings Christian Church, and Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joseph T Thelen, Michael S Thelen, and Patrick D Thelen as trustees.
The Thelen Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joseph T Thelen
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael S Thelen
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick D Thelen
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Joyce A Thelen (2019–2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Thelen Family Foundation
How much does The Thelen Family Foundation give each year?
The Thelen Family Foundation gave $26K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 12 grants.
What is The Thelen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Thelen Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $1,712, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Thelen Family Foundation that year got $769 on average.
Where does The Thelen Family Foundation give grants?
The Thelen Family 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 Bay City, MI (9 grants) and Mt Pleasant, MI (2 grants).
Does The Thelen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on The Thelen Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To enhance charitable activities" (11 grants) and "To enhance learning activities" (4 grants).
Who are The Thelen Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Thelen Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Camp Fish Tales ($5,000), Midland Street Merchants Association ($2,500) and Good Sumaritan Rescue Mission of Bay City ($2,059), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Thelen Family Foundation?
The Thelen Family Foundation reported $532K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27K (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 Thelen Family Foundation fund?
The foundation states its mission is “Doing the Right Thing.” Its 2025 grants included charitable-activity support for organizations such as churches, a rescue mission, and a merchants association, and learning-activity support for schools. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thelen Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it 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 Thelen Family Foundation's EIN?
The Thelen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5997526. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Thelen Family 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 31, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 20, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Figures come from The Thelen Family 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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