The Trillium Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Ada, MI EIN: 38-2403460

The Trillium Foundation is a private foundation based in Ada, Michigan. Its 2025 filing reports 17 grants totaling $27,250 to charitable organizations in Michigan and four other states.

The Trillium Foundation at a glance

In short: The Trillium Foundation gave $27K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Michigan. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$27,250
-17.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
17
-10.5% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,603
-7.7% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$212,804
+11.7% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
12% first-time grantees (2 of 17, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Michigan (49% 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 Trillium Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 7587 Conservation Rd Ne, Ada, MI 49301
Phone: (616) 334-8427

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Trillium Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

The Middle Way: $6KThe Middle Way$6KCorewell Health Foundation West MI: $5KCorewell Health FoundationWest MI$5KBridges to Malawi: $3KBridges to Malawi$3KAquinas College: $2KAquinas College$2KSt Cecelia Music Center: $2KSt Cecelia Music Center$2KDevos Children's Hospital: $1KDevos Children's Hospital$1KDoctors Without Borders: $1KDoctors Without Borders$1KFranciscan Life Process Center: $1KFranciscan Life Process Center$1KInternational Rescue Committee: $1KInternational Rescue Committee$1KNAMI New Hampshire: $1KNAMI New Hampshire$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was The Middle Way ($6K). Together the top 10 received $22K.

Grant Size Distribution

101 grants across all recorded years

101<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 101 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan (49%), Colorado (20%), New Hampshire (15%), Massachusetts (9%), and New York (7%).

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.

Cities

Grand RapidsPortsmouthExeterHudsonNew YorkLowellMearsMuskegonConcordFairplayManchesterWashingtonWilliamstownGrandvilleStaten IslandAdaCenterlineStrathamWyomingEagle

Is The Trillium Foundation open to new grantees?

12%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 17 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $750; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $750 first-time, $1K repeat.

  • 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−20%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$10K$20K$30K$40K19 grants2020 24 grants2021 22 grants2022 19 grants2023 19 grants2024 17 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2023) to $34K (2022). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $27K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Middle Way Fairplay, CODonation$5,500
Corewell Health Foundation West MI Grand Rapids, MIDonation$5,000
Bridges to Malawi Hudson, MADonation$2,500
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MIDonation$2,250
St Cecelia Music Center Grand Rapids, MIDonation$2,000
Devos Children's Hospital Grand Rapids, MIDonation$1,000
Doctors Without Borders New York, NYDonation$1,000
Franciscan Life Process Center Lowell, MIDonation$1,000
International Rescue Committee New York, NYDonation$1,000
NAMI New Hampshire Concord, NHDonation$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$212,804$53,132$29,081$27,25017$27,270$13,651$26,398
2024$190,448$24,006$36,631$33,00019$33,020$13,845$25,607
2023$203,011$15,048$25,437$25,00019$25,020$14,344$24,789
2022$213,400$17,841$35,729$34,00022$35,320$17,610$25,656
2021$231,288$50,188$31,893$30,00024$31,720$13,509$30,463
2020$212,993$33,510$33,140$31,00019—$12,451$24,511

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Trillium Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $27,250 through 17 grants. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,500, with a median grant of $1,000. Among the largest were $5,500 to The Middle Way, $5,000 to Corewell Health Foundation West MI, $2,500 to Bridges to Malawi, $2,250 to Aquinas College, and $2,000 to St Cecelia Music Center.

Other reported 2025 grants included $1,000 each to DeVos Children’s Hospital, Doctors Without Borders, Franciscan Life Process Center, International Rescue Committee, NAMI New Hampshire, New Hampshire Food Bank, and Southeast Land Trust of New.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists G Mark McAleenan as president; Gary F McAleenan and Gregory W McAleenan as directors; and Karin M Turmelle as secretary/treasurer.

The Trillium Foundation is led by G. Mark McAleenan, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • G. Mark McAleenan

    President

    President & Secretary → President, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gary F. McAleenan

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gregory W. McAleenan

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Karin M. Turmelle

    Secretary

    Treasurer → Secretary, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    0.6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Trillium Foundation

How much does The Trillium Foundation give each year?

The Trillium Foundation gave $27K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $33K across 19 grants.

What is The Trillium Foundation's typical grant size?

The Trillium Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,603, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Trillium Foundation that year got $750 on average.

Where does The Trillium Foundation give grants?

The Trillium Foundation's top state is Michigan, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (20%) and New Hampshire (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (6 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Exeter, NH (2 grants).

Does The Trillium Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The Trillium Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (17 grants).

Who are The Trillium Foundation's largest grantees?

The Trillium Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Middle Way ($5,500), Corewell Health Foundation West MI ($5,000) and Bridges to Malawi ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Trillium Foundation?

The Trillium Foundation reported $213K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

How do I apply for a grant from The Trillium Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it states that 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 Trillium Foundation's EIN?

The Trillium Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2403460. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The Trillium 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

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 17, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 2, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The Trillium 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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