The Walters Family Foundation
The Walters Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Milford, Michigan. It seeks to strengthen Michigan communities by supporting projects involving the natural environment, arts and culture, economic vitality, and innovative learning initiatives.
The Walters Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Walters Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $57K), mostly in Michigan. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,248,000
- +27.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +57.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $56,727
- -18.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $17,936,169
- +3.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (11 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Walters Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website describes a process beginning with reviewing guidelines and submitting a registration, followed by a possible invitation to submit a letter of interest and, if invited, a full application. Applications must include audited financial statements, a board-member list, an organizational chart, an updated project budget form, and a media authorization form. The website lists exclusions including individuals, government agencies, loans, religious activities, fundraising events, political campaigns, legislative lobbying, and conferences. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) public charities in good standing, have at least two years of operating history and positive financial standing, and request at least $25,000.
- Review Cycle
- The website says that, to be considered for the current year, strategic letters of interest must be submitted by September 15, discretionary applications by October 1, and strategic applications by November 1. As of October 2, 2026, the September 15 and October 1 dates have passed; November 1 is still upcoming.
- Deadline
- The website says that, to be considered for the current year, strategic letters of interest must be submitted by…
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 370, Milford, MI 48381
Phone: (248) 205-1390
Website: https://waltersffmi.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Walters Family Foundation
Who The Walters Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Conservation Resource Alliance ($150K). Together the top 10 received $918K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 35 grants of 81 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its support as directed to Michigan-based initiatives. In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan; the reported shares for Tennessee and North Carolina were 4% each, and Washington, D.C., and Ohio were 2% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Walters Family Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 21 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $73K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $63K repeat.
- 29% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 46% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 120% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $808K (2020) to $1.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation Resource Alliance Traverse City, MI | Wff funding will help to preserve and protect northern Michigan's waterways, wildlife, and forests for future generations. | $150,000 |
| Huron Pines Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc Gaylord, MI | Wff funding will help the work across forests, lakes and streams of northern Michigan to improve economic, environmental, educational and recreational opportunities to engage people in conservation stewardship to support sustainable, empowered communities rich with protected natural resources. | $125,000 |
| Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI | Wff funding will help the private university by contributing to scholarship funds to help students with rising cost of college education. | $120,000 |
| Racquet up Detroit Detroit, MI | Wff funding will help support and empower detroit youth to achieve thier full potential through a demanding and inspiring long-term extracurricular mentoring program of squash, academics, and community service. | $100,000 |
| Lean Rocket Lab Jackson, MI | Wff funding will help remove common barriers to innovation by providing a collaborative workspace full of high energy entrepreneurs, advanced educational programming, helpful business resources, and access to various stages of capital so businesses or products can launch and thrive. | $90,000 |
| Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center Detroit, MI | Wff fundings will help to empower perople with freedom to relentlessly pursue innovation for better industry, better lives. | $75,000 |
| Headwaters Land Conservancy Gaylord, MI | Wff funding will help to protect the natural diversity and beauty of northeast Michigan by preserving significant land and scenic areas and fostering appreciation and understanding of the environment. | $68,000 |
| Center for Success Network Detroit, MI | Wff funding will help to unite literacy and community to empower students in the journey of education. | $65,000 |
| Shakespeare in Detroit Dearborn, MI | Wff funding will help to enhance and support the cultural, educational, and financial growth of detroit with professional theatre created through a conscious lens of equity, diversity and inclusion. | $65,000 |
| Teach Empower Achieve Detroit, MI | Wff funding will help to enhance the lives of women facing barriers to employment through providing workforce training, education, skill development, coaching, and mentorship services. | $60,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Walters 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $17,936,169 | $2,273,869 | $1,697,646 | $1,248,000 | 22 | $1,455,357 | $2,031,580 | $1,214,342 |
| 2023 | $17,387,861 | $809,544 | $1,416,021 | $975,500 | 14 | $1,174,142 | $582,666 | $1,170,951 |
| 2022 | $18,008,562 | $1,438,268 | $1,405,066 | $985,000 | 15 | $1,154,495 | $1,213,697 | $1,165,943 |
| 2021 | $17,995,622 | $1,842,537 | $1,254,804 | $853,705 | 14 | $1,009,111 | $1,622,344 | $1,180,901 |
| 2020 | $17,324,881 | $1,548,126 | $1,127,716 | $808,183 | 16 | — | $1,365,072 | $961,494 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Walters Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it was created to build a legacy of family stewardship and supports projects that encourage the lasting vitality of communities and the natural environment. Its four stated areas are conserving the natural environment, celebrating arts and culture, advancing economic vitality, and empowering people through innovative learning initiatives.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of work supported. For example, Conservation Resource Alliance describes its mission as protecting Northern Michigan’s waterways, wildlife, and forests. Huron Pines says it works to conserve and enhance Northern Michigan’s natural resources and support healthy water, protected places, and vibrant communities. Other grantees include Lawrence Technological University, whose stated mission is to develop leaders through innovative programs; Racquet Up Detroit, which supports Detroit youth through squash, academics, and community service; Lean Rocket Lab, which provides workspace and business resources to help businesses and products launch; and the Center for Success Network, which unites literacy and community to support students’ education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1,248,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $150,000, with a median award of $50,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $150,000 to Conservation Resource Alliance for Northern Michigan conservation work; $125,000 to Huron Pines Resource Conservation & Development Council for conservation and community opportunities across Northern Michigan; and $120,000 to Lawrence Technological University for scholarship funds. Other notable awards included $100,000 to Racquet Up Detroit, $90,000 to Lean Rocket Lab, and $75,000 to Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Carol A. Walters as president and director, Matthew D. Walters and Joseph P. Walters as directors, and Sarah J. Early as a director. Peter S. Walters is listed as secretary and treasurer; the filing entry also includes a truncated “DIRE.”
The Walters Family Foundation is led by Carol A. Walters, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carol A. Walters
President & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph P. Walters
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew D. Walters
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter S. Walters
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah J. Early
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Walters Family Foundation
How much does The Walters Family Foundation give each year?
The Walters Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $976K across 14 grants.
What is The Walters Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Walters Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $56,727, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Walters Family Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does The Walters Family Foundation give grants?
The Walters Family Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (7 grants), Traverse City, MI (2 grants) and Gaylord, MI (2 grants).
Does The Walters Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Walters Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Walters Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Walters Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Conservation Resource Alliance ($150,000), Huron Pines Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc ($125,000) and Lawrence Technological University ($120,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Walters Family Foundation?
The Walters Family Foundation reported $17.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Walters Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says it was created to build a legacy of family stewardship and supports projects that encourage the lasting vitality of communities and the natural environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Walters Family Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Walters Family Foundation's EIN?
The Walters Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1395696. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Walters 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Walters Family Foundation funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Walters Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Walters Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-walters-family-foundation-morg_0603c4974d2d4f468159132ebd8b7e6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_471395696_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Walters Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-walters-family-foundation-morg_0603c4974d2d4f468159132ebd8b7e6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Walters 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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