The Whiting Foundation
The Whiting Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Its 2025 filing describes giving focused on the Genesee County area, including Flint, with an emphasis on basic human needs for underprivileged people and cultural activities.
The Whiting Foundation at a glance
In short: The Whiting Foundation gave $1.3M across 34 grants in 2026 (avg $38K), mostly in Michigan. 18% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $1,308,176
- +16.3% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 34
- -5.6% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $38,476
- +23.1% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $18,750
- Total assets
- $18,040,001
- +80.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (6 of 34, 2026)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (94% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Whiting Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit the materials described above, with requests addressing the stated emphasis on basic human needs for underprivileged people or cultural activities in the Genesee County area, including Flint.
- Review Cycle
- The filing gives April 30 of each year as the deadline. The April 30, 2026 cycle has passed.
- Deadline
- The filing gives April 30 of each year as the deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: John T Lindholm Executive Dir
Mailing address: G-9460 S Saginaw Rd Suite J, Grand Blanc, MI 48439
Phone: (810) 767-3600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Whiting Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Flint Institute of Arts ($300K). Together the top 10 received $955K.
Grant Size Distribution
167 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 143 grants of 167 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing specifies the Genesee County area, including the city of Flint. In 2026, 94% of grant dollars went to Michigan recipients; 2% each went to Illinois and New York, and 1% each went to Maryland and Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Whiting Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 6 of 34 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 82% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 40% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $921K (2021) to $1.3M (2026). In 2026 it made 34 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Institute of Arts Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $300,000 |
| FIM-Whiting Auditorium Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $200,000 |
| Flint Institute of Music Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $100,000 |
| Food Bank of Eastern Michigan Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $75,000 |
| Sloan Museum Longway Planetarium Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $75,000 |
| YMCA Greater Flint Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $55,176 |
| St Paul's Episcopal Church Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $50,000 |
| Durant-Dort Carriage CO Foundation Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $40,000 |
| The New McCree Theatre Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $30,000 |
| United Way of Genesee County Flint, MI | See Note 2 | $30,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $18,040,001 | $9,487,293 | $1,429,929 | $1,308,176 | 34 | $1,310,971 | $9,451,041 | $1,124,709 |
| 2025 | $9,982,637 | $1,142,134 | $1,251,239 | $1,125,285 | 36 | $1,127,491 | $1,116,217 | $1,132,110 |
| 2024 | $10,091,742 | $814,988 | $1,174,451 | $983,500 | 31 | $985,746 | $780,049 | $994,688 |
| 2023 | $10,451,205 | $2,453,977 | $1,050,005 | $937,500 | 31 | $943,192 | $2,413,240 | $945,126 |
| 2022 | $9,047,233 | $597,089 | $1,141,175 | $1,027,000 | 35 | $1,030,577 | $633,510 | $1,025,189 |
| 2021 | $9,591,319 | $646,621 | $1,009,722 | $920,900 | 33 | — | $626,031 | $915,430 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Whiting Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2026 — 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’s filing identifies two giving emphases: basic human needs for underprivileged people and cultural activities. Its 2026 grants included arts, music, food assistance, community, and other organizations. For example, the Flint Institute of Arts describes its mission as connecting diverse communities through visual art experiences, and the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan describes its mission as providing food to people in need and working with partners to address hunger. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $1,308,176. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $300,000, with a median grant of $18,750. Notable grants included $300,000 to the Flint Institute of Arts, $200,000 to FIM-Whiting Auditorium, $100,000 to the Flint Institute of Music, and $75,000 each to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Sloan Museum Longway Planetarium.
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It describes an application submission consisting of a concise description of activities and needs, a current and ensuing budget, and details of administrative expenses and salaries. The filing lists John T. Lindholm as the application contact.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Linda J. Lemieux as president, Lora M. Ziembo as secretary, and John T. Lindholm as executive director on the officers and directors list.
The Whiting Foundation is led by John T. Lindholm, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
John T. Lindholm
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Linda J. Lemieux
President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Lora M. Ziembo
Secretary
On filings since 2021
$15K (2021) → $0 (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $15K, to Lora M Ziembo (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about The Whiting Foundation
How much does The Whiting Foundation give each year?
The Whiting Foundation gave $1.3M across 34 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $1.1M across 36 grants.
What is The Whiting Foundation's typical grant size?
The Whiting Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $18,750, and its average grant was $38,476, across 34 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Whiting Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does The Whiting Foundation give grants?
The Whiting Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Flint, MI (22 grants) and Detroit, MI (2 grants).
Does The Whiting Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Whiting Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "See Note 2" (33 grants).
Who are The Whiting Foundation's largest grantees?
The Whiting Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Flint Institute of Arts ($300,000), FIM-Whiting Auditorium ($200,000) and Flint Institute of Music ($100,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Whiting Foundation?
The Whiting Foundation reported $18.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Whiting Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing identifies two giving emphases: basic human needs for underprivileged people and cultural activities. Its 2026 grants included arts, music, food assistance, community, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Whiting Foundation?
Submit the materials described above, with requests addressing the stated emphasis on basic human needs for underprivileged people or cultural activities in the Genesee County area, including Flint. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Whiting Foundation's EIN?
The Whiting Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6056693. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Whiting Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Whiting Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-whiting-foundation-morg_8d0d78ff0bb1427e9bc389624a847cc3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_386056693_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Whiting Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-whiting-foundation-morg_8d0d78ff0bb1427e9bc389624a847cc3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Whiting 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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