Wattles Family Foundation
The Wattles Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, it reported 17 grants totaling $222,500 to charitable organizations, including organizations in Michigan, Colorado, and Massachusetts.
Wattles Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Wattles Family Foundation gave $223K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $222,500
- +12.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +30.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,088
- -13.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,907,663
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Wattles Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2925 Oakland Drive Ste 135, Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (269) 353-8000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wattles Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kalamazoo Community Foundation ($82K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $208K.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 49 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 6% to recipients in Colorado, and 2% to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
How Wattles Family Foundation gives
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 667% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% 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 (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 $16K (2019) to $223K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $223K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center Augusta, MI | Raise the Roof Campaign | $50,000 |
| Kalamazoo Community Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | Barnes Donor Advised Fund | $39,000 |
| Kalamazoo Community Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | Wattles/Wiley Donor Advised Fund | $39,000 |
| Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Kalamazoo, MI | General | $25,000 |
| Family & Children Services Kalamazoo, MI | Sherman Lake Campership Program | $15,000 |
| Intl Society Child Abuse Nelgect Greenwood Village, CO | Ispcan Next Fund | $10,000 |
| The Gilmore Kalamazoo, MI | Rising Stars Recitals | $6,000 |
| Pretty Lake Camp Mattawan, MI | Annual Fund | $5,000 |
| KVCC Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | STG. Bill Becker Marine Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Stoneleigh Burham School Greenfield, MA | General | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,907,663 | $446,561 | $231,211 | $222,500 | 17 | $222,500 | $71,183 | $227,260 |
| 2024 | $2,692,313 | $69,811 | $205,530 | $197,500 | 13 | $197,500 | $64,781 | $201,877 |
| 2023 | $2,828,032 | $68,017 | $186,884 | $173,500 | 13 | $173,500 | $51,106 | $184,053 |
| 2022 | $2,946,899 | $2,433,292 | $32,895 | $29,000 | 2 | $29,000 | $17,505 | $65,485 |
| 2021 | $546,502 | $69,799 | $42,335 | $36,565 | 4 | $36,565 | $66,829 | $62,017 |
| 2020 | $519,038 | $114,948 | $34,718 | $33,000 | 5 | — | $113,250 | $47,840 |
| 2019 | $438,808 | $22,272 | $19,902 | $16,000 | 4 | — | $19,890 | $7,204 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wattles Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $227K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its listed 2025 grants include support for organizations working in therapeutic riding, community philanthropy, hunger relief, family and children’s services, and other areas. For example, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes says its mission is to feed hungry people and engage the community in ending hunger; Family & Children Services says it strengthens the safety and well-being of children, individuals, and families through human services. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $222,500 through 17 grants. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Among the largest were $50,000 to Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center for its “Raise the Roof Campaign,” $39,000 each to Kalamazoo Community Foundation for the Barnes Donor Advised Fund and the Wattles/Wiley Donor Advised Fund, and $25,000 to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes for general support. Other grants included $15,000 to Family & Children Services for its Sherman Lake Campership Program and $10,000 to the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect for the ISPCAN NEXT Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine W. Barnes as president, Charles D. Wattles as treasurer, Marian Klein Wattles as secretary, and Rosemary Willey as director.
Wattles Family Foundation is led by Catherine W. Barnes, President since 2020 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine W. Barnes
President
Vpres & Treasurer → President, 2020
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Rosemary Willey
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Charles D. Wattles
Treasurer
President & Secretary → Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Marian Klein Wattles
Secretary
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: John C. Wattles (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Marain Klein Wattles (2021) — Secretary
- Former: Doris J. Kunkle (2019–2020) — Secretary
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 Wattles Family Foundation
How much does Wattles Family Foundation give each year?
Wattles Family Foundation gave $223K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $198K across 13 grants.
What is Wattles Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Wattles Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $13,088, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wattles Family Foundation give grants?
Wattles Family Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kalamazoo, MI (11 grants).
Does Wattles Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 41% of Wattles Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Wattles Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Wattles Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kalamazoo Community Foundation ($82,000 across 3 grants), Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center ($50,000) and Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wattles Family Foundation?
Wattles Family Foundation reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $223K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $227K (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 Wattles Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its listed 2025 grants include support for organizations working in therapeutic riding, community philanthropy, hunger relief, family and children’s services, and other areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wattles Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Wattles Family Foundation's EIN?
Wattles Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3501111. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Wattles 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 June 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Wattles Family Foundation funds
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Browse active grant opportunities in Wattles Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wattles Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wattles-family-foundation-morg_ad779a24435f44da86b9eb7a5e51a80f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383501111_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wattles Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wattles-family-foundation-morg_ad779a24435f44da86b9eb7a5e51a80f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Wattles 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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