Whitman Family Foundation
The Whitman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Michigan. Its 2025 filing lists grants to organizations supporting benevolent care, a music program, services for people experiencing homelessness, and a scholarship.
Whitman Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Whitman Family Foundation gave $268K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $67K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $267,817
- +197.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- -80.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $66,954
- +1387.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,659
- Total assets
- $2,141,753
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (97% 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 Whitman 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: 920 East Lincoln, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (248) 644-1901
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Whitman Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New England Deaconess Association ($260K across 2 grants). Together the top 3 received $268K.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 135 grants of 137 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 2% to recipients in California, and 1% to recipients in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Whitman Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 140% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2024) to $268K (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $268K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New England Deaconess Association Concord, MA | Helping to Provide Benevolent Care and Support | $250,000 |
| New England Deaconess Association Concord, MA | Newbury Court Music Program | $10,000 |
| Midnight Mission Los Angeles, CA | Provide housing, recovery, education, and workforce development for homeless | $5,317 |
| The George Washington University Washington, DC | Bob Ganz Jr Scholarship | $2,500 |
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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 | $2,141,753 | $331,706 | $320,047 | $267,817 | 4 | $272,498 | $286,177 | $195,143 |
| 2024 | $2,130,175 | $192,914 | $139,952 | $90,000 | 20 | $95,615 | $150,597 | $180,011 |
| 2023 | $2,077,213 | $153,569 | $231,776 | $194,150 | 45 | $198,193 | $121,006 | $142,139 |
| 2022 | $2,155,420 | $94,215 | $222,004 | $181,649 | 30 | $186,599 | $60,350 | $143,923 |
| 2021 | $2,283,209 | $266,369 | $184,656 | $148,500 | 38 | $149,400 | $233,613 | $168,534 |
| 2020 | $2,201,494 | $191,177 | $162,971 | $130,700 | 41 | — | $164,276 | $134,475 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Whitman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $195K 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. The New England Deaconess Association, which received two grants in 2025, describes its mission as using its resources to provide high-quality, highly valued care and seek new opportunities to serve those in its care.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 4 grants totaling $267,817. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $250,000, with a median of $7,658. The largest grants were $250,000 and $10,000 to the New England Deaconess Association for benevolent care and support and its Newbury Court music program, respectively. Other listed grants were $5,317 to the Midnight Mission for housing, recovery, education, and workforce development for homeless people, and $2,500 to the George Washington University for the Bob Ganz Jr. Scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Malcolm Whitman as president, director, and treasurer; David L. Downie as secretary and director; and Tracy Keller, William W. Downie, and Lindsey W. Downie as directors.
Whitman Family Foundation is led by Malcolm Whitman, President, Director & Treasurer since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Malcolm Whitman
President, Director & Treasurer
Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2024
Director & Treasurer → President, Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David L. Downie
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey W. Downie
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Keller
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William W. Downie
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Marina Vn Whitman (2020–2024) — President & Director
- Former: Robert F. Whitman (2020–2023) — Vice President & Director
- Former: Laura M. Whitman (2020–2021) — Director
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 Whitman Family Foundation
How much does Whitman Family Foundation give each year?
Whitman Family Foundation gave $268K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $90K across 20 grants.
What is Whitman Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Whitman Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,659, and its average grant was $66,954, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Whitman Family Foundation give grants?
Whitman Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Concord, MA (2 grants).
Does Whitman Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Whitman Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is Whitman Family Foundation?
Whitman Family Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $272K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $195K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Whitman Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The New England Deaconess Association, which received two grants in 2025, describes its mission as using its resources to provide high-quality, highly valued care and seek new opportunities to serve those in its care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Whitman 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 Whitman Family Foundation's EIN?
Whitman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3191221. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Whitman 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Figures come from Whitman 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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