William & Martha Ford Fund logo

William & Martha Ford Fund

DETROIT, MI EIN: 38-6066335 Website

William & Martha Ford Fund is a private foundation based in Detroit, Michigan. Established in 1954, the organization operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on supporting charitable causes primarily through direct grants to nonprofit organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$3.2M

+389.3% YoY

Grant Count

65

-11.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$49K

+449.5% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services
  • Arts
  • Community Health

Grantmaking

The foundation accepts applications from prospective grantees.

Grant Range

$1,000–$2,150,000

Average Grant

amount: Varies by year

How to Apply

**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily supports organizations in:

  • Michigan
  • New York
  • Florida

Grant Distribution by State

15states
+7 more states

Cities

AKRONAMERICUSANN ARBORARLINGTONATLANTACHELSEACHICAGOCLARKSBURGCOLLEGE STATIONChicagoCollege StationDEARBORNDETRIOTDETROITDETROiTEAST HAMPTONFARMINGTON HILLSGRAND RAPIDSGROSSE POINT FARMSGROSSE POINTE

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets:

  • Total assets: $241,000–$671,923 (varies by fiscal year)

Giving Rate: The foundation distributes more than 100% of its assets annually, indicating it draws on reserves to support its grantmaking activities.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$791K$2M$2M$3M65 grants202064 grants202168 grants202273 grants202365 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM$2.1MCHRIST CHURCH GROSSE POI…$101KDETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS$50KOUR LADY OF THE ELMS SCH…$50KPRINCETON UNIVERSITY$20KFAIR LANE$15KCATCH$10KDETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY$10KFREEDOM INSTITUTE$10KHOBE SOUND COMMUNITY CHEST$10K

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

237<$50K3$50–100K9$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Henry Ford Health System ($2,150,000), Christ Church Grosse Pointe ($101,000), Detroit Institute of Arts ($50,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION SOUTHFIELD, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$5,000
AMERICAN RED CROSS WASHINGTON, DCPROGRAM SERVICES$1,000
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION ATLANTA, GAPROGRAM SERVICES$5,000
BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY WASHINGTON, DCPROGRAM SERVICES$1,000
BELLE ISLE CONSERVANCY DETROIT, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$1,000
CAMP CASEY FARMINGTON HILLS, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$1,000
CATCH DETROIT, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$10,000
CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION DETROIT, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$1,000
CHRIST CHURCH GROSSE POINTE GROSSE POINTE FARMS, MIPROGRAM SERVICES$101,000
CHRIST MEMORIAL CHAPEL HOBE SOUND, FLPROGRAM SERVICES$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
MARTHA F FORDPRESIDENT / DIRECTOR0.25
CHRISTINE E JAGGITREASURER / DIRECTOR0.25
DAVID P LARSENSECRETARY / DIRECTOR0.25

Contact Information

Address: 1901 Saint Antoine Street, 6th Floor Detroit, MI 48226

Tax Information:

  • EIN: 38-6066335
  • Tax-exempt status: Granted November 1954
  • Organization type: Section 501(c)(3) exempt private foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does William & Martha Ford Fund fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts • Community Health

How do I apply for a grant from William & Martha Ford Fund?

**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $645,000–$3,164,400 (varies by fiscal year) • Number of grants: Approximately 68 grants annually • Grant range: $1,000–$2,150,000 • Median grant amount: $1,000 • Average grant amount: Varies by year **Application Process:** The foundation accepts applications from prospective grantees.

Where does William & Martha Ford Fund make grants?

The foundation primarily supports organizations in: • Michigan • New York • Florida

What size grants does William & Martha Ford Fund award?

In 2024, William & Martha Ford Fund awarded 65 grants totaling $3.2M — an average of about $49K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is William & Martha Ford Fund's EIN?

William & Martha Ford Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6066335. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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