Word Investments Inc
Word Investments Inc is a private foundation based in Ada, Michigan. Its filing describes direct charitable activities assisting Christian ministry services through employed individuals and providing technical assistance to charitable organizations and Christian ministries.
Word Investments Inc at a glance
In short: Word Investments Inc gave $664K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in Michigan. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $664,321
- +53.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +45.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,908
- +5.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,457,947
- -14.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (11 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (71% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Word Investments Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing instructs applicants to send Clare DeGraaf a personal letter stating their needs, goals, and funding requested, along with the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person. Awards are limited to qualifying charitable and religious organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) or eligible to receive deductible contributions under section 170(b)(1)(i)–(viii). The filing says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Clare Degraaf
Mailing address: 7163 Headley St Se Ste B, Ada, MI 49301
Phone: (616) 485-5016
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Word Investments Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Benevolence ($261K). Together the top 10 received $568K.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 131 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 12% to Georgia, 8% to Missouri, 3% to Florida, and 2% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Word Investments Inc open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 29 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−13%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $408K (2023) to $765K (2022). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $664K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Benevolence See Corporate Address, MI | Charitable | $260,843 |
| The Seed Company Conyers, GA | Religious | $80,000 |
| Cure International Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable | $51,035 |
| Master's Ranch and Christian Academy Myrtle, MO | Religious | $50,278 |
| Calvary Church Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable | $31,158 |
| Jones-Johnson Family Ministry Grand Rapids, MI | Religious | $30,000 |
| Door Zeeland, MI | Charitable | $25,000 |
| International Generosity Foundation Trust Clearwater, FL | Chartiable | $14,000 |
| Youth for Christ Englewood, CO | Religious | $12,750 |
| Network 20 International Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable | $12,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Word Investments Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,457,947 | $848,407 | $1,293,717 | $664,321 | 29 | $940,480 | $132,447 |
| 2024 | $5,210,580 | $719,394 | $1,096,725 | $432,691 | 20 | $805,310 | $209,734 |
| 2023 | $5,307,157 | $787,310 | $1,106,384 | $407,955 | 24 | $763,602 | $219,872 |
| 2022 | $5,563,788 | $723,203 | $1,363,134 | $764,987 | 28 | $1,080,862 | $203,338 |
| 2021 | $6,696,984 | $577,662 | $1,324,876 | $676,633 | 30 | $1,045,684 | $200,610 |
| 2020 | $7,535,027 | $7,276,945 | $1,244,952 | $730,769 | 43 | — | $6,941,270 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its direct activities as assistance to various Christian ministry services through employed individuals and technical assistance to other charitable organizations and Christian ministries.
Its 2025 grants included charitable and religious organizations. For example, CURE INTERNATIONAL says its children’s hospital network provides surgical care for children with disabilities in a compassionate Christian environment. New City Networks describes its work as bringing whole-life transformation to under-resourced youth in the United States and globally. Church Planters Training International says it trains church planters and encourages church-planting movements in the former CIS and satellite countries.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Word Investments Inc reported 29 grants totaling $664,321. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $260,843, with a median of $10,000.
The largest reported grants included $260,843 to Benevolence, $80,000 to The Seed Company, $51,035 to CURE INTERNATIONAL, $50,278 to Master’s Ranch and Christian Academy, and $31,158 to Calvary Church. Other recipients included Jones-Johnson Family Ministry ($30,000), DOOR ($25,000), International Generosity Foundation Trust ($14,000), Youth for Christ ($12,750), Network 20 International ($12,500), Christian Life Ministries ($12,500), and New City Networks ($12,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Clare DeGraaf as president, Susan DeGraaf as secretary, and Diane Luchies-Pferdehirt as treasurer.
Word Investments Inc is led by Clare Degraaf, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Clare Degraaf
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$97K (2020) → $170K (2025)
Diane Luchies-Pferdehirt
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$47K (2020) → $80K (2025)
Susan Degraaf
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $170K, to Clare Degraaf (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Word Investments Inc
How much does Word Investments Inc give each year?
Word Investments Inc gave $664K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $433K across 20 grants.
What is Word Investments Inc's typical grant size?
Word Investments Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,908, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Word Investments Inc that year got $35K on average.
Where does Word Investments Inc give grants?
Word Investments Inc gives mostly in Michigan: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (12%) and Missouri (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (10 grants), Kentwood, MI (2 grants) and Orlando, FL (2 grants).
Does Word Investments Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Word Investments Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious" (22 grants) and "Charitable" (6 grants).
Who are Word Investments Inc's largest grantees?
Word Investments Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Benevolence ($260,843), The Seed Company ($80,000) and Cure International ($51,035), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Word Investments Inc?
Word Investments Inc reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $848K.
What does Word Investments Inc fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its direct activities as assistance to various Christian ministry services through employed individuals and technical assistance to other charitable organizations and Christian ministries. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Word Investments Inc?
The filing instructs applicants to send Clare DeGraaf a personal letter stating their needs, goals, and funding requested, along with the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Word Investments Inc's EIN?
Word Investments Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2470907. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Word Investments Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Word Investments Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Michigan
Christian Community Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
WaterStone supports domestic and international nonprofits, including Christian ministries and charitable and educational organizations, through donor-directed grants; eligible organizations must be IRS-recognized 501(c)(3)s whose mission aligns with its Statement of Faith. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000, with awards ranging from $5,028 to $11 million, and were concentrated in Texas and Colorado. Grant recommendations come from donor-advised fund holders; the profile does not state that it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$746.4M
Grants
1,651
Total Given
$161.8M
Dick and Betsy Devos Family Foundation
Grand Rapids, MI
The foundation supports leadership and nonprofit capacity building, family well-being in West Michigan, and education freedom, with grants also spanning community development, arts, education, trails, and public policy. In 2024, grants ranged from $500 to $1 million, with a median of $20,000; giving is focused on West Michigan, though it also funds organizations elsewhere. It accepts applications through an online portal on a rolling basis.
Assets
$47.6M
Grants
91
Total Given
$7.1M
WK Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek, MI
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds work to help children, families, and communities thrive, including early education, health equity, food systems, family economic well-being, and racial equity. In 2025, its grants ranged from $50 to nearly $5 million, with a median of $100,000; it funds across the United States, with long-term commitments in several states and communities, as well as parts of Mexico and Haiti. It accepts unsolicited proposals online at any time.
Assets
$481.0M
Grants
1,818
Total Given
$303.9M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Detroit, MI
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan funds nonprofits working in economic opportunity, health equity, youth and education, arts and culture, and public space and the environment across seven southeast Michigan counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, though awards varied widely; organizations begin with a brief proposal, and selected applicants are invited to submit a full application.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
938
Total Given
$105.1M
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Flint, MI
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation funds nonprofits working in civil society, youth engagement, environmental sustainability, and Flint-area community development, in Flint and communities around the world. Its 2024 grants had a median of $55,000, though awards ranged widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests and supports preselected organizations.
Assets
$3.8B
Grants
834
Total Given
$166.4M
The Kresge Foundation
Troy, MI
The Kresge Foundation funds nonprofit operations, projects, and planning across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and community development, with a focus on equity and opportunity in U.S. cities—especially Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans, and Fresno. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $5 million, with a median of $140,000. Program teams most often invite applicants, though some programs issue open calls or RFPs; unsolicited requests are not described as generally accepted.
Assets
$4.0B
Grants
800
Total Given
$170.0M
More similar funders
More Funders in Michigan
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Word Investments Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/word-investments-inc-morg_85dab1a725da4a9aad9716f0247c2ae0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382470907_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Word Investments Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/word-investments-inc-morg_85dab1a725da4a9aad9716f0247c2ae0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Word Investments Inc'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.
Word Investments Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?