WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation
The WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation is a private foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In its 2025 filing, it reported 28 grants totaling $707,000, all to organizations in Michigan.
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation at a glance
In short: WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation gave $707K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Michigan. 15% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $707,000
- +0.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- -12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $25,250
- +15.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $16,000
- Total assets
- $11,988,680
- +2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (4 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% 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 WS & Lois Vandalson 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: 6549 Hollison Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Phone: (269) 998-9585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation ($150K). Together the top 10 received $568K.
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 127 grants of 145 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars itemized for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 27 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $47K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $17K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% 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 (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 $615K (2020) to $720K (2021). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $707K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | General | $150,000 |
| Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Kalamazoo, MI | General | $63,000 |
| YWCA of Kalamazoo Kalamazoo, MI | General | $60,000 |
| Bronson Health Foundation Kalamazoo, MI | General | $55,000 |
| YWCA of Kalamazoo Kalamazoo, MI | Cradle Program | $50,000 |
| Ministry with Community Kalamazoo, MI | General | $40,000 |
| Family & Children Services Inc Kalamazoo, MI | General | $40,000 |
| KC Ready 4S Kalamazoo, MI | General | $35,000 |
| Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo Kalamazoo, MI | General | $30,000 |
| Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Kalamazoo, MI | General | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation?
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 | $11,988,680 | $1,094,179 | $806,186 | $707,000 | 28 | $714,067 | $1,016,865 | $790,377 |
| 2024 | $11,700,687 | $847,427 | $791,937 | $701,000 | 32 | $709,420 | $772,316 | $745,749 |
| 2023 | $11,645,197 | $464,863 | $725,978 | $645,000 | 34 | $653,811 | $396,141 | $673,737 |
| 2022 | $11,906,312 | $374,428 | $792,780 | $700,000 | 25 | $710,455 | $301,110 | $685,284 |
| 2021 | $12,324,664 | $844,032 | $813,474 | $720,000 | 26 | $726,683 | $767,409 | $772,813 |
| 2020 | $12,294,106 | $505,641 | $688,459 | $615,000 | 25 | — | $440,837 | $653,705 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $790K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support a range of Kalamazoo organizations. 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; and Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo says it supports students to help them stay in school and achieve in life.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $707,000. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $150,000, with a median of $16,000. The largest listed awards included $150,000 to Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation, $63,000 to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, $60,000 to YWCA of Kalamazoo, and $55,000 to Bronson Health Foundation. The filing also lists a separate $50,000 grant to YWCA of Kalamazoo for its Cradle Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sydney E Parfet as Vice-President/Assistant Secretary, Barbara L James as Treasurer, and Rex L Bell as President/Board Chair/Secretary.
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation is led by Rex L. Bell, President, Board Chair & Secretary since 2022 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rex L. Bell
President, Board Chair & Secretary
Assistant Treasurer → President, Board Chair & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Barbara L. James
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Sydney E. Parfet
Vice President & Assistant S
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Alfred J. Gemrich (2020–2024) — Assistant Treasurer
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 $3K, to Sydney E Parfet (Vice-President/Assistant S). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation
How much does WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation give each year?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation gave $707K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $701K across 32 grants.
What is WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's typical grant size?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $16,000, and its average grant was $25,250, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation that year got $47K on average.
Where does WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation give grants?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Kalamazoo, MI (23 grants) and Augusta, MI (2 grants).
Does WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's largest grantees?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation ($150,000), YWCA of Kalamazoo ($110,000 across 2 grants) and Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes ($63,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $714K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $790K (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 WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support a range of Kalamazoo organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from WS & Lois Vandalson 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 WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's EIN?
WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3607246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does WS & Lois Vandalson 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 May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ws-and-lois-vandalson-foundation-morg_6ab6fff120b14b8daeb23c18dfd5f8b4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383607246_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{WS \& Lois Vandalson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ws-and-lois-vandalson-foundation-morg_6ab6fff120b14b8daeb23c18dfd5f8b4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 WS & Lois Vandalson 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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