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.
Key facts about WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation
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.
- EIN
- 38-3607246
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $707,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $25,250
- Median grant
- $16,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (4 of 27, 2025)
- Total assets
- $11,988,680
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.0M
+2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$707K
+0.9% YoY
Grant Count
28
-12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
+15.3% YoY
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.
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.
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.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars itemized for 2025 went to recipients in Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 28 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
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 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,988,680 | $1,094,179 | $806,186 | $707,000 |
| 2024 | $11,700,687 | $847,427 | $791,937 | $701,000 |
| 2023 | $11,645,197 | $464,863 | $725,978 | $645,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,988,680 | $11,700,687 | $11,645,197 |
| Revenue | $1,094,179 | $847,427 | $464,863 |
| Expenses | $806,186 | $791,937 | $725,978 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $714,067 | $709,420 | $653,811 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,016,865 | $772,316 | $396,141 |
| Distributable Amount | $790,377 | $745,749 | $673,737 |
Data update history
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
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sydney E Parfet as Vice-President/Assistant S, Barbara L James as Treasurer, and Rex L Bell as President/Board Chair/Secr.
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
Contact
Mailing address: 6549 Hollison Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Phone: (269) 998-9585
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).
What does WS & Lois Vandalson Foundation fund?
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.
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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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