A.A. Van Elslander Foundation Grants

The A.A. Van Elslander Foundation provides grants to Michigan-based non-profit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3). Since 2016, it has contributed over $30 million to support initiatives focused on children, health, and human services. The foundation encourages self-sustainability among grantees and invites unsolicited inquiries each September, maintaining a commitment to non-discrimination and public benefit in its funding.

What We Fund
We provide grants to non–profit organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for organizations and programs within the state of Michigan. We focus on supporting non–profits benefiting children, health and human services, favoring organizations that are lean, entrepreneurial and seek to be self–sustainable.
Van Elslander Foundation has contributed more than $30 million to support charitable organizations benefiting children, health and human services for Michigan communities. Van Elslander’s lifetime gifts, the impact for his home state currently exceeds $100 million.
The A.A. Van Elslander Foundation accepts unsolicited grant inquiries annually through our website during the month of September, and provides grants to non-profit organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code located within the state of Michigan and benefiting its communities.

Eligibility

Grants must be for charitable purposes and serve a public benefit through a charity recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service, and may not be through a private foundation. Qualifying organizations must be located within Michigan and benefit its communities.
A qualifying organization must, in policy and in practice, not discriminate based on age, creed, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Ineligibility

While we acknowledge their importance in our communities, our foundation does not award grants to the following:
Capital projects, unless initiated by the Foundation.Fundraising events or conferences.Individuals.K-12 schools, secondary schools or universities.Lobbying activities or political campaigns.Religious purposes. We recognize the role faith-based organizations play in addressing human service needs in our local communities and may consider such grants if initiated by the Foundation.Units of government or veterans organizations.