Open Foundations · Michigan

Frey Foundation

Grand Rapids, Michigan · EIN 237094777. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $4.7M across 190 grants in 2024, a median of $5K each.

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$4.7M
paid in 2024
190
grants paid
$5K
median grant
45%
to first-time recipients
$162.4M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
HOLLY A JOHNSON
Address
40 PEARL STREET NW Ste 1100, GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 45903
Phone
6164510303
Form the request should take
STANDARD APPLICATION FORM AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST FROM ADDRESS ABOVE OR AT THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE: WWW.FREYFDN.ORG
Submission deadline
DUE TWELVE WEEKS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DATE OF BOARD FUNDING MEETINGS, HELD IN FEB, MAY, AUG, AND NOV.
Restrictions on awards
FOR COMMUNITY-BASED OR REGIONAL PROJECTS, THE FOUNDATION FOCUSES ON PROPOSALS FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES SERVING KENT, EMMET OR CHARLEVOIX COUNTIES. THE FOUNDATION ALSO ACCEPTS PROPOSALS FROM CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS WITH A STATE-LEVEL PRESENCE OR STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHOSE PROPOSAL MAY HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE FREY FOUNDATION'S GEOGRAPHIC TARGET AREAS.

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2024, IRS filing object id 202543189349105489. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2024 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

campaign

Biggest grants in 2024

The 15 largest of the 190 grants paid in 2024, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Grand Action Foundation 20MI$500,000Acrisure Amphitheater in Downtown Grand Rapids
2Grand Valley State UniversityMI$500,000Fully endow the Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
3Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Grand RapidsMI$390,000The development of a childcare center in Rapid Central Station in downtown Grand Rapids and its first year of programming
4Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation CenterMI$300,000A Shared Vision for Brighter Futures - Building a Pediatric Rehabilitation Hospital
5Pine Rest FoundationMI$300,000Pine Rest Pediatric Center for Behavioral Health
6Grand Rapids Public Museum FoundationMI$200,000The riverfront and community archives portions of the Expanding Curiosity Capital Campaign
7Habitat for Humanity of Kent County IncMI$200,000Imagine capital campaign to create 100 units of affordable housing
8West Michigan Trails & Greenways CoalitionMI$150,000Building Connections, Building Communities
9Children's Healing CenterMI$100,000A Million Minutes More
10Housing NorthMI$100,000Support for a regional housing fund and expansion of existing programs
11Mosaic CounselingMI$100,000YOU Matter Campaign
12The Michigan Women's FoundationMI$100,000West Michigan Loan Officer ($100k) and Microlending Investment Fund ($50k)
13West Michigan Sports CommissionMI$100,000Meijer Sports Complex expansion campaign
14Petoskey-harbor Springs Area Community FoundationMI$90,500The Edward J. Frey Jr. Charitable Fund
15North Central Michigan College FoundationMI$90,000Child Care Initiative Phase 2

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
2020242$4.6M
2021170$5.0M
2022211$5.8M
2023193$5.2M
2024190$4.7M

Where the money went

Share of 2024 grant dollars by recipient state
Michigan75%
Colorado5%
Florida4%
North Carolina3%
California2%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

Campbell W FreyTRUSTEE · 2020
Cynthia a FreyNEXT GEN. ADVISORY COMM. · 2020
David G FreyTRUSTEE EMERITUS · 2020
David G Frey JrTREASURER · 2020
Edward J Frey JrTRUSTEE · 2020
Eleonora H Frey ZagelVICE CHAIR · 2020
Holly a JohnsonPRESIDENT · 2020
John M FreyTRUSTEE EMERITUS · 2020
Katrine E FreyTRUSTEE · 2020
Laura D FreyTRUSTEE · 2020
Mary Caroline FreyTRUSTEE EMERITUS · 2020
Mary Frey BennettCHAIR · 2020
Sarah R Frey RoseSECRETARY · 2020
William O FreyNEXT GEN. ADVISORY COMM. · 2020

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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