Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation funds work in the Great Lakes ecosystem, arts and culture organisational resilience, Detroit's jazz culture, sustainable business, democracy and Alzheimer's research, with arts and jazz grants going to organisations based in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties, while other programme areas focus on Southeast Michigan or the Great Lakes basin, so check your work sits within these areas before approaching it.
- Most grants are modest: half of its 403 grants across recent filings were $25,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fell between $2,000 and $265,000, so a request in this range is realistic, though it has also made one much larger grant of $3,000,000 to a regranting organisation.
- It leans towards continuing relationships, with 87% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in the previous two years, so be aware this looks like a relationship-led funder rather than one that opens doors wide to newcomers.
- To apply, start with a conversation with the programme team via Contact Us; the process typically takes four to six months from that initial conversation to consideration at a board meeting, so build this timing into your plans.
- It does not fund endowments or a private foundation, so applicants seeking support for either of these should not apply.
Overview
Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Royal Oak, MI.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation supports people, organisations and institutions working towards a flourishing, healthy and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem, including community leadership, public policy, watershed health, climate resilience and environmental justice. In arts and culture, it strengthens the organisational health of theatres, symphonies, museums and other arts organisations, alongside Detroit’s jazz culture, mentorship and future audiences. It promotes sustainable business growth among entrepreneurs and small businesses, including access to capital and technical assistance, and supports a strong democracy, voter engagement and fair election administration. It also invests in targeted Alzheimer’s research. Its approach emphasises partnership, capacity-building, inclusion and resilient organisations. Arts and jazz grants focus on organisations based in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties; other programme areas focus on Southeast Michigan or the Great Lakes basin.
Themes
- Great Lakes ecosystem
- Arts organisation resilience
- Jazz education
- Sustainable business
- Democracy
- Alzheimer's research
- Environmental justice
Geographic Focus
Oakland; Macomb; Wayne; the Great Lakes basin. Priority: Southeast Michigan.
What They Don't Fund
- Endowments
- A private foundation
How to apply
For the general grants process, applicants should begin with a conversation with the programme team via Contact Us. Requests typically take four to six months from that initial conversation to consideration at a board meeting.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 403 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: <1%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 11% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 122 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Henry Ford · Program support$2,600,0002024 tax year
- National Wildlife Federation · Program support$1,300,0002024 tax year
- Detroit Public Media · Program support$1,125,0002024 tax year
- Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces · Program support$1,000,0002024 tax year
- University of Michigan · Program support$893,2302024 tax year
- Alzheimer's Association · Program support$655,0002024 tax year
- Foundation for Detroit's Future · Program support$500,0002024 tax year
- Huron River Watershed Council · Program support$455,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Mary Lyons-Richards — Vice President Of Administration
- Tara Tuomaala — Vice President Of Programs
- Rhonda D Welburn — Trustee
- Lawrence Garcia — Trustee
- Douglas Ebert — Trustee
- Leslie Erb Liedtke — Trustee
- Deborah D Erb — Trustee
- Melissa Damaschke — President
- John M Erb — Chair And CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $25,505,821 | $16,104,770 | $342,348,054 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $21,861,682 | $17,696,127 | $363,118,936 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $21,026,277 | $17,307,015 | $377,403,069 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (248) 498-2510
- Royal Oak, MI
- erbff.org
Applying to Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (248) 498-2510
- Royal Oak, MI
- erbff.org