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A Alfred Taubman Foundation

Annual Giving
$5.8M
Grant Range
$25K - $3.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,755,400 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $186.8 million
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $3,000,000+
  • Average Grant: $63,246 (median: $25,000)
  • Geographic Focus: National (primarily Michigan, with grants across multiple states)
  • Number of Grants: 90 grants awarded in 2023

Contact Details

Address: Bloomfield Hills, MI

Note: The foundation has issued warnings about scam communications falsely claiming to be from the foundation. Legitimate communications from the foundation will never solicit donations or request personal information in exchange for funding.

Overview

The A Alfred Taubman Foundation was established in 2009 as the successor to the A. Alfred Taubman Foundation, which was founded in 1979. Named after the late A. Alfred Taubman (1924-2015), a pioneering shopping mall developer and philanthropist, the foundation continues his legacy of giving across multiple sectors. With assets of approximately $186.8 million and annual giving exceeding $5.7 million, the foundation operates as a private family foundation led by Taubman's three children. The foundation honors the values and institutions that were important to Alfred Taubman, including Jewish causes, education, medical research, arts and culture, and community development. The foundation gave approximately $3-4 million annually following Taubman's death, with giving increasing to over $5.7 million by 2023.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to organizations aligned with the founder's philanthropic interests.

Grant Size Range:

  • Median grant: $25,000
  • Average grant: $63,246
  • Large institutional grants: $1.5 million - $3 million+
  • Total giving has ranged from $3-8 million annually in recent years

Priority Areas

Jewish Causes and Community

  • Jewish Federation campaigns
  • Jewish educational and cultural institutions
  • Synagogues and Jewish community organizations
  • Jewish civilization and heritage programs

Higher Education

  • University infrastructure and capital projects
  • Academic centers and research institutes
  • Student experiential learning programs
  • Architecture, engineering, and design education
  • Medical education and research

Medical Research

  • The A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute at University of Michigan
  • High-risk, high-reward medical research
  • Clinical trials and therapeutic development
  • Medical infrastructure and facilities

Arts and Culture

  • Art museums and galleries
  • Design education
  • Cultural institutions in Michigan
  • Visual arts programming

Human Services

  • Organizations serving Detroit and Michigan communities
  • Education and human service nonprofits

Geographic Focus

While based in Michigan with a strong focus on Detroit-area organizations, the foundation has made grants across multiple states including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia.

Notable Recent Grants

  • Georgetown University (2024): $3 million to expand the Center for Jewish Civilization, including $1.5 million for the Director's Leadership Fund and $1.5 million for the Taubman Family Fund for Student Experiential Learning
  • Detroit Institute of Arts: Historical major gift of $50 million (2001, joint gift)
  • University of Michigan: Multiple gifts totaling over $142 million historically, including $100 million for the Taubman Medical Research Institute (2007) and $30 million for the College of Architecture
  • College for Creative Studies: $15 million for the Taubman Center for Design Education (2009)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by A. Alfred Taubman's three children, who serve as trustees without compensation:

Gayle Taubman Kalisman - President Leads the foundation and continues her father's commitment to Jewish causes, education, and community development.

Robert S. Taubman - Treasurer Also serves as chairman of Taubman Centers, Inc., continuing the family's real estate business.

William S. Taubman - Vice President Round out the family leadership of the foundation.

The trustees maintain their father's philanthropic vision while directing grants to institutions and causes that were meaningful to him, including those bearing his name and legacy.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation's 990 tax filings explicitly state: "Only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion to organizations selected by the board. The foundation appears to focus on:

  • Institutions with existing relationships to the Taubman family
  • Organizations previously supported by A. Alfred Taubman during his lifetime
  • Jewish community organizations and causes
  • Educational and cultural institutions in Michigan and nationally
  • Organizations where the foundation has made legacy commitments

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Decisions are made at the discretion of the board of trustees on their own timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received support share these characteristics:

Legacy Connections

  • Organizations previously supported by A. Alfred Taubman during his lifetime
  • Institutions bearing the Taubman name
  • Organizations aligned with his documented philanthropic interests

Focus Area Alignment The foundation prioritizes organizations in these areas, reflecting A. Alfred Taubman's personal values:

  • Jewish community and heritage
  • Higher education, particularly architecture, design, and medical research
  • Arts and culture, especially visual arts and museums
  • Michigan-based community organizations
  • Medical research with breakthrough potential

Geographic Considerations

  • Strong preference for Michigan-based organizations, particularly in the Detroit area
  • National reach for major educational and Jewish institutions
  • Organizations in areas where the Taubman family has personal or business connections

Institutional Stability and Impact Past grants indicate support for:

  • Major institutions with established track records
  • Capital campaigns and infrastructure projects
  • Programs with long-term sustainability
  • Initiatives with measurable community impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications
  • Legacy-driven giving: Priority goes to institutions and causes that were important to A. Alfred Taubman during his lifetime
  • Focus on major institutions: Recent grants show support for established universities, medical research centers, cultural institutions, and Jewish organizations
  • Michigan connection matters: While the foundation gives nationally, there is a strong preference for Michigan-based organizations, particularly in the Detroit metropolitan area
  • Family foundation: Led by Taubman's children who continue their father's philanthropic vision through organizations bearing his name and causes he championed
  • Large-scale commitments: The foundation makes both substantial multi-million dollar grants to major institutions and smaller grants in the $25,000-$100,000 range
  • Jewish philanthropy priority: Support for Jewish Federation campaigns, Jewish educational institutions, and Jewish cultural programs is a consistent priority

References

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