Bill and Bea Idema Foundation

• Bill and Bea Idema Foundation operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to succeed; some existing connection or introduction will be needed.
• Its funding has covered parks and a zoo, education, health care, music and the arts, and a camp, with purposes including project or programme support, a parks trail, school operations, operating support and capital improvements, so work in these areas fits best.
• Most grants to organisations fall between $50,000 and $1,250,000, with a median of $50,000, so a modest request is realistic, though the largest grant recorded was $3,500,000, showing occasional scope for bigger asks.
• With 76% of grant dollars going to organisations already funded in the previous two filings, the foundation looks relationship-led rather than open to many new applicants, so warming an introduction matters more than a strong unsolicited proposal.
• No geographic focus is stated, though its recorded grants have been in Michigan.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• John Ball Zoo · Project/program support
  $3,500,0002024 tax year
• Grand Action 20 · Project/program support
  $1,030,0002024 tax year
• Mary Free Bed Foundation · Project/program support
  $1,000,0002024 tax year
• Westminster Presbyterian Church for Camp Henry · Project/program support
  $200,0002024 tax year
• Our Hope Association · Project/program support
  $50,0002024 tax year
• Mackinac Center · Operating support
  $50,0002024 tax year
• American Heart Association · Project/program support
  $50,0002024 tax year
• Upcycle Bikes · Project/program support
  $50,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

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.