River City Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Because the foundation gives only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, a small charity should not send it a cold application; the route in is an introduction or an existing link.
- The filings show repeat support, with 100% of grant dollars in the most recent filing going to organisations it had also funded in one of the two earlier filings, so the relationship is likely to matter more than the request itself.
- About 8 in 10 of its 29 grants to organisations fall between $16,000 and $505,000, with a median of about $72,000, so a modest request fits its typical grant, though its largest grant was about $1,000,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- The filings show grants mainly in Michigan but state no geographic focus, so the location of an organisation should be discussed with the foundation rather than assumed to decide eligibility.
Overview
River City Foundation is a US private foundation based in Dexter, MI.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Recorded grants have supported a varied group of charitable organisations. Recipient types include community foundations, a rehabilitation hospital foundation, a nature centre, hospice, housing and home-repair organisations, a zoo, a civic theatre, a camp, a therapeutic riding centre and a university medical college. The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The stated purposes include general support, comprehensive building projects and paediatric initiatives, as well as theatre and capital campaigns and an endowed medical scholarship. The filings show repeat support to several recipients, but do not state an overarching funding theme or criteria for selecting applicants.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Michigan.
How to apply
The foundation gives only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% 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 29 grants to organisations were about $72,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 35% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations River City Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 38% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 7 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $100k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Grand Rapids Community Foundation · Comprehensive building project$500,0042024 tax year
- Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation · Childrens rehab hospital and pediatric initiative program$300,0002024 tax year
- Blandford Nature Center · General support$200,0022024 tax year
- Hospice of Michigan · General support$100,0092024 tax year
- Habitat for Humanity of Kent County · General support$100,0002024 tax year
- John Ball Zoo · General support$100,0002024 tax year
- North Kent Connect · General support$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Heidi Betz — Vice President / Director
- Jeffrey D Kittendorf — Secretary / Treasurer
- Anne Kittendorf — President / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $259,720 | $227,021 | $7,542,116 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,065,238 | $2,852,743 | $35,207,121 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,687,375 | $1,350,015 | $38,160,449 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to River City Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Dexter, MI
Applying to River City Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Dexter, MI