Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $9,085,920 (2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 3 board meetings annually (applications due March 1, July 1, October 1)
Grant Range: $10,000 - $3,000,000 (based on documented grants)
Geographic Focus: Michigan and Ohio (primarily Midland, MI and Cleveland, OH)

Contact Details

Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation
P.O. Box 1945
Midland, MI 48641-1945

Website: https://www.gerstackerfoundation.org/

Grants Administrator: Ruth Ann Wright
Email: wright@gerstackerfoundation.org
Phone: 989-631-6097

Overview

The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation was established in 1957 by Mrs. Eda U. Gerstacker in memory of her husband, Rollin M. Gerstacker. Over its 67-year history, the foundation has distributed more than $300 million to charities across Michigan and Ohio. The foundation's assets were significantly enhanced through inheritance from Eda's twin sister Elsa U. Pardee and investment in Dow Chemical Company, where Eda's son Carl Gerstacker served as board chairman for 17 years. Carl later donated most of his wealth to the foundation upon his death in 1995. The foundation is the second-largest charitable funding organization based in Midland, Michigan, with a mission to "carry on, indefinitely, financial aid to charities of all types" supported by Mr. and Mrs. Gerstacker during their lifetimes. The foundation emphasizes projects that have a strong, positive impact on communities and broadly affect many people.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a general grantmaking program with applications accepted through their online portal. The foundation made 189 awards in 2022, demonstrating their capacity to support a substantial number of organizations annually. Recent examples of grants include:

$2,000,000 to University of Michigan College of Engineering (endowed professorship)
$3,000,000 total to MidMichigan Health (construction of Harlow Building - historical)
$10,000 to Eversight (donor family support program, 2024)

Priority Areas

The foundation supports 12 major granting areas:

Midland's Downtown & Riverfront - Urban revitalization projects including public spaces and recreational facilities (such as the Tridge pedestrian bridge)
Affordable Housing - Senior citizen housing and related affordable housing initiatives (first major project was quality senior housing for Midland's elderly)
Family Services - Organizations addressing family unity, violence prevention, disabilities, and substance abuse
Local Schools (K-12) - Education projects and infrastructure improvements in Midland and other communities
Higher Education - Support for more than 30 public and private colleges, including historically Black institutions
Faith-Based Initiatives - Programs that benefit communities and youth (not affiliated with specific religions)
Youth Activities - Leadership development and intervention programs for at-risk youth (including programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Michigan 4-H Foundation, The ROCK Youth Center)
Health Care & Advanced Research - Direct care services and nonprofit research organizations (including MidMichigan Health, Neighborhood Clinic, Alzheimer's Association, National Parkinson Foundation)
Environment & Conservation - Educational programs and land preservation initiatives (The Nature Conservancy)
Arts & Culture - Cultural enrichment and creative programming (Midland Center for the Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Tridge Summer Concerts)
Public Service - Support for law enforcement, firefighting, and community safety
Public Policy Initiatives - Nonpartisan think tanks and policy research organizations

Geographic Focus

These charities are concentrated in the states of Michigan and Ohio. Most grants are awarded in Midland, Michigan, and Midland County, but also throughout greater Michigan. In Ohio, most grants go to groups in Cleveland – the hometown of Rollin and Eda Gerstacker. The foundation also considers communities where Dow Chemical has major operations.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's public materials do not explicitly state exclusions. However, organizations must qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as other than a private foundation.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Laurie G. Bouwman, Chairperson - Fourth generation of the Gerstacker family to assume a leadership position
Lisa J. Gerstacker, President & Chief Executive Officer
Bill Schuette, Executive Vice President & Assistant Treasurer
Thomas L. Ludington, Secretary
William C. Lauderbach, Treasurer

Board of Trustees

The foundation is administered by a twelve-member board of trustees, which traditionally includes members of the Gerstacker family and executives from Dow Chemical. Current trustees include:

Gail Lanphear
William S. Stavropoulos
Howard I. Ungerleider
Katharine R. Rice
William G. Schuette
Amanda Bouwman
J.W. Fisher
Heidi Schuette Sherry

Administrative Staff

Ruth Ann Wright, Grants Administrator
Shelly Caufield, Staff Assistant

Leadership Philosophy

Carl Gerstacker, Eda's son and former board chairman, emphasized the importance of community involvement: "unless the whole community involves themselves in giving, they won't become a part of it." This philosophy has guided the foundation's use of challenge grants to encourage broad community participation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically through the foundation's online portal at gerstackerfoundation.org. The foundation transitioned to a new Blackbaud Grantmaking application portal starting July 7, 2025, which makes the application process easier and allows a single account to manage applications. Previous application history does not transfer to the new portal, so applicants will need to create a new Blackbaud ID.

Application Requirements:

Organization details and contact information
Project name, purpose, and detailed description
Complete budget breakdown with financial statements
Expected community impact and timeline
Evidence of local financial and personnel support
Sustainability plan for the project
Project team credentials and track record
Funding amount and disbursement timeline
Proof of 501(c)(3) documentation

Application Deadlines:

Applications should arrive prior to:

March 1
July 1
October 1

Decision Timeline

The Foundation Board meets three times annually to make final grant decisions, corresponding to the three application deadlines. As part of the grant review process, trustees may request additional information or conduct site visits to the requesting organization. Specific notification timelines are not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

The foundation made 189 awards in 2022, 108 awards in 2021, and 170 awards in 2020, showing significant variation in annual grant activity. Success rates and total application numbers are not publicly disclosed. For specific information about competitiveness, contact the Grants Administrator.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation's reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly documented. Contact the Grants Administrator for guidance on reapplication eligibility and timing.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Grant applicants must demonstrate initiative, commitment, accountability and the ability to sustain their project long term, through personal and local involvement. The foundation specifically prefers to support projects that have a strong, positive impact on communities and that broadly affect many people.

Community Engagement & Challenge Grants

The foundation frequently uses challenge grants that require community matching funds. This approach reflects Carl Gerstacker's philosophy that community involvement is essential for project ownership and success. For example, when funding the Tridge pedestrian bridge, "the community raised the matching money and children carried in hundreds of bags of pennies."

Evidence of Broad Support

Applications should demonstrate evidence of local financial and personnel support, showing that the project has buy-in from the broader community beyond the applicant organization.

Sustainability Planning

Include a clear sustainability plan demonstrating how the project will continue beyond the grant period, as the foundation values long-term community impact.

Project Team Credentials

Provide information about the project team's credentials and track record to demonstrate capacity to successfully execute the proposed work.

Geographic Alignment

While the foundation has broad geographic reach across Michigan and Ohio, organizations in Midland, Michigan, Midland County, Cleveland, Ohio, and communities with major Dow Chemical operations receive priority consideration.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Community impact is paramount - The foundation prioritizes projects that broadly affect many people and have a strong, positive community impact
Demonstrate local support - Evidence of community buy-in, including matching funds or volunteer involvement, significantly strengthens applications
Geographic fit matters - Focus areas are Michigan and Ohio, particularly Midland and Cleveland; alignment with these geographies is important
Plan for sustainability - Show how the project will continue long-term, not just during the grant period
Three chances per year - With deadlines in March, July, and October, applicants have multiple opportunities to apply annually
Challenge grant potential - The foundation has a history of using challenge grants to encourage community participation; consider proposing matching fund arrangements
Broad mission enables flexibility - Supporting "charities of all types" means the foundation can consider diverse projects across their 12 priority areas

References

Accessed December 22, 2025