The Wege Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 38-6124363 · since 1967wegefoundation.org·Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$21.7M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

Open to applications

A mix of rolling and fixed deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The foundation's grants fall under four pillars, Arts & Culture, Environment, Education, and Community Health & Wellbeing, so your project should clearly fit one of them.
Its regular guidance centres on Kent County and the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, while its Environmental pillar extends across Michigan, so check the filing before approaching it from elsewhere.
Eligible applicants include current 501(c)(3) public charities and church or school organisations with an equivalent determination, and the foundation does not fund capital campaign projects unless they are LEED certified.
Start a new application when a cycle opens, either January to February or August to September, and take the eligibility quiz first even if you have applied before.
Awards are based on alignment with its Values & Priorities, and staff may ask for a meeting or site visit after submission, but the filing does not state a grant range, so keep your request tied to what your project needs.

Overview

The Wege Foundation is a US private foundation based in Grand Rapids, 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 Wege Foundation’s grants fall under four pillars: Arts & Culture, Environment, Education, and Community Health & Wellbeing. Its mission is to develop leaders in economicology, health, education and arts, and enhance lives in West Michigan and around the world. Its regular grant guidance centres on projects serving Kent County and the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, while the Environmental pillar extends across Michigan. Eligible applicants include current 501(c)(3) public charities and church or school organisations with equivalent determination. Its cross-cutting values include diversity, equity and inclusion, civic engagement, environmental responsibility and organisational sustainability, alongside a commitment to helping under-resourced and marginalised people. It uses the pillar priorities as targets to guide review and remains flexible and strategically opportunistic.

Themes

Arts & Culture
Environment
Education
Community Health & Wellbeing

Geographic Focus

Kent County; Grand Rapids metropolitan area; Michigan.

What They Don't Fund

Capital campaign projects that are not LEED certified

How to apply

For standard grants, applicants begin a new application when the cycle opens and must first take the eligibility quiz, even if they have applied before.

Deadlines:

The first grant cycle runs from January to February.
The second grant cycle runs from August to September.

Application success factors

What the foundation says:

Grant awards are based on alignment with the Foundation’s Values & Priorities.
The Foundation uses its values and pillar priorities as targets to guide grant review.
A project with a capital campaign element must be LEED certified.
After submission, staff may contact applicants for a meeting or site visit.

Officers and directors

Diana Wege — Vice Chair, Trustee
Christopher Wege — Vice Chair, Trustee
Kathleen Furtado — Treasurer
Dale Rietberg — Secretary
James Logan — President, CEO
Mary Goodwillie Nelson — Vice Chair, Trustee
Jessica Mclear — Trustee
Juan Olivarez — Trustee
Laura Wege — Trustee
Christopher Carter — Trustee
Johanna Osman — Trustee
Jonathan M Wege — Chair, Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$25,806,217	$18,302,454	$331,403,098	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$24,184,532	$18,919,489	$336,225,363	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$27,474,316	$21,699,798	$355,565,874	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.