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Terence & Jennifer Adderley Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.6M
Grant Range
$75K - $1.0M

Terence & Jennifer Adderley Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,575,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable - invitation only
  • Decision Time: Not applicable - invitation only
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Michigan, with emphasis on Detroit metro area and northern Michigan
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: Detroit, MI

Note: The foundation does not publish contact information for funding inquiries as it operates on an invitation-only basis.

Overview

The Terence & Jennifer Adderley Foundation was established in 2018, the same year as the passing of Terence E. "Terry" Adderley, the former CEO (1989-2006) and Executive Chairman of Kelly Services, Inc., a Fortune 500 workforce solutions company. The foundation has experienced significant growth, with total assets increasing from $88,908 in 2019 to approximately $29.4 million in 2024. In 2023, the foundation distributed $1,575,000 through five grants. The foundation focuses on supporting Michigan-based organizations in the areas of arts and culture, environmental conservation, and community development. Terry Adderley was known throughout his career for his commitment to corporate social responsibility and served on numerous nonprofit boards in the Detroit area, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and Beaumont Health System. The foundation continues this legacy of supporting southeastern Michigan institutions and causes that were important to the Adderley family.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants through a trustee-directed process with no formal application program. Recent grants have ranged from $75,000 to $1,000,000, with a median grant size of approximately $150,000.

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation proactively identifies and selects grant recipients. It only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports:

  • Arts and Culture: Major support for arts institutions, particularly the Detroit Institute of Arts, including both operational support and endowment funding
  • Environmental Conservation: Significant land conservation efforts in northern Michigan
  • Community Development: Urban renewal and community foundation support in southeastern Michigan
  • Higher Education and Healthcare: Through board connections and founder's legacy interests

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

  1. Little Traverse Conservancy - $1,000,000 for general operating support (helped fund the acquisition of 56 acres and ¼ mile of shoreline on Little Traverse Bay, creating the Enji-minozhiiyaamigak preserve)
  2. Detroit Institute of Arts - $250,000 for endowment fund
  3. Detroit Institute of Arts - $150,000 for general operating support
  4. Urban Renewal Initiative Foundation (Schaap Center) - $100,000 for general operating support
  5. Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan - $75,000 for general operating support

What They Don't Fund

As the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, it effectively does not fund organizations outside its preselected network. Given the invitation-only model, organizations not already known to the trustees or within their networks of interest are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Jennifer G. Adderley - President and Treasurer (widow of foundation founder Terence Adderley)
  • Andrew H. Curoe - Secretary
  • Richard J. Kelly - Director (connection to Kelly Services, the Adderley family business)
  • Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. - Director

All board members serve without compensation.

About Eugene A. Gargaro Jr.

Eugene Gargaro Jr. brings significant philanthropic and civic leadership experience to the foundation. He served as Board Chair of the Detroit Institute of Arts from 2003 to 2023, a 20-year tenure during which he spearheaded a $160 million renovation of the museum, led the successful 2012 regional millage campaign, and navigated the museum through Detroit's bankruptcy in 2013-2014, securing the DIA's independent status. He is former vice president and corporate secretary of Masco Corporation and currently serves as legal counsel and president of the Manoogian Foundations. His extensive board service includes the Michigan Manufacturers Association, Citizens Research Council of Michigan, University Liggett School, and Georgetown University Board of Regents. He was named Crain's Detroit Business lifetime achievement award winner in 2013.

Gargaro's presence on the board reflects the foundation's strong connection to Detroit's arts and civic leadership communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Terence & Jennifer Adderley Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Unsolicited requests for funds are not accepted.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of directors, who identify and select organizations aligned with the foundation's interests and the legacy of Terence Adderley's civic involvement.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's trustees have deep roots in Detroit's philanthropic and civic leadership communities. Organizations that may come to the foundation's attention share these characteristics:

  • Connection to Detroit Institute of Arts ecosystem: Given Eugene Gargaro Jr.'s 20-year chairmanship of the DIA and the foundation's significant support for the museum, organizations connected to Detroit's arts community may be visible to the foundation's leadership.

  • Northern Michigan conservation networks: The foundation's $1 million grant to Little Traverse Conservancy suggests an interest in land preservation in northern Michigan. Organizations working in conservation in the Little Traverse Bay region may be of interest.

  • Southeast Michigan community foundations: The foundation's grant to the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan indicates a relationship with regional grantmaking infrastructure. Strong organizations in the community foundation's network may gain visibility.

  • Kelly Services corporate networks: Richard J. Kelly's presence on the board suggests continued ties to Kelly Services, where Terence Adderley spent his career. Organizations that have partnerships or relationships with Kelly Services or its leadership may have indirect connections.

  • Legacy board connections: Terence Adderley served on boards including Beaumont Health System, Business Leaders for Michigan, Citizens Research Council of Michigan, Detroit Country Day School, and Detroit Economic Club. Organizations within these networks may be known to the foundation.

Application Success Factors

As this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the foundation's grantmaking patterns, the following insights emerge:

Funding Preferences

Significant, Transformative Gifts: The foundation makes a small number of substantial grants rather than numerous small ones. In 2023, it made only five grants, with the largest being $1 million. This suggests the foundation seeks to make meaningful impact with concentrated support.

General Operating Support: Four of the five 2023 grants were explicitly for "general operating support," indicating the foundation trusts recipient organizations to deploy funds strategically rather than restricting gifts to specific projects.

Long-term Institutional Relationships: The repeat support for the Detroit Institute of Arts (two separate grants in 2023) demonstrates the foundation's commitment to sustained relationships with key institutions.

Capital and Endowment Support: The $250,000 gift to the DIA's endowment fund shows willingness to support long-term institutional sustainability, not just immediate operating needs.

Types of Organizations Funded

  • Established, well-governed institutions with strong track records
  • Organizations with which trustees have personal connection or board service
  • Institutions central to southeastern Michigan's civic infrastructure
  • Conservation organizations protecting natural resources in areas meaningful to the family
  • Arts and cultural institutions of regional or statewide significance

Connection to Founder's Legacy

The foundation's giving reflects Terence Adderley's lifetime civic commitments. Organizations that connect to causes he supported during his lifetime appear to be prioritized.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: Organizations cannot apply to this foundation. Grants are made entirely at trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

  • Large grants to few recipients: With only five grants totaling $1.575 million in 2023, this foundation concentrates its giving. The median grant was $150,000, indicating substantial support levels.

  • Michigan focus: All identified grants support Michigan organizations, with emphasis on Detroit metro area and northern Michigan (Little Traverse region).

  • Arts and conservation priorities: The two largest funding areas are cultural institutions (particularly DIA) and environmental conservation (Little Traverse Conservancy).

  • Trustee connections matter: With Eugene Gargaro Jr. (former DIA board chair) on the board, organizations connected to Detroit's arts and civic leadership networks may have visibility.

  • General operating support preferred: The foundation demonstrates trust in recipient organizations by providing flexible, unrestricted funding rather than project-specific grants.

  • Endowment and capital support available: The foundation supports both immediate needs (operating support) and long-term sustainability (endowment gifts).

References

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