Charis Foundation Inc.

For grant seekers considering the Charis Foundation Inc., several strategic insights emerge from this analysis. This is not an open-application foundation — it explicitly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Any engagement strategy must therefore focus on relationship-building rather than direct application.

Organizations operating in the foundation's core geographies — Grand Rapids, Pontiac, and Kalamazoo in Michigan, or Chicago, Illinois — with programs in youth development, community development, or faith-based services are most aligned with its giving history. The foundation's giving pattern suggests deep, multi-year relationships with a small number of grantees. New City Kids and Dream Centers of Michigan have received grants across multiple years, indicating the foundation values sustained partnerships.

Given the family governance structure (Ruark and Saagman families), personal introductions through mutual contacts in Michigan's faith-based philanthropic community represent the most viable path to engagement. The foundation's support of organizations like New City Kids (youth leadership through performing arts) and Dream Centers of Michigan (poverty alleviation through education, housing, and economic empowerment) reveals a preference for holistic, community-transformation models with clear faith integration.

The foundation's financial complexity — including $16.6 million in assets and low current payout ratios — suggests its grantmaking capacity may be in transition. The rapid asset growth from $1 million to $16.6 million over six years indicates significant new resources, and charitable distributions may increase substantially in coming years to meet IRS minimum distribution requirements for private foundations (5% of net investment assets).

The Charis Foundation Inc. operates as a private family foundation in Plymouth, Michigan, with a distinctive grantmaking pattern characterized by highly selective, preselected charitable giving. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds, instead directing all contributions to organizations chosen by its board of family directors.

Between 2019 and 2024, the foundation has made approximately 11 grants ranging from $2,000 to $110,000, with a median grant size of approximately $25,000. Total giving in 2022 reached $133,000 across three awards, while 2024 saw a single $25,000 grant to Roots Montessori in Miami, Florida. The foundation's grantmaking spans four primary focus areas: human services and community development (Dream Centers of Michigan in Pontiac, receiving between $3,000 and $45,000 across multiple years), youth development (New City Kids in Grand Rapids, receiving between $26,000 and $110,000), faith-based international relief (Woliso Kale Heywet Church in Chicago, $20,000), and education (Hesed Community Church in Kalamazoo, $2,000; Roots Montessori in Miami, $25,000).

The geographic distribution reveals a strong Michigan concentration (Grand Rapids, Pontiac, Kalamazoo) with secondary giving in Illinois (Chicago) and Florida (Miami). The foundation maintains a related entity, Charis Foundation II (EIN 20-1901084), also based in Plymouth, suggesting a coordinated family philanthropy structure. Grant sizes have fluctuated significantly year to year, with the foundation's largest single award ($110,000 to New City Kids) representing a major commitment relative to typical annual giving levels.

Financially, the foundation presents an unusual profile. As of 2024, it reports total assets of $16,616,046 but carries total liabilities of $19,703,458, resulting in a negative net asset position of -$3,087,412. Revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $1,299,644, primarily from "other income" rather than contributions. Total expenses were $765,621, of which officer compensation ($150,000 to President Janice Ruark) represents 19.6%. Charitable disbursements of $25,000 in 2024 represent only 3.3% of total expenses. The foundation's asset trajectory shows dramatic growth from $1,001,306 in 2018 to $16,616,046 in 2024, though charitable distributions have not scaled proportionally.

The Charis Foundation occupies an unusual position among Michigan family foundations. Despite holding $16.6 million in assets — placing it between the smaller Nagy Family Foundation and the larger Young Family and Ravitz Foundations — its annual charitable distributions are dramatically lower than peers. The Young Family Foundation, with roughly half the assets, distributes nearly 40 times more annually. The Ravitz Foundation, while larger, distributes proportionally more as well. This disparity likely reflects the Charis Foundation's recent rapid asset growth and may indicate a transition period before grantmaking scales to match its asset base. Unlike the Young Family Foundation, which accepts proposals, the Charis Foundation's closed application policy limits accessibility for prospective grantees.

The Charis Foundation's most recent IRS filing (2024) reveals a foundation in a period of financial transition. Total assets reached $16.6 million, up dramatically from $4.1 million in 2019 and $1 million in 2018. However, grantmaking contracted sharply: only one grant of $25,000 was awarded in 2024 (to Roots Montessori in Miami, Florida), down from three grants totaling $133,000 in 2022.

The 2024 filing shows revenue of $1,299,644 against expenses of $765,621, with most revenue classified as "other income" rather than charitable contributions. President Janice Ruark received $150,000 in compensation, the only compensated officer among the six-member board. The foundation's negative net asset position (-$3,087,412) is notable and unusual for a private foundation, suggesting liabilities that may relate to loans, inter-entity obligations, or pledges receivable.

Recent grant recipients reflect the foundation's core interests: New City Kids (Grand Rapids, MI) received the largest recent awards ($110,000 and $26,000 in consecutive years) for youth leadership development through performing arts. Dream Centers of Michigan (Pontiac, MI) received multiple grants ($45,000 and $3,000) supporting poverty alleviation through education, housing, and economic empowerment programs. The 2024 pivot to funding Roots Montessori in Miami represents a geographic expansion and a new interest in early childhood education.

The foundation's IRS classification under International, Foreign Affairs and National Security / International Relief reflects its historical support of organizations like Woliso Kale Heywet Church, though recent giving has been predominantly domestic. All Form 990-PF filings from 2015 through 2024 are publicly available through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.

Given the Charis Foundation's closed application policy, traditional application strategies do not apply. Instead, prospective grantees should consider the following approaches:

1. Network through Michigan faith-based communities: The foundation's grantees share connections to faith-based community development networks. Organizations should seek introductions through shared denominational networks, community development coalitions, or youth ministry networks in western Michigan.

2. Demonstrate holistic community impact: The foundation's grantees — New City Kids (arts-based youth leadership), Dream Centers of Michigan (education, housing, economic empowerment), and Woliso Kale Heywet Church (international faith-based support) — all share a common thread of comprehensive community transformation rather than single-issue programming.

3. Build visibility in foundation geographies: Organizations based in or serving Grand Rapids, Pontiac, Kalamazoo, or Chicago are most likely to align with the foundation's geographic interests. The 2024 grant to Roots Montessori in Miami suggests potential geographic expansion, but Michigan remains the primary focus.

4. Be prepared for multi-year engagement: The foundation's pattern of repeated grants to the same organizations (New City Kids and Dream Centers of Michigan received grants across multiple consecutive years) suggests it prefers to deepen existing relationships. Initial grants may be modest ($2,000-$3,000) with potential for significant scaling ($110,000) as trust develops.

5. Monitor for increased grantmaking: With $16.6 million in assets and only $25,000 in 2024 distributions, the foundation may need to substantially increase its grantmaking to satisfy IRS private foundation payout requirements. This could create openings for new grantee relationships in coming years.