Christ Cares For Kids Foundation

Christ Cares for Kids Foundation is a family-controlled private foundation founded in 2000 by Ray and Linda Dornbusch in northwest Michigan. Ray's passing on September 14, 2023 marked a generational transition, with Linda Dornbusch now serving as President supported by Brandon Dornbusch (Secretary) and Krista Tsai (Treasurer) — all uncompensated volunteers. This is a family grantmaking operation in the truest sense: no professional staff, no application portal, no published grant cycle.

The foundation operates on a deep-relationship model, not a responsive grant model. Their website states explicitly: "We are not accepting additional non-profit partnership inquiries at this time." This is not a temporary pause — it reflects a deliberate philosophy of sustained, personal investment in a curated portfolio of roughly 17 organizations. The foundation's own language is revealing: "Our hearts follow our dollars and grow in zealousness for the Lord's work and His heart in the non-profits that we partner with." Grants flow from relationship, not from applications.

For applicants considering a long-term cultivation strategy, the entry criteria are clear: organizations must operate explicitly within a Christian framework and serve children, families, or vulnerable populations. The foundation prioritizes "ministries that not only meet basic needs like shelter and food but also have a relational component and case management services" — ruling out purely transactional programs or secular organizations. An evangelical Protestant orientation is evident from the grantee list: Moody Bible Institute, International House of Prayer, Bethany Christian Services, and Lake Ann Baptist Camp all reflect a specific theological family.

The typical relationship progression is not LOI-to-proposal in the conventional sense. It is community-to-relationship-to-gift. Top grantees like Hope College ($2.95M across 3 grants), International Justice Mission ($1.25M across 4 grants), and Traverse City Christian School ($1.55M across 4 grants) were almost certainly known to the Dornbusch family personally before the first dollar was given. First-time applicants should not expect a grant offer in year one of any relationship — realistic timelines run 2-4 years of cultivation before an initial gift in the $25,000-$75,000 range.

Christ Cares for Kids Foundation has distributed approximately $17.4M across 84 recorded grants, with an average grant of $207,311 and a median of $57,000. The range is wide — from $5,000 (Fresh Wind) to $2,000,000 (New Reality International) — indicating the foundation deploys both modest operational support and transformative capital gifts within the same portfolio.

Annual giving fluctuates significantly with investment returns from the foundation's $43.3M endowment (FY2023). Peak giving reached $7.2M in FY2021, when net investment income hit $9.5M. In FY2023, giving settled to $2.67M against $4.28M in investment income — roughly a 62% payout rate on annual returns. The pattern: FY2014 ($1.65M) → FY2018 ($2.1M) → FY2019 ($2.86M) → FY2020 ($5.2M) → FY2021 ($7.2M) → FY2022 ($3.92M) → FY2023 ($2.67M). The foundation does not target a fixed 5% payout on assets; it distributes a variable share of annual returns, making grant timing somewhat market-dependent.

Grant concentration is high. The top 5 grantees account for $9.1M — 52% of all recorded giving: Hope College ($2.95M), Big Life ($2.08M), New Reality International ($2.0M), Traverse City Christian School ($1.55M), and International House of Prayer ($1.51M). Fourteen organizations have received 3 or more grants, confirming that multi-year general operating support is the dominant model.

By program area: Anti-trafficking and international justice (International Justice Mission, Big Life, New Reality International) accounts for roughly 30% of recorded giving. Christian education (Hope College, Traverse City Christian School, Bellevue Christian School, Lake Ann Camp) represents ~25%. Church and faith formation (New Hope Community Church, International House of Prayer, Friends of the Bridegroom) contributes ~20%. Human services (Single Moms Ministry, Father Fred Foundation, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill Industries) covers the remaining ~25%.

Geographic breakdown: Michigan receives 56 of 84 recorded grants (67%), concentrated in northwest Michigan near the Traverse City area. Washington state has only 1 recorded grant, though the partnerships page now features multiple Pacific Northwest organizations, suggesting this will shift in future 990 filings.

The following table compares Christ Cares for Kids Foundation to its NTEE-matched peers (T22 — Private Grantmaking Foundations) at a similar asset tier:

NTEE-matched peers are substantially larger by asset base ($235-239M versus $43.3M), reflecting that Christ Cares for Kids operates at a more focused, family-scale level. Unlike larger peers that may employ professional staff and structured application portals, Christ Cares for Kids runs entirely on volunteer family leadership with zero officer compensation. Its Christian faith-based focus, Michigan-heavy geographic orientation, and relational model of grantmaking distinguish it sharply from broader grantmakers in the Philanthropy & Grantmaking category. For organizations working specifically in evangelical Christian education, anti-human trafficking, and family services in Michigan or the Pacific Northwest, this foundation's giving density within those niches is unmatched by any similarly sized peer in its NTEE classification.

The defining recent event is the September 14, 2023 passing of Raymond Dornbusch, the foundation's co-founder and longtime President. IRS filings list him as "Raymond Dornbusch Dec'D 91423" under the Past President title, confirming the date. Linda Dornbusch has assumed the presidency with Brandon Dornbusch serving as Secretary — a clear family succession plan that had likely been in place.

This leadership transition correlates directly with observable changes in grantmaking: grants paid dropped from $3.88M (FY2022) to $2.67M (FY2023), and the foundation formally closed its portfolio to new inquiries as stated on its website in early 2026. The foundation appears to be in a deliberate consolidation phase, focusing resources on sustaining existing partner relationships rather than expanding the portfolio.

No press releases, award announcements, new program launches, or public-facing communications from the foundation were identified for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains an extremely low public profile consistent with its private, family-run model. No social media accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X) were identified in web research.

The foundation's endowment stabilized from a negative-return year in FY2022 (-$956K total revenue) to $4.28M net investment income in FY2023, suggesting the $43.3M endowment is positioned to support giving levels of $2.5M-$4M annually going forward, market conditions permitting.

Christ Cares for Kids Foundation is strictly invitation-only with no open application process. The guidance below is for organizations willing to invest in a long-term relationship strategy — understanding this may take 3-5 years, with no guarantee of success.

Verify theological alignment first. Every grantee in the foundation's portfolio operates explicitly within a Christian faith framework. The foundation's language around "the love of Jesus Christ," "the Lord's work," and "faith nurturing" signals a specifically evangelical Protestant orientation. Benchmark your organization against current partners: Moody Bible Institute, International House of Prayer, Bethany Christian Services, and Lake Ann Baptist Camp. If your organization is secular, interfaith, or merely faith-friendly, this funder is not a fit.

Prioritize Michigan or Pacific Northwest geographies. Michigan receives 67% of historical grants by count. Northwest Michigan (Traverse City, Grand Traverse area) has the deepest concentration. The Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Issaquah area) is an emerging priority as the family's base has shifted to Issaquah, WA. Organizations in Colorado, Texas, Florida, or DC have received grants, but only for well-established organizations (International Justice Mission, Salvation Army) with national reach.

Pursue a warm introduction, not a cold proposal. The only viable entry into this portfolio is a personal referral from one of the ~17 current partner organizations. Contact the development leadership at International Justice Mission, Samaritan's Purse, Bethany Christian Services, Young Life, or other current partners and identify whether mutual board connections or peer relationships exist.

Frame your work around relational ministry. The foundation's stated preference is for organizations that combine basic needs delivery with "a relational component and case management services." Programs that are purely transactional — one-time food distribution without follow-up — will not resonate. Document your case management model, relationship-based outcomes, and long-term client engagement.

Time outreach carefully. The foundation is in post-founder consolidation (2023-2026). Attempting to open a conversation before 2026 or 2027 — before the Dornbusch family's new leadership rhythm is established — is unlikely to succeed. Monitor annual 990 filings (ProPublica, EIN 38-3505507) for signals that the portfolio is evolving.