Meijer Foundation

The Meijer Foundation (EIN 36-5091795) is a newly constituted private grantmaking foundation that received its federal 501(c)(3) designation in October 2024. With $194,957,436 in total assets as of its first fiscal year, it represents a major reconsolidation of the Meijer family's three-decade philanthropic tradition. The foundation is governed by three family trustees — Hendrik G. Meijer, Douglas F. Meijer, and Mark D. Meijer, representing the second and third generation of the family behind one of the Midwest's largest regional grocery and general merchandise chains — alongside professional leadership: Beth Snyder (Executive Director, compensated $170,795), David Hooker (President, $27,820), and Hilary Roelofs (Treasurer/Secretary). All carried over directly from the predecessor entity, ensuring strategic and philosophical continuity.

The foundation operates as a relationship-driven, invitation-preferred funder. Its application instructions are formally listed as "none" in IRS records, and no public grants portal, open solicitation cycle, or published RFP process exists. This is consistent with the predecessor foundation's decades-long operating style: grants flowed to long-term institutional partners in Grand Rapids and West Michigan, with relationships often spanning multiple funding cycles. The Grand Rapids Art Museum, West Michigan Horticultural Society, and Blandford Nature Center are exemplar grantees — civic institutions with deep community roots and multi-year giving histories with the Meijer family.

For first-time applicants, the most viable pathway involves building familiarity before any formal ask. Connecting with foundation leadership through Grand Rapids civic organizations — particularly the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, or Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce — establishes credibility and shared context. Direct outreach to the foundation office at (616) 888-3360 is appropriate for an introductory conversation; the goal is to identify whether your organization's mission fits current priorities before investing in proposal development.

Because the new foundation is in an early operational phase with no publicly reported grants as of early 2026, now is a strategically important window. The trustees and executive director are likely assessing the restructured entity's grantmaking strategy, which means their priorities are not yet rigid. Organizations that engage early — with a concise, relationship-driven introduction and a compelling alignment narrative — may benefit from shaping how the foundation thinks about their issue area. Proposals that reference the Meijer family legacy values (community stewardship, horticultural excellence, arts accessibility, West Michigan quality of life) and demonstrate measurable local impact are most likely to advance.

The Meijer Foundation (EIN 36-5091795) was established in October 2024 and reports $194,957,436 in total assets with $495,943 in revenue during its inaugural partial fiscal year. No grant disbursements have been publicly reported from this new entity as of early 2026, as the foundation appears to be in a strategic transition period. The directly preceding entity — The Meijer Foundation (EIN 38-6575227, established 1991) — provides a detailed picture of likely giving patterns, since the same leadership team, family governance, and institutional values carry forward.

From the predecessor, grant awards in 2024 totaled approximately $1,644,598 across 28 grants (down from 92 grants in 2023), with average grant size falling to $59,000 (a 55% decline year-over-year). This contraction was structural — it coincides precisely with the asset transfer to the new entity. Historically, grants from the predecessor ranged from $1,000 to $11,000,000, with the large end reserved for transformative multi-year capital investments in flagship civic institutions.

Notable grants from the predecessor's final active year (2024) include: Foundation for the Carolinas ($250,000), West Michigan Horticultural Society ($117,000), Blandford Nature Center ($100,000), Ferris State University ($100,000), and Grand Rapids Art Museum ($75,000). This cluster — between $75,000 and $250,000 — represents the typical operating range for institutional partner grants, while smaller grants ($1,000–$25,000) funded discrete projects or community events.

Geographic distribution concentrated heavily on West Michigan (Grand Rapids metro), with secondary markets in North Carolina, Ohio, and select Southeast states. The $250,000 grant to Foundation for the Carolinas signals willingness to fund national intermediary organizations that amplify impact beyond Michigan.

Program area distribution from historical data suggests: arts and culture (~25%), education and higher learning (~20%), environmental and horticultural organizations (~20%), human services and social services (~20%), and community foundations and intermediaries (~15%). With $194.9 million in assets and the IRS-mandated 5% annual minimum payout requirement for private foundations, this restructured entity could distribute up to $9.75 million annually — roughly six times the predecessor's 2024 output — once its grantmaking strategy is fully activated. Grant seekers positioning now can expect the foundation to significantly ramp deployment by 2026-2027.

The Meijer Foundation sits in a cohort of mid-large private foundations with approximately $195 million in assets, all classified under NTEE T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking). The table below compares the Meijer Foundation against its four closest asset-equivalent peers identified in foundation databases:

The Meijer Foundation is distinctive among this peer cohort in two meaningful respects. First, it has an unusually well-documented philanthropic legacy — rooted in the founder's connection to West Michigan civic and horticultural institutions, with over 30 years of grant history through its predecessor — while most peers in this asset tier offer minimal public transparency about priorities or grantees. Second, its October 2024 restructuring positions it as an emerging funder with substantial capital freshly consolidated, whereas a peer like The Frist Foundation (established 1982, Nashville-based) operates as a mature institution with deeply established nonprofit relationships and limited entry points for new applicants. For grant seekers, the Meijer Foundation's early operational phase presents more accessible entry points than any long-established peer, provided applicants can demonstrate genuine West Michigan community alignment or thematic fit with the family's historic giving priorities.

The most consequential recent development is the foundation's establishment itself. The Meijer Foundation (EIN 36-5091795) received federal 501(c)(3) recognition in October 2024, representing a formal reconstitution of Meijer family philanthropy. The predecessor entity (EIN 38-6575227), active since August 1991, saw its assets decline from $172.7 million in 2023 to just $17,384 in FY2024 — confirming a large-scale asset transfer to this new structure. This reorganization consolidating ~$195 million is the most significant development in the Meijer family's philanthropic history in decades.

Leadership continuity is intact across entities. Beth Snyder continues as Executive Director (compensated $170,795 in the new entity's first year, compared to $35,035 from the predecessor during the transition period), and David Hooker continues as President ($27,820). Cara Jones served as Interim Executive Director during the transitional period before Snyder assumed the role. The three Meijer family trustees — Hendrik G., Douglas F., and Mark D. Meijer — serve as unpaid stewards of the foundation's mission.

On the corporate giving side (legally distinct from the foundation), Meijer Inc. marked its fifth anniversary of the Team Gives program in October 2024, directing $3 million to over 500 Midwest nonprofits through store-level employee decision-making. Approximately 30% of organizations selected in 2024 received their first-ever donation from Meijer. Since the program's 2021 launch, more than 1,500 nonprofits have been supported. No new program announcements or formal priority disclosures have been made publicly by the restructured foundation as of March 2026, consistent with an organization in early strategic planning mode.

Given that this foundation has no published application portal, open solicitation cycle, or formal guidelines, the following tips are derived from the Meijer family's philanthropic patterns, leadership structure, organizational context, and the predecessor foundation's documented grant history.

Prioritize relationship before proposal. The absence of any formal application process is not an oversight — it is a policy signal. The Meijer Foundation funds organizations it knows. Your first step is an introductory outreach, not a proposal document. Call (616) 888-3360 to request a brief conversation with Beth Snyder (Executive Director) or Hilary Roelofs (Treasurer/Secretary). Frame the call as a mission alignment exploration, not a funding request.

Use the Frederik Meijer Gardens connection. The foundation's origin story is the creation of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. Organizations that can credibly connect their work to that legacy — environmental stewardship, horticultural education, arts accessibility, or public green space — carry an inherent narrative alignment that resonates with family trustees.

Focus on West Michigan specificity. Even for organizations operating nationally or regionally, emphasize the Grand Rapids or Kent County impact component. Historical grants concentrated on West Michigan civic institutions. If your organization has Michigan operations, Michigan beneficiaries, or can frame a Michigan-specific initiative, lead with that framing.

Target the $75,000–$250,000 ask range for a first grant. Historical predecessor grants clustered in this band for institutional partners: Grand Rapids Art Museum ($75K), Ferris State University ($100K), West Michigan Horticultural Society ($117K), and Foundation for the Carolinas ($250K). A first-time request in this range signals organizational scale without overreaching. Reserve asks above $500,000 for multi-year capital proposals with an established relationship.

Timing matters. As a foundation established in October 2024 with no grants yet disbursed, Q2 2025 (April–June) and Q2 2026 (April–June) represent optimal first-outreach windows — before budget commitments are finalized for the year. Avoid the November–January holiday period for initial contact.

Align language with Meijer family values. Use language around community stewardship, intergenerational civic investment, West Michigan quality of life, and measurable local impact. Avoid heavy theoretical jargon; this foundation responds to concrete, community-grounded narratives rooted in place.