Van Kampen Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Van Kampen Foundation is an operating foundation established by Robert D. Van Kampen, the late financier who founded Van Kampen Merritt investment banking in 1974. Unlike typical grantmaking foundations, the Van Kampen Foundation functions primarily as a direct charitable activity organization, focused on maintaining and displaying one of the largest private collections of rare and antique Bibles and religious manuscripts in North America — the Van Kampen Collection.

The foundation was originally based in Geneva, Illinois, and later Grand Haven, Michigan, where Van Kampen built an underground, climate-controlled scriptorium. After his death in 1999, his widow Judith Van Kampen and son-in-law Scott Pierre relocated the foundation to Central Florida. The collection was loaned to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando from 2002 until it was returned to the foundation's care.

Because this is an operating foundation rather than a traditional grantmaking foundation, direct engagement should focus on partnership opportunities related to biblical scholarship, manuscript preservation, or exhibition collaboration rather than standard grant applications.

## Funding Patterns

The Van Kampen Foundation operates differently from traditional grantmaking foundations. Its $13.8M in assets primarily represents the value of its Bible manuscript collection rather than an investment corpus generating grant dollars.

Key Financial Data (2024): - Total Assets: $13.8M - Contributions Received: $100,000 - Direct Charitable Expenses: $195,030 - External Grants Listed: None

The foundation's expenditures go toward "Library and Resource Organization/Administration — expenses incurred for the organization, compilation and restoration of materials within the research center." Historically, the foundation contributed approximately $4.5 million to Zion's Hope ministry and $700,000 to build the Orlando Scriptorium, but current operations focus on internal collection management.

The foundation maintains zero officer compensation and zero liabilities, with all board members serving on a voluntary basis. Annual spending has remained modest relative to assets, reflecting the collection-preservation nature of the organization.

## Peer Comparison

As an operating foundation focused on collection preservation, the Van Kampen Foundation is unusual among Florida-based foundations of similar asset size. Most peers are traditional grantmaking foundations.

The Van Kampen Foundation's annual charitable spending of $195K (1.4% of assets) is well below the typical 5%+ payout rate of peer foundations, reflecting its operating nature — the bulk of its asset value is tied up in physical collection items rather than investable capital. This structure is more comparable to a private museum or library than a traditional foundation.

## Recent Activity

The Van Kampen Foundation's most recent filing (2024) shows continued focus on collection management with $195,030 in direct charitable expenses. The foundation received $100,000 in contributions, resulting in a modest net drawdown of assets.

A significant development in recent years has been the return of the Van Kampen Collection from the Holy Land Experience in Orlando. The collection, which had been on loan to the theme park since 2002, is now back in the foundation's direct care. The Holy Land Experience itself underwent major operational changes and reduced its programming significantly.

The foundation's board includes Judith Van Kampen (Director and widow of founder Robert Van Kampen), Scott R. Pierre (Executive Director and son-in-law), Dean H. Tisch (Secretary), and Kristen Wisen (Director). Leadership has remained stable, and the foundation continues to operate from Winter Garden, Florida.

The foundation's listed website (vankampenfoundation.org) actually redirects to the Van Kampen Boyer Molinari Foundation, a separate entity associated with the broader Van Kampen family but focused on Michigan and Florida nonprofits rather than biblical manuscripts.

## Application Tips

Important: The Van Kampen Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation operates as a direct charitable activity organization focused on its Bible manuscript collection, not as a traditional grantmaker.

However, organizations that work in related fields may find partnership opportunities:

1. Academic Collaboration: Scholars studying biblical manuscripts, early Christian texts, or religious antiquities may be able to arrange research access to the Van Kampen Collection. Contact the foundation directly through its Winter Garden, FL offices.

2. Exhibition Partnerships: Museums or cultural institutions interested in displaying portions of the collection could explore loan or exhibition partnership arrangements. The collection has previously been exhibited at the Scriptorium in Grand Haven, MI, and the Holy Land Experience in Orlando.

3. Preservation Expertise: Organizations specializing in manuscript conservation and restoration may find contract or partnership opportunities, as the foundation's primary expense is the organization, compilation, and restoration of collection materials.

4. Distinguish from VKBM Foundation: The Van Kampen Boyer Molinari Foundation (vankampenfoundation.org) is a separate entity that does support nonprofits in Michigan and Florida focused on family welfare, arts, and equestrianism. Organizations seeking grants from the Van Kampen family should contact the VKBM Foundation at vkbmfoundation@yahoo.com.

5. Religious Education: Organizations focused on Christian education that could incorporate the Van Kampen Collection into their programming may align with the foundation's stated mission of "developing a public display of manuscripts and artifacts for Christian educational purposes."