Grant funders / Michigan / Higher Education
Higher Education Grant Funders in Michigan
1270 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Michigan nonprofits in recent years, together directing $782.2M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 1270 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
1270
Higher education funders
$782.2M
Given to Michigan nonprofits
14,605
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active higher education funders in Michigan
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Michigan giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University Foundation | Michigan | $81.5M | 4 | 2023 |
| 2 | Charles Stewart Mott Foundation | Michigan | $58.8M | 41 | 2024 |
| 3 | Ferris Foundation | Michigan | $40.7M | 7 | 2024 |
| 4 | Wk Kellogg Foundation | Michigan | $33.9M | 24 | 2023 |
| 5 | Charles O Lee Jr & Louise K Lee | Michigan | $32.3M | 4 | 2024 |
| 6 | The Kresge Foundation | Michigan | $24.7M | 117 | 2024 |
| 7 | Saginaw Valley State University | Michigan | $18.3M | 3 | 2023 |
| 8 | Lake Superior State University Foundation | Michigan | $15.5M | 8 | 2025 |
| 9 | Lake Michigan College Foundation | Michigan | $13.6M | 8 | 2025 |
| 10 | F W & Elsie Heyl Science Sch Fund | Pennsylvania | $13.4M | 12 | 2024 |
| 11 | Srcco | North Carolina | $12.5M | 4 | 2024 |
| 12 | The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation | California | $12.0M | 5 | 2022 |
| 13 | Community Foundation for Southeast | Michigan | $11.2M | 77 | 2024 |
| 14 | W S Ballenger Tr Fbo Mott Comm College | Ohio | $11.0M | 5 | 2024 |
| 15 | Eastern Michigan University Foundation | Michigan | $10.4M | 5 | 2023 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Michigan — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 1270 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Higher Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in Michigan
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented higher education focus and that have funded Michigan nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Michigan recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.