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Drive for Life at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

Drive for Life

DRIVE FOR LIFE foundation is organized for the purpose of receiving contributions in order to raise funds to support charitable organizations in the southwest michigan region.

$973k
Granted FY2024still arriving
13
Grants FY2024still arriving
4
States reached
$463k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2024.

Recreation & Sports$2.3MHealth$717kCommunity Improvement$587kEducation$369kPhilanthropy$155kReligion$40kPublic Safety & Disaster$40kArts & Culture$35kOther$0
02FY2024 · 13 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 13 grants below total $908,500, the rows itemized in this filing. The $973,491 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $64,991 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k2 grants · $13k
  • $10k–50k6 grants · $124k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $309k
  • $250k+1 grant · $463k
$30,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$846k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
SPARTAN FUND$463,000
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FIRST - LEGACY COUNCIL$103,500
BRONCO ATHLETIC FUND$100,000
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY$55,000
JOURNEY21$50,000
THE KIRK GIBSON FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S$35,000
ZEIGLER KALAMAZOO MARATHON$30,000
KALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION$20,000
OCEAN REEF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION$15,000
CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER$14,000
GREAT LAKES CENTER FOR THE ARTS$10,000
WMU ATHLETICS$7,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ELKHART COUNTY$6,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY21–21, $22k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%GRANT CARDONE FOUNDATION: $10k → 15%SHERMAN LAKE YMCA: $12k → 12%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

89%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.7M · 13 repeat orgs$456k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +20% since the first grant, against +13% for those funded once.

13 repeat relationships: 8 still active in FY2024, 5 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

13
17

Total granted

$3.7M
$291k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+20%
+13%

Still filing today

62%
65%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 81% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $165k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationHealthPhilanthropyHuman ServicesCommunity ImprovementEmploymentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • SM
    SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FIRST CORP
    6× · 2018–2024 · $607k · revenue +69%
  • CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
    6× · 2018–2024 · $87k · revenue +94%
  • MI
    MRC Industries Inc
    3× · 2018–2021 · $50k · revenue +54%

Funded once

  • ES
    EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2023 · $50k · revenue +13%
  • FO
    FOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2023 · $50k · revenue +19%
  • WM
    WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY HOMER STRYKER MD SCHOOL OF MEDICINEgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $25k · revenue +26%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Business Leaders for Michigan Foundation

Business leaders for michigan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan statewide organization driven by ceos from the state's leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making michigan a top 10 state for jobs, talent and a thriving economy.…

Community Improvement
2
Lake Michigan College Foundation

The mission of the lake michigan college foundation is to raise funds in support of lake michigan college and its students. the lake michigan college foundation is the main fund-raising organization of lake michigan college for the…

—
3
The Northern Michigan University Foundation

The nmu foundation will establish and foster relationships to generate resources that benefit the strategic goals of northern michigan university.

Education
4
Michigan State Medical Society Foundation

To advance the field of health for the public good.

—
5
Michigan Chamber Foundation

1) to plan and conduct nonpartisan public education programs regarding free enterprise, productivity and basic economic issues affecting the state of michigan.2) to establish and operate a leadership institute designed to provide promising…

Arts & Culture
6
Mymichigan Health Foundation

The corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes by conducting or supporting activites exclusively for the benefit of, to perform the functions of, or to carry out the…

Health
7
Mid Michigan College Foundation

The mid michigan college foundation is a non-profit michigan corportion organized to receive and administer funds for charitable purposes in support of mid michigan college. the corporation is organized exclusively for the purpose of…

—
8
Kalamazoo College

The mission of kalamazoo college is to prepare its graduates to better understand, live sucessfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world. as a highly selective, nationally renowened…

Education
9
Michigan Science Center

The mission of the michigan science center is to inspire curious minds of all ages to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology, engineering and math in a creative, dynamic learning environment.

Education
10
Henry Ford Health Genesys Foundation

As one of the nation's leading integrated health systems, it is the mission of henry ford health system, a related entity of the filing organization, to improve people's lives through the excellence of the science and art of health care…

Health
11
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
12
Business Leaders for Michigan

Business leaders for michigan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan statewide organization driven by ceos from the state's leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making michigan a top 10 state for jobs, talent and a thriving economy.…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Southwest Michigan First Corp; the most unlike its peers is Movember Foundation. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

25 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 25 of the 36 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
24/25
Grantees still filing
12/25
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: $2,186,000 · OtherMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYBRONCO ATHLETIC FUND: $100,000 · OtherWESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY: $99,000 · Other+16 more: $352,300 · Other+16 moreSOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FIRST CORP: $607,000 · Community ImprovementSOUTHWEST MICHIGA…COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR OCEANA COUNTY: $50,000 · Community ImprovementCOMMUNITY FOUNDAT…AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $343,000 · HealthAMERICAN C…THE KIRK GIBSON CENTER FOR PARKINSON'S WELLNESS: $35,000 · HealthTHE KIRK G…+2 more: $20,020 · HealthEVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION: $50,000 · EducationFOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION: $50,000 · EducationWESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $45,320 · EducationWESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY HOMER STRYKER MD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: $25,000 · EducationKALAMAZOO REGIONAL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION: $10,000 · EducationJourney 21 Inc: $150,000 · Housing & ShelterOCEAN REEF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $75,000 · PhilanthropyDRIVE FOR LIFE: $30,000 · PhilanthropyKALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $20,000 · PhilanthropyHARDYSTRONG FOUNDATION NFP: $7,500 · PhilanthropyMRC Industries Inc: $50,000 · Employment
Other$2,737,300Community Improvement$657,000Health$398,020Education$180,320Housing & Shelter$150,000Philanthropy$132,500Employment$50,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FIRST CORP: $607,000 over 6y, 1.9% of budgetAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $343,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetJourney 21 Inc: $150,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetCHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER: $86,700 over 6y, 3.1% of budgetOCEAN REEF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $75,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetEVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR OCEANA COUNTY: $50,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetMRC Industries Inc: $50,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetFOLDS OF HONOR FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $45,320 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetTHE KIRK GIBSON CENTER FOR PARKINSON'S WELLNESS: $35,000 over 1y, 27% of budgetGreat Lakes Center for the Arts: $35,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetDRIVE FOR LIFE: $30,000 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetWESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY HOMER STRYKER MD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF ELKHART COUNTY INC: $21,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetKALAMAZOO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOCEAN REEF CHAPEL FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMOVEMBER FOUNDATION: $12,020 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center: $12,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetKALAMAZOO REGIONAL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetGRANT CARDONE FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetASCENSION BORGESS HOSPITAL: $8,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHARDYSTRONG FOUNDATION NFP: $7,500 over 1y, 3.2% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Kalamazoo Community F…Tyler-Little Family F…Harold and Grace Upjo…Suzanne Upjohn Delano…United Way of South C…The Pfizer Foundation…WK Kellogg FoundationHavirmill FoundationEnna FoundationJim Gilmore Jr Founda…Marvin and Rosalie Ok…Dorothy U Dalton Foun…
Kalamazoo Community FoundationMI21.7× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Kalamazoo Community Foundation · Tyler-Little Family Foundation · Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation · Suzanne Upjohn Delano Parish Foundation · United Way of South Central Michigan · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · WK Kellogg Foundation · Havirmill Foundation · Enna Foundation · Jim Gilmore Jr Foundation · Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation · Dorothy U Dalton Foundation Inc

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Drive for Life funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Drive for Life. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 40%2%8%17%30%funder's share of their income ↑0%1%3%4%5%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    4get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–5%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 36 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Drive for Life’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home