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Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$1k
Granted FY2019
1
Grants FY2019
1
States reached
$1k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its fieldRead
04Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0188% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2019.

Recreation & Sports$8kHuman Services$5kYouth Development$4kEducation$3kArts & Culture$3kHousing & Shelter$3kCommunity Improvement$2kHealth$2kOther$0
02FY2019 · 1 grant

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$1,348
Median grant
1
States reached
$8k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
BATTLE CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOL$1,348
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 (FY17–17, $1k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%SOWHOPE: $1k → 11%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.

Which US states its grants reach

MI
CO
VA
AZ
KS
TN
SC
OK
TX
FL
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 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
Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Our mission is conserving West Michigans ecologically critical land. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments in creating natural areas, and helping private landowners…

Environment
2
Legacy Land Conservancy

Safeguard southern michigan's land and water to support diverse, resilient, and thriving communities - forever

Environment
3
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership

The mission of great lakes community action partnership is to create partnerships and opportunites to help individuals, families and communities thrive.

Human Services
4
The Right Place Inc

The right place is the economic development organization that drives current and long-term economic prosperity in west michigan.

—
5
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy

The mission of gtrlc is to protect significant natural, scenic and farm lands and advance land stewardship now and for future generations.

Environment
6
The Little Forks Conservancy Inc

To permanently protect and improve natural environments in Mid-Michigan by leading and inspiring actions that conserve vital habitats and waterways for the benefit of our entire community.

Environment
7
West Michigan Christian Foundation

None

Religion
8
Global Forest Generation

Global Forest Generation restores and protects forest ecosystems in partnership with grassroots leaders and local communities across vast landscapes which play a critical role in preserving water, protecting biodiversity, storing carbon,…

Environment
9
Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes Inc

To provide human milk to improve infant health and save lives.

Health
10
Lakeshore Legal Aid

Standing with our neighbors, Lakeshore Legal Aid fights poverty and injustice through advocacy and by providing meaningful and dignified access to the legal system.

Crime & Legal
11
Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries Inc

The mission of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries (Goodwill) is to help individuals with barriers to self-sufficiency to achieve independence and dignity through work. Not charity, but a chance.

Employment
12
Common Good Iowa

Common good iowa engages iowans to create and advocate for research-based public policy that makes life better and more equitable for all who make iowa home.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Gilda's Club Grand Rapids; the most unlike its peers is Fionas Footprints Inc. 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

17 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. 17 of the 40 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.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
16/17
Grantees still filing
16/17
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $3,525 · OtherIndividual grant recipientHABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KENT CO: $2,500 · OtherHABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KENT COIndividual grant recipient: $2,500 · OtherIndividual grant recipientGUIDING LIGHT MISSION INC: $2,500 · OtherGUIDING LIGHT MISSION INCBATTLE CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOL: $1,348 · OtherBATTLE CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOLIndividual grant recipient: $1,000 · OtherGEMS GIRLS CLUB: $1,000 · OtherNORTHWEST MICHIGAN 4-H LIVESTOCK COUNCIL: $885 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $839 · OtherHAND2HAND: $1,000 · OtherGILDA'S CLUB GRAND RAPIDS: $1,000 · Other+19 more: $6,751 · Other+19 morePRESTON TAYLOR MINISTRIES: $2,500 · EducationPRESTON TAY…Literacy Center of West Michigan: $500 · EducationLiteracy Ce…WEST MICHIGAN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS FORUM: $500 · EducationWEST MICHIG…BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER: $500 · EducationBLANDFORD N…KENT COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION: $2,604 · Public BenefitGRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM FOUNDATION: $2,500 · Arts & CultureROOSEVELT PARK MINISTRIES INC: $2,500 · Crime & LegalRIGHT PLACE FOUNDATION: $2,000 · Community ImprovementSOWHOPE ORG: $1,000 · Human ServicesWOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC: $250 · Human Services
Other$24,848Education$4,000Public Benefit$2,604Arts & Culture$2,500Crime & Legal$2,500Community Improvement$2,000Human Services$1,250

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetKENT COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION: $2,604 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetGRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPRESTON TAYLOR MINISTRIES: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetGUIDING LIGHT MISSION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRIGHT PLACE FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGILDA'S CLUB GRAND RAPIDS: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLiteracy Center of West Michigan: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBLANDFORD NATURE CENTER: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKALAMAZOO JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION: $500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetCompassion International Incorporated: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDucks Unlimited Inc: $200 over 1y, 0.0% 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.

Grand Rapids Communit…The Wege FoundationFrey FoundationThe David and Carol V…Douglas & Maria Devos…Peter C & Emajean Coo…The Mercantile Bank F…Consumers Energy Foun…WK Kellogg FoundationThe Sebastian Foundat…Steve & Amy Van Andel…Daniel & Pamella Devo…
Grand Rapids Community FoundationMI27.8× affinity11 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Grand Rapids Community Foundation · The Wege Foundation · Frey Foundation · The David and Carol Van Andel Family Foundation · Douglas & Maria Devos Foundation · Peter C & Emajean Cook Foundation · The Mercantile Bank Foundation · Consumers Energy Foundation · WK Kellogg Foundation · The Sebastian Foundation · Steve & Amy Van Andel Foundation · Daniel & Pamella Devos Foundation

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 Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Wounded Warrior Project Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
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.
04Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

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 40 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-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2019, released 2019. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record and reports no grant expense, so the figures above are from FY2019, the most recent year this funder made grants.

Source object · view filing

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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