Skip to content

Michigan · Public charity

Heart of West Michigan United Way

We unite community resources to invest in solutions that reduce poverty in west michigan.

$6.5M
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
114
Itemized grants FY2025
98
Organizations funded FY2024
24%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Itemized, FY2025
$5.1M
The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
Median grant, FY2025
$20,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$726,531
Organizations funded a year
79 to 107
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
1
Total assets, FY2025
$34M

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 24% of the organizations Heart of West Michigan United Way funded were first-time grantees, receiving 14% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 86% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $659k 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
Human ServicesPhilanthropyHealthEducationReligionYouth DevelopmentOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving113$5.1M27%
FY202498$4.8M24%
FY202379$4.6M1%
FY202289$8.1M25%
FY202192$8.2M22%
FY2020107$7.1M28%
FY201986$5.6M5%
FY201892$6.7M13%
100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Human Services$21MHousing & Shelter$7.8MHealth$6.8MPhilanthropy$3.8MEmployment$3.2MCrime & Legal$3.1MYouth Development$3.0MEducation$2.7MOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

IL
MI
MA
IN
OH
CA
CO

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Salvation Army Social Services of Kent County$7,669,6408n/a
Family Promise of Grand Rapids$3,079,964915%
Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids Inc$2,370,84691%
YWCA West Central Michigan$2,164,59297%
Cherry Street Services Inc$1,836,95071%
Da Blodgett - St John's$1,582,64092%
Health Net of West Michigan$1,529,263740%
Access of West Michigan$1,195,527531%
Migrant Legal Aid Inc$1,128,124947%
Legal Aid of Western Michigan$1,124,68393%
Show all 247 grantees
All grantees of Heart of West Michigan United Way by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Salvation Army Social Services of Kent County$7,669,6408n/a
Family Promise of Grand Rapids$3,079,964915%
Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids Inc$2,370,84691%
YWCA West Central Michigan$2,164,59297%
Cherry Street Services Inc$1,836,95071%
Da Blodgett - St John's$1,582,64092%
Health Net of West Michigan$1,529,263740%
Access of West Michigan$1,195,527531%
Migrant Legal Aid Inc$1,128,124947%
Legal Aid of Western Michigan$1,124,68393%
Iccf Community Homes$1,108,76393%
Hope Network$1,043,52972%
Bethany Christian Services$978,12971%
West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology$969,71198%
Greater Ottawa County United Way$925,657822%
City of Grand Rapids$921,1887n/a
The Arbor Circle Corporation$890,14182%
Grand Rapids Urban League$883,787719%
Community Rebuilders$873,09692%
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County Inc$817,55893%
Kent County Community Action Agency$787,8591n/a
Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids Nonprofit$773,99392%
Hispanic Center of Western Michigan Inc$768,617713%
Camp Blodgett$767,857916%
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services$766,96780%
Salvation Army$726,5311n/a
Catholic Charities West Michigan$653,76491%
Women's Resource Center$643,342915%
Steepletown Neighborhood Services Inc$562,58097%
Meals on Wheels Western Michigan$558,77592%
The Refugee Education Center$524,94977%
Aya Youth Collective$492,34865%
Senior Neighbors Inc$480,66992%
Literacy Center of West Michigan$462,36996%
United Way of the Lakeshore$416,33292%
Baxter Community Center$387,42996%
The Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Grand Rapids (3019)$386,21480%
United Way of Montcalm-Ionia Counties$360,918829%
Young Money Finances$335,900538%
Rockford Community Service Center$321,95893%
Mel Trotter Ministries$312,04191%
Better Wiser Stronger Inc$268,180534%
Kids' Food Basket Inc$262,63191%
United Way of Southwest Michigan$261,94572%
CASA of Kent County Inc$259,22995%
New City Kids Inc$259,09722%
Family Outreach Center$245,62051%
United Church Outreach Ministry$242,92947%
Home Repair Services of Kent County Inc$237,91943%
Barry County United Way$233,94294%
United Way of South Central Michigan$226,22490%
Corewell Health Foundation West Michigan$225,80090%
STEM Greenhouse Inc$224,400213%
Disability Advocates of Kent County$222,21143%
First Steps Kent$221,046113%
The Other Way Ministries$221,01243%
Our Hope Association$218,95423%
Paws With A Cause$209,02591%
Children's Assessment Center$208,48943%
The Delta Project$205,400426%
Ingenium Coach$198,485438%
Our Kitchen Table$197,925437%
United Way of Whitewater Valley Inc$195,602216%
Safe Haven Ministries Inc$187,91492%
South End Community Outreach Ministries$183,87367%
Allegan County United Way$180,34867%
West Michigan Asian American Association Inc$179,483620%
Family Futures$177,24717%
Genesis Non-Profit Housing Corporation$175,34963%
Well House$175,227316%
Institute of Ubuntu$175,000119%
Heart of West Michigan United Way$174,78611%
Wedgwood Christian Services$173,33190%
Planned Parenthood of Michigan$170,57290%
Community Food Clubs$164,30643%
Puertas Abiertas Inc$160,432415%
United Way for Southeastern Michigan$151,39690%
American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches$151,11820%
Housing Kent Fka Housing Stability Alliance$150,87528%
Vibrant Futures$150,5781n/a
Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth Inc$145,47563%
United Methodist Community House$142,37033%
Feeding America West Michigan$141,80290%
Degage Ministries$139,46263%
Kent Intermediate School District$126,5212n/a
Hoap Inc$113,215477%
Southwest Organizations Unifying Resources for Our Community and Employee$112,161110%
K-Connect$110,00049%
Capital Area United Way Inc$109,37771%
Meaning in Colors$103,011426%
Mecosta - Osceola United Way Inc$102,24967%
Grand Rapids Public Schools$100,0001n/a
R 2 H Secure Living CDC$96,8005n/a
Gilda's Club Grand Rapids$94,62092%
New City Neighbors$87,29025%
United Way of Northwest Michigan$84,71964%
Kent School Services Network$84,54433%
Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore$84,00823%
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired$82,70072%
Aqume Foundation$77,500317%
Positive Impact for Life$72,008417%
Hope Gain Center of West Michigan$63,800418%
The Killgoar Education Foundation$63,45074%
Girls Growing II Women$63,378523%
Michigan Crossroads Council Inc Boy Scouts of America$61,80970%
Young Life$61,26960%
Hospice of Michigan Inc$60,37650%
Sacred Beginnings Transitional Homes Inc$57,72036%
Compassionate Awareness Autism Center$55,000285%
Holland Home$53,05270%
Pregnancy Resource Center$52,53070%
Community Action House$52,07010%
Asian Community Outreach$49,375252%
United Way of Mason County$48,93062%
Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes Inc$48,06170%
Guiding Light Mission Inc$45,91070%
Conductive Learning Center of North America$45,5963n/a
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Association$41,55646%
70 X 7 Life Recovery$40,00022%
Resilience Advocates for Ending Violence$39,25120%
Ele's Place Inc$38,26850%
Flavorful Futures$35,0001n/a
The Proactive Project Inc$35,00026%
Endless Opportunities$35,000224%
Osofomaame$35,0002n/a
Project Green$31,80027%
Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan Inc$30,08110%
The Empowerment Institute Inc$30,0001n/a
Char-Em United Way Inc$29,60933%
Grand Rapids Chapter National Black Nurses Association$28,5002n/a
Lake Michigan Junior Golf Association$27,80051%
Taylor Made Re-Entry$27,5002n/a
A Mothers Touch$26,50028%
United Way of Greater Central Michigan$25,29112%
Kingdom Life Ministries Community Development Corporation$25,175131%
Together West Michigan Education Fund$25,000112%
Ayni Institute Inc$25,00013%
Shifting Patterns Supportive Housing$25,0001n/a
Hand2hand$24,02540%
American Cancer Society Inc$23,81230%
Forest Hills Public Schools Foundation$23,77541%
Noors Heaven of West Michigan Services$23,3751n/a
Humane Society of West Michigan$23,20540%
Hope College$22,64810%
Children's Assessment Center$21,87111%
New Destiny Pathways Inc$21,800122%
Realism Is Loyalty$21,800110%
Corewell Health$21,3493n/a
Health Intervention Services$20,00011%
Living in Fulfillment Everday Inc$20,0001n/a
Mirroe Mi Inc$20,0001n/a
Unlimited Alternatives$20,00017%
Community of Hearts$20,0001n/a
Clean and Sober Support$20,0001n/a
Code on Wheels$20,000117%
Swag Succeeding While Achieving Greatness$20,0001n/a
Aim to Inspire$20,0001n/a
A Glimpse of Africa$20,00027%
Inland Southern California United Way$18,51220%
Mosaic Counseling$17,8351n/a
LifeQuest Urban Outreach Center$17,5001n/a
Changing a Life a Day Outreach$17,0001n/a
The Grandville Education Foundation$16,947215%
Tall Turf Ministries$16,59122%
Rockford Education Foundation$16,49827%
Attic After School$15,0001n/a
Cox-McKenzie School of Driving LLC$15,0001n/a
Step LLC$15,0002n/a
Grace Christian University$15,00010%
Bridge Street House of Prayer$15,00012%
Ai Skill Team$15,0001n/a
Grand City Sports Inc$15,0001n/a
All Things Fatherhood$15,0001n/a
Our House of Blessings Inc$15,0001n/a
My Little Love Bugs Childcare$15,0001n/a
Base Camp Urban Outreach$15,0001n/a
Steam Creative Scholars Preschool$15,0001n/a
Helping Important People Succeed$15,0001n/a
Journee Evans$15,0001n/a
Kickback$15,0001n/a
Treasured Brown Girl$15,0002n/a
Hope Gardens$15,000111%
East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation$14,70720%
United Way of Genesee County$14,33620%
Otsego County United Way Inc$13,24422%
Grand Rapids Hq$12,9041n/a
Sylvia's Place$12,72121%
Cornerstone University$12,49610%
Over the Top Academy of Dance$12,0001n/a
Good Samaritan Ministries$11,80710%
Kentwood Public Schools Education Foundation$11,383119%
Help For US Inc$11,0001n/a
Community Access Line of the Lakeshore 211$10,41811%
Breakthrough T1d$10,33420%
S T R O N G$10,0001n/a
Metropolitan Foundation$10,0001n/a
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church$10,0001n/a
Atrio Home Health$10,00010%
Plainsong Farm & Ministry$10,0001n/a
Recovery Academy$10,0001n/a
Greater Grand Rapids Chamber Foundation$10,00011%
Radical Grace Church$10,0001n/a
Flat River Outreach Ministries Inc$9,99910%
Center for Dispute Resolution Dba Mediation Services$9,51513%
Reach for Recovery Inc$9,1481n/a
Safe Harbor Children's Advocacy Center$9,07611%
City on a Hill Ministries$9,03410%
Glow Girl Social Club$9,0001n/a
Upcycle Bikes$8,98812%
Youth Vision Solutions$8,80010%
United Way of Summit and Medina$8,80010%
The Salvation Army$8,7621n/a
Mackenzies Foundation$8,6011n/a
Woodfield Community Center$8,0001n/a
Bhutanese Community of Michigan$8,0001n/a
Covenant Enabling Residences of Michigan Inc$7,9611n/a
United Way of Midland County$7,85610%
Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan$7,69511%
Treetops Collective$7,68811%
Wings of Hope Hospice & Palliative Care Inc$7,6261n/a
United Way of Logan County Inc$7,41911%
Legal Assistance Center$7,04712%
Garfield Park Neighborhood Associa$7,00014%
Benjamin's Hope$6,72610%
Saint Mary's Foundation$6,64510%
Fenway Community Health Center Inc$6,60010%
His Harvest Stand$6,5931n/a
Heartside Ministry Inc$6,5111n/a
Van Andel Research Institute$6,29610%
Life Matters Worldwide$6,10812%
Eaton County United Way Inc$6,07415%
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc$6,07010%
Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities Inc$6,04611%
Silent Observer of West Michigan$5,88117%
Thresholds Inc$5,79510%
Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation$5,7871n/a
Kentwood Community Wesleyan Church$5,7751n/a
Latin Americans United for Progress Inc$5,6141n/a
United Way of Clare County$5,54511%
Lowell Community Fund$5,4681n/a
United Way of Wexford-Missaukee Counties$5,37611%
St Roberts of Newminister Catholic Church$5,3541n/a
Christian Neighbors Se$5,28710%
Young Men's Christian Assn - Tri-Cities Michigan$5,28510%
West Michigan Horticultural Society Inc Dba Frederik Meijer Gardens$5,28010%
Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico Inc & United Way Puerto Rico$5,24910%
Creston Neighborhood Association$5,07512%

Plus 1 recipient with no EIN on record ($5k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Heart of West Michigan United Way supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 14 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 183 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetFamily Promise of Grand Rapids: $3,079,964 over 9y, 15% of budgetGoodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids Inc: $2,370,846 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetYWCA West Central Michigan: $2,164,592 over 9y, 7.4% of budgetCherry Street Services Inc: $1,836,950 over 7y, 0.8% of budgetDa Blodgett - St John's: $1,582,640 over 9y, 2.0% of budgetHealth Net of West Michigan: $1,529,263 over 7y, 40% of budgetAccess of West Michigan: $1,195,527 over 5y, 31% of budgetMigrant Legal Aid Inc: $1,128,124 over 9y, 47% of budgetLegal Aid of Western Michigan: $1,124,683 over 9y, 3.1% of budgetIccf Community Homes: $1,108,763 over 9y, 3.1% of budgetHope Network: $1,043,529 over 7y, 2.1% of budgetBethany Christian Services: $978,129 over 7y, 1.3% of budgetWest Michigan Center for Arts & Technology: $969,711 over 9y, 8.1% of budgetGreater Ottawa County United Way: $925,657 over 8y, 22% of budgetThe Arbor Circle Corporation: $890,141 over 8y, 1.6% of budgetGrand Rapids Urban League: $883,787 over 7y, 19% of budgetCommunity Rebuilders: $873,096 over 9y, 2.1% of budgetHabitat for Humanity of Kent County Inc: $817,558 over 9y, 3.0% of budgetDwelling Place of Grand Rapids Nonprofit: $773,993 over 9y, 1.8% of budgetHispanic Center of Western Michigan Inc: $768,617 over 7y, 13% of budgetCamp Blodgett: $767,857 over 9y, 16% of budgetPine Rest Christian Mental Health Services: $766,967 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetCatholic Charities West Michigan: $653,764 over 9y, 0.9% of budgetWomen's Resource Center: $643,342 over 9y, 15% of budgetSteepletown Neighborhood Services Inc: $562,580 over 9y, 7.3% of budgetMeals on Wheels Western Michigan: $558,775 over 9y, 1.8% of budgetThe Refugee Education Center: $524,949 over 7y, 6.9% of budgetAya Youth Collective: $492,348 over 6y, 4.5% of budgetSenior Neighbors Inc: $480,669 over 9y, 2.4% of budgetLiteracy Center of West Michigan: $462,369 over 9y, 5.7% of budgetUnited Way of the Lakeshore: $416,332 over 9y, 2.3% of budgetBaxter Community Center: $387,429 over 9y, 6.0% of budgetThe Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Grand Rapids (3019): $386,214 over 8y, 0.2% of budgetUnited Way of Montcalm-Ionia Counties: $360,918 over 8y, 29% of budgetYoung Money Finances: $335,900 over 5y, 38% of budgetRockford Community Service Center: $321,958 over 9y, 3.0% of budgetMel Trotter Ministries: $312,041 over 9y, 0.7% of budgetBetter Wiser Stronger Inc: $268,180 over 5y, 34% of budgetKids' Food Basket Inc: $262,631 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetUnited Way of Southwest Michigan: $261,945 over 7y, 1.8% of budgetCASA of Kent County Inc: $259,229 over 9y, 4.8% of budgetNew City Kids Inc: $259,097 over 2y, 2.4% of budgetFamily Outreach Center: $245,620 over 5y, 1.4% of budgetUnited Church Outreach Ministry: $242,929 over 4y, 6.9% of budgetHome Repair Services of Kent County Inc: $237,919 over 4y, 2.6% of budgetBarry County United Way: $233,942 over 9y, 3.7% of budgetUnited Way of South Central Michigan: $226,224 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetCorewell Health Foundation West Michigan: $225,800 over 9y, 0.0% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 183.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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 Community FoundationMI200.6× affinity124 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Grand Rapids Community Foundation · Frey Foundation · The Wege Foundation · Douglas & Maria Devos Foundation · Corewell Health Group Return · Steelcase Foundation · Cdv5 Foundation · The Mercantile Bank Foundation · Peter C & Emajean Cook Foundation · The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area Inc · Consumers Energy Foundation · Feeding America West Michigan

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.

Compare Heart of West Michigan United Way with peer funders

About Heart of West Michigan United Way

How much does Heart of West Michigan United Way give?
Heart of West Michigan United Way reported 114 itemized grants totaling $5,124,712, out of $6,530,868 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 79 and 107 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does Heart of West Michigan United Way fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Human Services (36%), Housing & Shelter (13%), Health (12%).
Who are Heart of West Michigan United Way's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Salvation Army Social Services of Kent County ($7.7M), Family Promise of Grand Rapids ($3.1M), Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids Inc ($2.4M).
Does Heart of West Michigan United Way fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 24% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Which funders back the same organizations as Heart of West Michigan United Way?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Frey Foundation, The Wege Foundation.
Where is Heart of West Michigan United Way based?
Heart of West Michigan United Way is based in MI.

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 250 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Heart of West Michigan United Way’s filings →

More from the funding graph